Late last night(October 26th) around 11pm I left my girlfriends house because I was starting to get tired and I didn't want to drive my 'new' '94 Vintage Red RX-7 while I was half-awake. As I was walking inside to my house, my parents pulled up, coming home from a concert at the Houma Civic Center. I told them hi and that I was going to bed. Around 11:30-11:40 my dad called up to me from downstairs, "Brandon! Let's go for a ride in your car! ...but only if I drive!" Well I got dressed again, since I was already in bed, and me and my dad got into my car and drove off. As we pulled out of my subdivision he went through the gears...grinding 3rd...and then about 4 miles up the road he stopped at a gas station and gave me a complimentary fill-up. Thanks, dad! Then we left, driving on a road that bordered a bayou. He was testing out the capabilities of the car about 70% since I had just purchased it 4 days earlier from a seller in Houston. We turned on a bridge that crossed the bayou and headed back towards the house on an adjacent road on the opposite side the bayou as before. He was going around 70-80mph when there was a hump about 3 1/2' high coming up on a slow left hand turn with a slow right turn right after. He started to take the slow left. We hit the hump. The springs compressed. The springs rebounded as the hump was receding. My dad turned the wheel to the right and the back end started sliding out. My dad muttered, "Oh ****..."We were sliding completely backwards now...towards the bayou. I heard a loud CRASH, noticed a slight fall(about 4 feet), then I felt water rushing inside the car. My window was open, but his was closed. We were both buckled in. I manged to get out of the car before my head even went under the water...which I still don't know how I managed. I screamed my dad's name ...no reply. Then as I was treading water, I felt the car hit my foot. I immediately tried my hardest to swim under and grab my dad loose. No dice. I swam to the shore and ran to the closest house which was around 400 yards away. I yelled at them to call 911, which they did. Once I got back to the scene it had been 10 minutes at the least. I alredy knew he was gone. Ambulances, police, firetrucks, a wrecker, tons of people were there. I didn't want to look when they took the car out of the bayou, but the paramedic said he was still buckled in.

The happiest day of my life(getting my RX-7), was immediately followed by the worst. This was the first time someone close to me died ...and damn was he close to me. Before we wrecked he was just commenting on how fast it was and how amazing it handled. "It just sticks to the road like fly on flypaper," he said.

My father's name was Wayne Rushing. He owned his own want-ad paper called "The Weekly Want Ad's." He was only 50 years young. He had so many plans to look forward to.

In the coming days I'll try my hardest to get a picture of the car(before/after), the wreck scene, and of my father.

Please guys. Slow down on public roads. You NEVER expect things like this to happen when you go out for a 'fun drive' with your girlfriend, best friend, mom/dad ...whoever. I don't want anyone to go through the **** I'm going through right now.

Please, take care.

Brandon Rushing

 

 

Brandon, I am so sorry that you lost your Father, I can't imagine what you must be going through right now, keep your head up, my prays will be with you and your family

 

I'm speechless. i dont wanna even think about that happening to me / my friends / parents...

 

Oh man....that sucks beyond belief!

Two fatal FD wrecks in just a few days.....dammit, and you all know that these things come in 3s......

BE CAREFUL, EVERYONE!

Brandon, was your dad knocked out or something? Did the airbags deploy? Why was he unable to get out on his own?

 

damn, sorry to hear about that.
much sympathy to you and your family.

 

We're waiting for the autopsy report to see if he was killed on impact of the tree, knocked out by the tree...or totally drowned totally awake. I have NO clue if the air bags deployed, but I doubt they did since the drivers side hit the tree, and the the car went into the water backwards. I was able to get out because I had my window open, however, I have no idea how I got out of the seatbelt. His window was up and he was on the sinking(down) part of the car while it was under water.

Brandon

 

i am speachless. so sorry to hear the loss.

 

Im so sorry to hear such a sad thing.
My sympathy to your family.

 

My Gosh! Im so sorry for the loss. I dont really know what to say.

Jason

 

My deepest condolences.

 

My most heartfelt condolences; I lost my father not long ago. My thoughts are with you and your family.

 

Oh my god.. my deepest condolences...
that is really sad...
Rx7 is very fast and DANGEROUS car... I learned that in hard way. Lets becareful guys..

 

I'm also speechless... ya never think stuff like that happens except for movies..

Bro, I'm real sorry about your father... and thanks for sharing this to all of us..

 

I'm so sorry that you lost your father. Hopefully your story will help someone else in the future.

 

I dont know what to say Brandon. I cant possibly comprehend what you are going through right now, but I am truly very sorry about this

With the two recent incidents involving RX-7 owners we all should think twice about opening up our cars on the streets. I think alot of people have the "it cant happen to me" frame of mind, but the truth is that this can happen to anyone of us. Be careful out there and try to keep everything at the track... I know I will be taking it easy when I finally get my car...

 

Wow

I just spoke with my father, who is dropping a rebuild back in his R1 as I write this. I'm going to send him a link to this thread in the hopes that he's careful when he gets the rex back on the road.

Thanks for sharing with us--I can't imagine what state I would be in if in a similar situation. Your composure and willingness to help others in such a hard time is commendable.

take care,
Rich

 

sorry about your loss... I don't even want to try and imagine having to go through a tragedy of this nature.

 

Sorry for your loss. Thank you for posting this for others to see... I know it must be hard to talk about it.

 

Oh my god. I am so sorry for your loss. I can't imagine how horrible you must feel. Please take care everyone and be safe. Scott

 

Ur openess and ur willingness to share wiv us is greatly appreciated... we all feel ur pain... and we are sorry for what had happened...

I hope this will teach us all... "2 always drive safe..."

 

this is a terrible tragedy that no one should have to go through. i can not compare the loss of a father, however, i lost control of one of my fd's 2~ years ago, and was going considerably slower.

your message is definately a great one.

there were 3 people killed (2 bystanders) this week here in mississippi because some very young kids were racing down one of the main roads and incidentally hit an suv turning onto the road........

cars are dangerous. everyone keep this in mind, and drive with care and concern.....

louis

 

Stay strong, i can't even begin to fathom what you're going thrugh. I'm really sorry.

 

My Friend I am so sorry to hear about your loss.

My dad was taken from me 2 months ago unexpectedly by natural causes, so I have an idea what you are going through. All I can tell u is be strong and it will get better I was very close to my dad.

Be strong

Dale N

 

hey im a newbie here , just trying to get help with my ride , i came across this , i cant believe it . im truely sorry . i will def remember this event when im out their thank s for talking about it . again i cant believe it im so sorry..im going to pray for your family...