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Christmas postponed
Published: December 26, 2009
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share thisSHAMOKIN - For one local family, Christmas was put on hold this year as a relative visiting from New Jersey continues her recuperation from a snowplow accident a week ago.
Marie Cerreto, who is from Shamokin, spent Christmas Day visiting her sister, Eileen Flood, of Weehauken, N.J., in the Healthsouth Rehabilitation Center at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, as Flood recovers from injuries sustained when she was struck by a passing snowplow in a store parking lot Dec. 19.
"She has a broken wrist and possibly a fractured pelvis and fractured sacrum," Cerreto said. "It's tough to see her like that, but she is coping with the pain and the situation very well, considering it all."
Flood's arrival in the area was a happy time; she came to town to attend a surprise birthday party and dinner for Cerreto.
The next day, a Saturday, Flood was scheduled to return home to New Jersey via commercial bus service, but due to the inclement weather, the bus didn't arrive as scheduled. Her brother, another Shamokin resident, came to pick her up and they decided to go shopping.
They traveled to The Plaza at Coal Township and were walking to a store when Flood was hit by a snowplow clearing the lot.
"She was about a foot away from the pavement, according to my brother," Cerreto said. "The plow hit her and she went flying in the air. She was then dragged after her boot got caught in the plow."
According to Cerreto, Flood was first taken to Shamokin Area Community Hospital and transfered to Geisinger Medical Center, where she is currently a patient.
"I think that she is still in a little bit of shock because it all happened so fast and is still worried about her job and her cat, but she is making the best of it," Cerreto said.
With her sister in the hospital, none of the family members would consider holding a Christmas celebration at Cerreto's West Commerce Street home.
"Everyone goes to my brother's house in Coal Township on Christmas Eve and then comes to my house on Christmas Day," she said. "But we canceled all plans this year because there is just no time to do it all."
Besides, Cerreto said, it just wouldn't be Christmas without Eileen.
"She comes into town and brings the good cheer. She's our Santa Claus in many ways, and with her laid up, we just can't think about Christmas," Cerreto said.
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