Sarosh sent this telegram to those in India on 24 May:
"Baba and ladies' party, Elizabeth driving, injured in motor accident.
Now at Prague Hospital, Prague, Oklahoma. Details follow." The next day
this telegram was sent: "Baba and ladies progressing well. All have
fractured limbs and plaster casts. Will be here about two weeks."
Eruch and Pendu were in Hamirpur when they received the
news. They immediately returned to Meherabad, where another telegram from Baba
awaited them, instructing them not to abandon their tour but to continue with it
as scheduled.
Eruch felt regretful for not accompanying Baba, as Baba
had originally asked. Had he been present, he thought, perhaps he might have
prevented or lessened Baba's suffering. Eruch had told Baba he was too
exhausted from the New Life to travel to the West, but as he found out, the
Andhra and Hamirpur tour was even more exhausting than a trip to
America.
Don, Meherjee, Gustadji, Nilu and Adi reached Meher Mount
in California on the evening of the 25th. On receiving the news by telegram in
care of Malcolm Schloss, Don decided to fly to Oklahoma the next morning
(although it was difficult to get a plane ticket at such short notice). The four
Eastern mandali left that same night, and drove straight to Prague, arriving on
the evening of 28 May.
Ivy, Charmian and Margaret also came immediately,
arriving on the 25th. The following is part of Ivy's account, from her
personal journal:
Sarosh met us at the door of the hospital with Delia. They were haggard and spent. Sarosh burst into tears and exclaimed: "I
shall have to kill myself — I can never face India again, for the
thousands of devotees there will all feel I should have taken better care of the
Master!"
I let him weep and then tried to point out that, as he
was not even in the stricken car, he could hardly be held responsible. We went
to see the patients and it was a terrible shock. Baba had broken His left arm
just below the shoulder and the left lower leg had both bones broken in a jagged
way. His face and nose were swollen from the fall.
Mehera had her skull fractured, her closed eyes looked
like huge red beets, and she bore an ugly wound in her forehead. Elizabeth had
both arms and some ribs broken, as she had been pinned behind the wheel.