Condolences in horrific and sad tragedy in car accident

Bryan Sord is one of the most generous people we've met over the years. The owner of several great restaurants including 94 West, Sord has been a philanthropist who has helped many charities and good causes. His parents owned a very popular restaurant that served the green pasta in Chicago. It was a place where I found great memories going with my mom and dad when I was young.

So it was even more painful to read this weekend that his son, Nicholas, 21, was involved in a tragic car accident that took the life of Jessica Mejia, 20, of New Lenox who was in the car with Nicholas. Our condolences go out to the Mejia family and the Sord family. New Years is supposed to be a good time for people when they can look forward to better times. This will be a terribly difficult time for both families. (Read story)

Both families need our prayers and we wish them all the best as they navigate through these terrible events.

-- Ray Hanania
www.RadioChicagoland.com

Car accidents make a horrible sound and father's Day, too

We were in our backyard preparing for a backyard barbecue when the distinct sound of an accident took place on 151st Street, about a half a block north. It was that kind of ugly sound that cars make when they slam into each other. This one clearly was that of two cars hammering each other, hard. And then a second later, a second crash followed.

I grabbed the telephone and called 911 to report our suspicion of a car accident minutes after the sound and the 911 operator surprised me to say an Orland Park police officer "is already at the scene."

Wow. That was either a fast response or the police car was driving in the surrounding traffic when the accident took place. Maybe it was at the 7-Eleven when it happened.


















It was hard ot tell from observing what happened as the police and medical teams and fire trucks started to arrive quickly. Traffic was backing up in each direction on 151st Street and the hook and ladder was parked in the center of the road behind an ambulance. A fire chief's SUV parked sideways in the middle of the street with lights on to slow traffic in the distance from the west while a police car parked sideways in the middle of the street with lights on to slow traffic coming from the east.

It looked like four cars were involved, or for sure at least three looked like they had damage at the intersection, of course. A fourth car may have witnessed the accident and stopped behind another car.

It must be a terrible thing to happen on a Father's Day for all of the families involved.

Ray Hanania
http://www.orlandparker.com/