Guest Blog by Dennis Banks

In the early morning hours of Dec 7, 2009...

Deep in the woodlands of the Anishinabe Territories in northern Minnesota, off a rural road headed to Sugar Point on Leech Lake.

As I turned onto Hwy 73, the Sugar Point Rd, I started to get sleepy. Usually I just pull over and sleep a few minutes, then refreshed, I continue driving. But because I only had 8 miles to go I decided I could make it all the way home. A few miles later I knew sleep was overtaking me so I rolled the window down and felt the chilly 11 degree air hitting my face, I could make it now I thought.

As I struggled to keep myself awake, I thought of the drum presentation I had to do for Kevin Catch the Hawk at the tribal college, what routines should I teach them. Then I thought of my home and the preparations that needed to be made for Chika's welcoming; daughter Tosh coming home; and Minoh, my youngest, coming in from Kentucky for the holidays. These were the thoughts on my mind. I closed my eyes for 2-3 seconds, but quickly opened them wide, then closed them again.

On the third time closing my eyes, it felt so good to close them, I let them stay closed, then BAM! I woke up as the van hit an approach. Instantly, my back was hurting, then the van landed straight down on its nose. Another crash then I saw the tree sapplings moving down in front of the van, then everything stopped. I was hurting. Badly. I opened the door and stepped out of the van - "AAAHHHH!!!" I screamed, more pain. I collapsed as soon as my feet hit the ground. Desperately I stood up, took a few steps, stooping over every few feet to breathe, then finally falling to the ground where I crawled, dragging myself to the road. Once on the roadside, exhausted from pain and cold, I fell on top of a snow bank. I was suffering from a deep pain.

I lay for a couple of minutes then realized my cell phone was in my jacket pocket. First I dialed my daughter Darla, I left her a message where I was yelling that I was in an accident and described where I crashed. Then I went down the line calling 3 of my other children: Tiopa, Red Elk and Tosh - nobody answered their cell phones.

Finally I thought, "ohhhhh.... HELLO? I could call 9.1.1." so I did. I detailed my location to the Cass County Sheriff dispatch officer. At this point, I had been lying in the snow bank for about 40 minutes. I saw a car approaching, so I began to wave, wondering if they would see me, I was wearing black and would be not be so visible in the dark night.

As the car passed by me, I saw the brake lights come on, then the car turned around. It was my daughter Darla and her boyfriend George. Darla was yelling through her tears,"DAD! DAD! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!" All I could mutter was, "I'm cold Dar." She searched her car and my now-wrecked van to find all she could to cover me, then she lay next to me to transfer her body heat to my frozen bones. The ambulance showed up another 20 minutes later and took me to the Bemidji Hospital.

I was reminded through this experience that my children who live here and live far away, drop everything to be by my side in the hospital. Their responses and reactions are a reflection of that special love between a father and his children.

There is going to be a Chi Miigwetch/Wopila ceremony at my house on Sunday, December 27. It is appropriate to have a ceremony giving thanks to Creator for taking care of me through these last several months through my heart attack, diabetes and now car accident. I know the value of life and I know how precious it is. I owe my children the opportunity to visit and see me until I am called by the Creator from the oldest age possible. I accept the changing tide of time. I am a senior. I am an elder. And I respect the time I have left.

When Creator calls me to the Spirit World, I will be ready and I hope to crossover with grace, not by an act of foolishness, such as a car accident.

I wish to thank the 911 dispatcher at Cass County Sheriff's office, the First Responder, the Ambulance crew, Verizon Wireless (for having cellular service in a rural area). I thank my daughter Darla and her boyfriend George, who happened to be driving by, without whom I might have developed hypothermia.

For me, there are still more miles to walk, more ways to seek justice, and to continue our path for the 7th generations. That is our past. That is our future.