Jeep Cherokee Forum - R.I.P project tank

About 2 years ago when I first got my license at age 16 I bought a 1993 Jeep XJ. It had dry rotted tires, ripped out carpets, no rear windshield a huge crack in the front windshield among other flaws. I wasn't a tech and no one in my family was so I don't know why I bought that piece of junk but for some reason I had a vision for it. When I first got it, the transfer blew on the highway taking the rear driveshaft with it. The transmission blew, the head cracked, tires rotted through and plenty of other things that went wrong with it. I didn't have any tools and at the time, I couldn't have changed a tire. I was broke so I couldn't afford to bring it to a shop so I did the only thing I could do, I went to Home Depot and bought a 92 piece ratchet set and I didn't even know how to use them. After watching a bunch of videos and coming to this forum, I was able to start doing some of my own work. I would spend all day and night despite the cold New England nights outside working on it. I have a list longer than I could read of things I've fixed on it. This Jeep changed my career course in life because I was planning on enlisting but after all the work and all the time and money into it, I wanted to become a tech. With a little help I built my own rear bumper, a stinger, a roof rack, and many other things. I loved working on it despite that no one saw my vision but me and thought it was a waste of money. After 2 years it finally was so so close to becoming exactly what I had envisioned it to be and people started to see that. I had a great time wheeling and bumping and scraping on the trees and bushes and rocks. I could go anywhere I wanted whenever I wanted. When I took the doors off in the summer and went on the trails with some buddies or my girlfriend, there was just nothing like it. All the back breaking hours I put into this Jeep finally made me proud of what I had done. The reason I'm telling this story is because very recently, she died for good this time. I was going 40 mph in a 45 zone and a lady coming the other way in a Honda Pilot veered into my lane. I swerved a little but it was too late. I managed to hit the back passenger side of her car instead of head on but my Jeep was totaled. It has excessive frame damage among several other things. I was knocked unconscious and a bystander opened my door which was jammed and dragged me out. I had a broken right wrist and concussion. When I woke up, there were paramedics, fire fighters, and police everywhere. My stinger bar landed about 150 feet away and half my front end shattered completely. After all the million questions the EMS and police had for me, all I could do was stare at my Jeep as it was dragged up onto the flatbed. The lady had no injuries because I was somewhat able to swerve out of the way. What scared me is the paramedics told me that it was half a miracle that I even lived. She was on her phone texting when she veered into my lane. I hope some people see this and put down their phone when driving because it's not just your life, and to me, it's not "just a car." R.I.P The Tank.