DAVID GREENE, HOST:
It is time for StoryCorps, where people tell their own stories through conversations with loved ones. Six months ago, Raphael Hameed was walking with his five-year-old son Ish when they were hit by a speeding car. Raphael was seriously injured. Ish, his only child, was killed. The driver is awaiting trial for vehicular homicide. But the driver's sister, Megiddeh Goldston, has formed a bond with the Hameed family. They connected after the accident, and now she visits Raphael and his wife Heidi to help with their day-to-day life. They recently sat down for StoryCorps in Colorado Springs.
RAPHAEL HAMEED: I was walking my son home from the library. And a car was speeding down the street out of control, jumped a curb and hit me and my son. I didn't know what was going on when I was laying on the ground. I was trying to get to my son, because I thought he was alive. But Ish was killed on the scene.
HEIDI HAMEED: About two days after the accident, your sister asked me to forgive her. My heart broke for her actually, because I know that she has to live for the rest of her life with this. And I told her immediately, yes, of course I forgive you.
MEGIDDEH GOLDSTON: It eased a lot of suffering. Raphael, you could easily be still in that hospital bed, angry, like, screaming at the world.
R. HAMEED: Nah, we love. That's how we roll. And your sister made a mistake. We all make 'em. It's why we try to embrace you guys.
GOLDSTON: I'm a single parent. And the first time that you contacted me, you told, oh, maybe we can give you some of Ish' old clothes. I'm just like oh my goodness. You guys are thinking of my son when you just lost your own. And I was afraid that it'd be painful for you guys to see Zach.
R. HAMEED: It was, because he's just like Ish.
H. HAMEED: They would have been fast friends quick.
R. HAMEED: Quick - but it was a good pain. It was like a tonic - kind of soothed my wounded spirit, so to speak.
GOLDSTON: You'll never have Ish back, but I want things to at least be as comfortable as they possibly can in the midst of worrying about how to heal your heart. I feel responsibility to like at least do what I can. And I want to be here to take you to the hospital. Anytime you guys need to leave the house I want you to call me.
H. HAMEED: You're a beautiful woman with a beautiful child. It's like if you've ever stitched anything together, there was a tear in the fabric. And we've been stitching it. And now my slacks are on. They look good.
GREENE: The voices you heard there - Megiddeh Goldston with Raphael and Heidi Hameed at StoryCorps in Colorado Springs. Megiddeh's sister will stand trial in May. Their conversation will be archived at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. And you can get the podcast on iTunes and at NPR.org.