People who are responsible for someone’s death, what happened?

Thankfully this didn't end with death, but it easily could have:

There was a steep, rocky hill next to the house I lived in as a young child. I'd never been to the top because the path was so precarious and I was a massive wimp, but since we were moving house that day, it was my last chance, so I decided to experience it vicariously through my much braver four year-old sister.

I easily convinced her to scramble up the rocks. Within seconds of getting started, a massive, armchair-sized boulder came loose and fell on top of her. If it had landed on her head or chest, she'd have died, no question. But she was a lucky little shit, and not only did the boulder land on her legs, it also landed atop two metal pipes that happened to be laying on the ground, which then supported the full weight of the boulder. She was pinned in place, but totally unharmed.

(The most upsetting part of the experience for her was the fact the paramedics ruined her brand new trousers in the process of cutting them off her legs to check for injuries!)

I was only six at the time, so I kind of took it as a given that she would walk away unharmed. Looking back on it as an adult though, I can't believe how fucking lucky she was. I would be wracked with guilt if she'd died or lost her legs.

/r/AskReddit Thread