Four athletes and a trainer, en route to a state competition. Halfway to our destination, our vehicle decided to betray us, grinding to a halt. Time was ticking, the competition loomed, and panic started to set in. We called our friend.

The rain was that sly drizzle, the kind that makes you think, "it's nothing" but then your car hydroplanes and you're suddenly facing a concrete wall.

We in hurry, the narrow road and drizzling rain set the stage for disaster. As we navigated a very sharp turn, our friend lost control and, reacting instinctively, slammed on the brakes. The car spun wildly, multiple full 360, and we finally coming to rest in a ditch. Dazed and disoriented.

Only God knows how, but we realized we were mostly unharmed, shaken but alive. And then, as if the scene wasn't dramatic enough, a massive truck roared past. A few sec earlier, and the outcome could have been, well, definitely different.

With a mix of relief and adrenaline, we climbed out. And there, just meters away, we spotted a somber reminder of our mortality - a cemetery. It was a sobering sight, and yet, we couldn't help but find humor in the irony of it all. We burst into laughter, the tension finally breaking.