Here's the story...
After naps, around 2:45 p.m., I dropped the kids off at my parents house who live a few blocks away so I could go to the doctor. When I arrived, there were police sectioning off portions of the street. Unsure of exactly what was going on, I reluctantly dropped the kids off with my mom and dad and then zipped off to the doctor. Probably not the best move, I would later learn.
When I returned to pick up the kids about 45 minutes later, they had closed off more of the street and a heavily armed police officer approached my car. I learned that there was a gunman with a riffle just a few houses down in the house. They were not in communication with the man, but did not want anyone in the line of site. I wasn't allowed to go in the house or get out of my car.
Luckily, Barrett & Vivienne were with my parents. Safe and sound. But, the whole idea made me uncomfortable. I'm separated from my kids, unable to give them anything they need (milk, passy's diapers, ear infection meds) and I drove back to my house, helpless, and prayed it would be over soon.
As the evening went on, everything got more serious. They had some 70 officers, 3 SWAT teams, teams of snipers set up all around the neighborhood (even in my parents yard) buses of police equipment, flashing lights. Then they shut down the whole block. It was starting to feel more and more scary. I almost felt like I was on the set of a movie.
At about 6pm, John and I ran to the corner of the block with a bag of supplies for the kids to beg one of the officers to take it to them. Forget the medicine, the biggest emergency was Barrett's passy. It was getting late, and he needed it. I could hear him on the phone saying "Momma, momma, I miss you. Passy." Heart wrenching.I was about ready to walk that dang bag over myself (not really).
AND THEN--I hear my dad say, "Lauren! Lauren! We have the kids! We're out of the house!" I look up and see Barrett on my dad's lap driving the car. Honestly, behind the wheel. They had made an escape. The officer I was talking to, stopped and said "Praise God." I did. Once reunited (imagine an unnecessary dramatic jog down the block to catch up with my parents car), I learned that the two Sargents came to my parents house and allowed them to drive the kids because they had an attached garage and were not going far.
Being a former public relations gal, I was more than happy to give an interview to the media. I did a phone interview for CBS and my mom and I did an on-camera interview for NBC. Both pretty humbling experiences as I typically like to think of myself as pulled together and well spoken, which I did not seem or look in either interview.
CBS Click Here
NBC Interview (TV): http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Police-Close-Northbrook-Streets-for-Domestic-Disturbance-136340263.html
CBS Interview: http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/12/28/northbrook-police-respond-to-possible-standoff-with-gunman/
In the end, I am a little more grateful for normal. Grateful for John, the kids, my parents. Not that they were in any danger, really, but it just made me stop and think. I am enjoying today's ordinary, boring, routine-ness. I played more with the kids and sat for a while just snuggling the two of them. It's nice to be reminded of how normal can be such a blessing.
As an update about the stand-off, it ended around 8pm. Sadly, the man in the house was not alive. It looks like he took his own life and wasn't really a threat to anyone. It's so sad. My parents don't know those neighbors very well, but everything seemed normal from the outside. Say a prayer for the family if you think of them. Their "normal" will never be the same again.
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2 comments:
What a crazy story!! Glad everyone is safe! And Barrett got his paci...LOL.
Scary stuff. Prayers for that family and glad you are all safe.
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