Costa Mesa High School football coach Jimmy Nolan’s latest update: “I’ll give it to you straight this time.”
And what Nolan wrote on Facebook on Tuesday morning about the status of his wife and two children who survived a fatal two-car collision in September in South Carolina is mostly harrowing, with a good amount of hope and gratitude, and even a dash of humor.
Taran Nolan and three of the Nolans’ four children on Sept. 10 in South Carolina were involved in a two-car collision that left two people dead, the Nolans’ youngest daughter Micki and the driver of the other vehicle, Glendora Holmes. The Nolans were in the process of relocating to South Carolina.
Taran suffered severe injuries that left her with an inability to move her extremities. She remains in care at Medical University Hospital in South Carolina.
Their son Jimmy and daughter Daisy had broken bones and cuts that required stitches. Daisy sustained skull fractures. Youngest daughter Micki, 3, did not survive the collision of the Ford Expedition driven by Taran and the Cadillac Escalade driven by Holmes. The South Carolina Highway Patrol reported that Taran was driving on the wrong side of U.S. 521.
Nolan had posted updates regularly on Facebook, but Tuesday’s post was his first Facebook update this month. The words in parentheses and capitalizations are Nolan’s. …
“I don’t always have time (for updates),” Nolan wrote, “as I try to be with kids any time I’m not with Tar. And when there’s time (while she sleeps), often it’s not the kind of news you’d want to read … doesn’t feel right burdening anyone with unpleasantries … I’ve posted what’s nice. The other stuff wouldn’t bring anyone a smile.”
He provided details of the crash: “Tar got the worst of it. Everything under the hood of car got pushed back into Tar and Daisy (who was sitting behind her). Jimmy had the least amount of injuries, as the collision caused more problems with crushing Tar and Daze on left side, when compared to the right side. The safest place was Micki’s spot, behind Jim on the right. And I assume that’s why I could hear Micki moaning before the phone burned. The other three were unconscious … everyone but Mick.”
Nolan in previous updates wrote that he was told Micki could not be removed from her car seat before fire overtook the SUV. Nolan today wrote that he also had been told she died on impact.
“I knew I’d find out the facts sooner or later,” Nolan wrote.
He found out Monday.
“Yesterday,” Nolan wrote, “I finally spoke with the State Trooper who was on scene at crash. I told him to give it to me straight: he answered, Jimmy it wasn’t until three of your family members were pulled out of car that your son Jimmy kept shouting, what about Micki!!! … only then did we realize there was more than three. And by that time the car was engulfed in burning flames … it was too late.’”
Nolan since the crash has expressed how proud and impressed he’s been about how his wife and children have responded and improved.
“I knew JimmyQ would make it,” wrote Nolan, who often refers to his son as “Jimmy Quick.” “There were some scary times with Daisy, but she fought like a champ and beat the pneumonia. I’m still blown away how quickly she’s recovering (6 skull fractures). It’s amazing. We’re grateful.”
Nolan wrote that people have tried to help him deal with Micki’s death: “I do appreciate everyone’s support, but understand I’ll mourn our Mick for life. There’s no remedy on this one, and I don’t want one.”
As for Taran …
“Tar isn’t outta the dark yet,” Nolan wrote, “as pneumonia is still a possibility … but I feel confident with the awesome 24/7 care she‘s getting from the professionals in Neuro ICU at MUSC.
“I asked God for one more favor …’please let my wife’s brain come back. I’m happy to feed, bathe, and clothe her for the rest of our lives, but PLEASE allow her brain to come back … I just want to be able to talk to her.’ …today- in my opinion, her brain is BACK. I don’t know if it’s 100%, but shoot ~ with all my concussions, neither is mine … we’ll be perfect together.”
Nolan wrote that he did ask God for an additional favor: “hey buddy, thanks for keeping her alive … and I can’t thank you enough for letting her brain come back. Beggars can’t be choosers, so I don’t want to wear out my welcome. I only ask that you make it POSSIBLE for her to move again. That’s all I ask. YOU give her a chance, and I won’t ask for anyone’s prayers, and we ain’t looking for a miracle. You just give her a CHANCE, and she’ll get out what she puts in. We don’t want any freebies. Just give her a shot, and I’ll bet the house she’ll make her own luck.
“Tar’s tough. She’s got grit. If given a chance to fight and EARN the right to move again, she’ll get’er done … a couple days later, she has moved a bit … I’m confident she’ll beat this. It may take several years, but we got plenty of time.”
