Meeting up with Richard

The following post is written by Ken, Jennie's brother. Ken was the first family member to meet up with Richard after the accident.


It wasn't coincidence that I haven't found a job yet. I graduated in May with a Master's degree in Architecture.I had just spent the week at boy scout camp with my oldest son Jake. We arrived home Saturday morning and I unpacked the truck and put all the gear away. I was tired from the drive home and the short nights at camp. So I decided to take a nap. An hour and a half later Mom called  to tell me about the accident that Richard and Jennie were in. Mom was looking for a way to get Karla a flight up and since my wife Polly works for the airlines they wanted to know what I could do. We really did not have any way to help Karla in this case but I realized that I could go with Karla to be with Jennie and Richard.  We planned on arriving in SLC about 9:30 pm and then driving 3 hours out to Rock Springs where the accident happened. This was about 2 pm  around 3 hours after the accident it was 1pm my time.  After checking flights Polly found I could leave on an earlier flight than Karla and could make a second flight clear to Rock Springs by 9pm. So I called Karla and told her to go to be with Jennie when she got into SLC and that I would go straight to Richard. I flew standby to SLC but the flight to Rock Springs was on a little plane with not many seats.  I felt I needed to just buy a ticket even though there seemed to be extra seats to catch standby. Without a job I was concerned with finances but I needed to get to Richard so it felt like the right thing to do. It was good because the flight filled up and they were asking for volunteers  to give up their seats.


Polly had set up a rental car to be picked up at 9 pm when the flight arrived. After arriving at the Rock Springs airport, the thirty or so passengers disappeared from the airport lobby in about two minutes and I was left alone. There were two rental car companies with a counter there at the airport but both seemed deserted. The company I had my reservation with had a sign indicating that they closed at 5 pm on Saturdays. I wondered how I could get a reservation for 9 pm when the place shut down at 5. Well the other rental agency was empty but no sign said it was closed and there was a hand written note sitting on the counter that said to call Vern with a Cell number. It said he was just in town washing a car (the small airport was about 5 miles outside of Rock Springs). It was about 9:30 now and so I just called. An old man answered and indicated that the counter was closed. I told him my situation. He said "I guess I can come and open it for you. But it'll take 20 minutes for me to get there."   I gratefully accepted his offer. He told me that he had accidentally left the note on the counter from earlier in the day with his cell number on it. He also failed to put up the sign saying the counter was closed and the times it was open. Before long this little old man with a cane came hobbling into the airport and got me a car to find Richard. I then drove another 30 minutes or so to find Richard. He was in shock and just grateful to Sally for taking his little family in for the night. He slept on a strangers couch and I on the floor next to him. We were happy for a quiet comfortable place. The next morning we picked up a few things from the tow company and drove the 3 hours into Salt Lake City to see Jennie.I had a lot of help and inspiration to be available and able to get to Richard so quickly. Richard is such a great man and Jennie loved him so much. I am glad that I had the help I did so that I could help Richard. Later, Richard told Ken that he had never been happier to see a familiar face.