How Has Life Been For Leah Fullenkamp? Life After The Crash- ‘In The Blink Of A Fly’ Explored. Deafening quiet prevailed. Leah Fullenkamp repeatedly called friends and family members to inquire about the severity of the accident that occurred close to the family property.
The Shelby County Farm Bureau member had seen a Facebook post about it, but she was unable to visit because of foot surgery the day before that had left her immobile.
The people who picked up the phone promised to find out and return her call. Others simply didn’t respond when they recognized the caller. Three hours later, Leah’s mother-in-law knocked on the door bearing news that would rock her to the core and alter the course of her life forever. This was the response she wanted—and dreaded—getting.
John, Leah’s husband, had been murdered when a Cadillac Escalade struck the tractor and sprayer he was operating from behind. The driver admitted to authorities that she had been distracted by J.C. Penney sales and cell phone shopping on a straight section of state Route 29 in Shelby County. Leah, 33, was suddenly widowed and left to raise her four young children alone after losing her high school sweetheart and children’s father.
“Sixteen seconds and 59 mph. They staged the collision to demonstrate how long she was preoccupied and how quickly she was traveling down the road. Leah stated, her voice trailing off and a sigh ending her idea as her mind returned to that tragic day on June 16, 2018. “At first you don’t think it’s a lot but then when you truly count 16 seconds and think about how quick 60 miles per hour is…,” she said.
Update: How Has Life Been For Leah Fullenkamp? Life After The Crash- ‘In The Blink Of A Fly’ Explored
Grief and anxiety about the future, as well as for Leah’s small children, characterized life after the catastrophe. The 9-year-meticulously old’s wrapped Father’s Day gift was put aside; it would never be unwrapped. Some of John’s personal belongings were stashed under beds as his kids fought valiantly to preserve his memory. Leah, an elementary school teacher, used her experience with trauma to assist her students in coping. Days were characterized by never-ending sobs and a bizarre reputation in Fort Laramie, where “virtually everyone knew who we were and what had happened,” according to her. Leah’s birthday, Father’s Day, and the couple’s anniversary all fell in the month of June, which was elsewhere celebrated.
Leah lamented the irony, “We were arranging his funeral that morning, not enjoying John as a wonderful hands-on parent on Father’s Day.
The Fly: The Unexpected Visitor- The Family Of John Fullenkamp
The family received an unexpected guest in the months following the crash: a solitary fly that would fly around the household as if it were listening in on their conversations. It would allow for the passing of the object from one hand to another as it softly landed on the hand. On difficult days like Christmas, birthdays, and days when schools were delayed, the fly was particularly evident.
“The fly would appear whenever someone brought up John. You couldn’t help but notice it since it was so odd, Leah remarked. She looked into the significance of a fly visiting her fractured family after becoming intrigued by the insect’s persistent presence.
The fact that a fly can survive and thrive in a bad situation—which is exactly where we were—was what most surprised her, she remarked. “In just 24 hours, my life had altered, and it wasn’t due to anything I did or didn’t do. I had no control over it. I needed to keep busy when I stopped teaching or I would go crazy.
In the Blink of a Fly
In the Blink of a Fly Campaign
That lone fly provided Leah with ideas. She launched the “In the Blink of a Fly” distracted driving education campaign with a play on the terms “in the blink of an eye.” She started a blog and a Facebook page where she chronicled her family’s adjustment to life without John. Her invitation to give similar presentations at other schools was prompted by a speech she gave at Fairlawn High School about the risks of distracted driving. Leah was devastated when another tractor-vehicle accident occurred close to the scene of her husband’s fatality. She said, “I lost my mind — how is this even possible?”
She then had the thought to erect a billboard close to the scene of the accident. She contacted a township trustee about obtaining a permit, and he advised her to get in touch with Shelby County Farm Bureau to ask for a gift to assist in defraying the billboard’s expense.
A Further Info Into The Campaign- Local Farm Bureau
The local Farm Bureau embraced Leah’s efforts after hearing her tale and reached out to members and businesses for donations and running its campaign through the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation. The $2,000 needed for the billboard swelled to more than $8,000.
Leah praised the Shelby County Farm Bureau, saying, “They jumped on it straight away and helped out a lot.” “They mentioned the billboard in their quarterly newsletter, and the number of people who contacted them in support was incredible. Even the trailer on which the billboard is located was donated by Seth Middleton, the county Farm Bureau president.
The billboard was put up last October close to the intersection of Fort Loramie-Sanders Road and state Route 29. It Can Wait and “Eyes Up, Phone Down” is written in large, bold letters. Numerous yard signs with the same message can be found all across the area, and automobiles are covered in static cling fly decals to serve as a constant warning of the perils of distracted driving.
“Because farmers are constantly concerned about road safety, this was an excellent cause for Shelby County Farm Bureau to support. The organization director for the county Farm Bureau, Jill Smith, stated, “We’re currently working with Leah on putting up another sign on a Farm Bureau member’s property along Interstate 75.
Leah finds it difficult and hard to travel the route from her home to the family farm. But she and John, an electrical engineer, had chosen to settle there because they wished to bring up their children in a rural setting and had aspirations of buying a farm.
John loved farming and frequently helped out on the family farm on the weekends and at night. When he passed away, we were just beginning to establish our own farm,” she recalled. “I’d like to think that he would value what I’m doing to honor his memory and spare someone else from suffering the same tragedy. Every time I see a fly, I think of John and the perseverance I need to live each day and, perhaps, thrive one day.
visit intheblinkofafly.com.
Safety Precautions: Eyes Up, Phone Down- Drive Safely
The planting season is quickly approaching. Keep an eye out for farm machinery going from one field to another. Here are some pointers for safely passing farm machinery:
- Take care while turning left onto driveways or fields with farm equipment. For broad corners, they might first pull to the right.
- Only pass farm equipment if the area is safe and there is no oncoming traffic.
- If it is safe to do so, operators of farm equipment may stop on the roadside shoulder.
- To avoid items on the road shoulder, farm equipment operators may shift to the center of the road.
- Passing farm equipment on curves, hills, or the yellow line is prohibited.
- Do not rush.
