don't follow pat

Kids growing up in large families in the 1960s fondly remember riding in the “way back” of big family station wagons, completely unrestrained. The seven L’Heureux children remember it differently after becoming human projectiles following a head-on collision in Milwaukee in 1967.

On a Sunday in January 1967, Jim and Lynn L’Heureux and their seven kids—ages 3 to 16 years old—visited relatives in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Jim’s sister Mary Lou lived there, with her husband Art Peterson, and their three kids—Ross, Bruce, and David. They were probably celebrating Jim’s 45th birthday.

They likely had an early dinner and were on the road heading home in their 1957 Chevrolet Station Wagon by about 6:45 PM. It was cold and dark as they drove south from Cedarburg on Highway 181.

As they approached the intersection of Villard Avenue, a car traveling west failed to yield and entered the intersection just as the L’Heureux car did.

According to what Jim wrote on the police report, “I was traveling south on 76^th St. Other vehicle did not stop at the intersection at Villard and 76^th & failed to yield the right away. My vehicle hit his car broadside.”

Recall that in those days, most intersections were “uncontrolled” without stop lights or stop signs. The law states that if two cars approach an intersection at the same time, the driver of the car on the left must yield to the car on the right.

The report indicated that Jim and Lynn were injured, as were “Seven of my children. Many minor bumps and bruises.”

More detail was provided about the accident, in a letter written by Jim to his insurance company on January 17^th: “Sunday evening January 15, 1967, we were leaving Cedarburg, Wisconsin to return to Madison after a Sunday visit with my sister. We were traveling South on Hwy. 181… about 7:15 to 7:30 PM. We were approaching Villard and 76th traveling about 30 mph and all of a sudden, an auto was in front of my car.

This auto was traveling from east to west across 76th St. This car came across so quickly that my car hit that car…My wife Lynne hit the windshield and cracked it with her head. A large lump is on her forehead and her right ankle is badly sprained.

I hit the steering wheel, and my left side is real sore from the impact. The children were really in a state of shock with bumps and bruises.

There was a witness…he told me he was right behind me and saw the accident from the rear of my car. He said, “Mr., he didn’t even stop at the middle intersection. If you want my name and address, I’ll give it to you.” He did write it down for me as my hands were shaking from the accident.

An ambulance was called. 2 policemen assisted my wife to Saint Michael’s hospital on east Villard. John Ellenberger’s (the driver of the other car) wife and one small daughter went in the same ambulance.

The officer after receiving my information…turned to John Ellenberger and said, “John you failed to yield the right of way, and I would like to advise you of your rights.

• Number 1: You can get an attorney and go to court.
• Number 2: I will issue a ticket which will cost you $10 and you’ll receive three points against your driver record.“

John Ellenberger then asked if he had a third choice, and the policeman smiled and said, “No.”

I then went to Saint Michael’s hospital where I met my wife in emergency for treatment and x-rays. My side was also hurting and I had an x-ray. These bills came up to $36 for x-rays and Lynne’s bandage on ankle, and we’ll receive a bill from the radiologist at Saint Michaels.

Lynne is going to a doctor here in Madison, Dr. Kellner, to check her ankle and also to have an X-ray of her forehead. The MD at Saint Michael’s also gave a tetanus shot to Lynne due to the breaking of the skin on the ankle and forehead. The X-rays showed negative both for her ankle and my chest. They took three pictures of my chest, and I believe three of Lynne.

My left side is real sore today more so, than the night of the accident. Lynne is in great pain and will be on crutches. Katie’s left hand is sprained and her back hurts. Laura has a bump on her head. Denise has a badly bruised arm and the other children have aches and pains from hurtling around the car due to the terrific impact.

Jim and Lynn received a bill for their visits to the Emergency Room at St. Michael’s Hospital. Jim had a physical exam ($5) and an x-ray of the ribs ($12). Lynn had a physical exam ($10), ace bandage ($2.50), Tetanus shot ($3) and an x-ray of the ankle ($6). The total bill for both was $38.50 (or about $360 in 2024 dollars).

The cost of a visit to the ER today following a car accident is astronomically higher–about $3,000 per person! (https://www.brownandcrouppen.com/blog/what-is-the-average-cost-of-hospital-bills-following-a-car-accident/).

The seven children, now in their 60s and 70s, have distant memories about the accident.

1. Denise (age 16): “I was in the front seat. I got pretty bruised up and remember going back home on a bus. But after that, for months, I was a wreck driving anywhere. Anything coming from the right I would just freeze.”
2. Katie: (age 11): I remember projectile bodies flying into the front seat, and that the front of the car crushed mom’s ankle. I remember returning to Aunt Mary’s house and spending the night.”
3. Laura (age 10): “I remember it took a long time for Mom’s ankle to heal. I remember staying overnight at the Peterson’s.”
4. Nan (age 9): “I remember all of a sudden we were all smashed into the front seat.   Dad told mom that she had a strong German head as she hit the windshield and I think never showed a bump.”
5. Jim (age 8): “I remember Uncle Art smoking two cigarettes at the same time in the waiting room at the hospital, and missing school the next day.”
6. Michele (age 7): “I remember that dad broke the steering wheel.”
7. Muggins (age 3): “I remember I was laying down in the back of the station wagon. I don’t remember that I was hurt. I remember Uncle Art smoking a lot, and that we didn’t have pj’s to stay the night and slept in a t-shirt. For some reason I remember that it was a white t- shirt from the boys. I also was sad Mom and Dad were hurt.”

It’s amazing that there were not more serious injuries, given that the 1957 Chevy station wagon didn’t have any seat belts, not to mention the modern safety devices like airbags.

Fortunately, the seven children’s many bumps and bruises were all healed, by the time the L’Heureux family Christmas photo was taken later that year.

Afterword: About three years after the car accident, the 8th child–Christine–came into the family. She’s glad to have missed out on the bumps and bruises!