拜登自传速读PromisesToKeep(15)

But his life took an abrupt and painful turn when Neilia and the children were in a major car crash just before the Christmas of 1972. Neilia, and their youngest child, Naomi, were killed in the accident. Their sons, Beau and Hunter, were badly injured, and doctors warned that Hunter might be permanently affected by his head wounds.
但是，尼利亚和孩子们在1972年圣诞节前发生了一起重大车祸，他的生活发生了突然而痛苦的转折。尼莉亚和最小的孩子娜奥米在事故中丧生。他们的儿子博和亨特受了重伤，医生警告说亨特头部可能会留下永久的创伤。
Biden was in Washington interviewing new staff when the accident happened, but he immediately rushed back to Wilmington, to be by his sons’ bedsides.
事故发生时，拜登正在华盛顿面试新员工，他立即赶回威尔明顿，到他儿子的床边。
He felt trapped in a waking nightmare. His pain was so intense that he questioned whether he could carry on, and understood for the first time why suicide can seem like a rational way out for people who are suffering.
他感到被困在一个醒着的噩梦中。他的痛苦是如此的强烈，以至于他质疑自己是否能继续下去，并第一次理解了为什么自杀对受苦的人来说似乎是一种理性的出路。
What kept him going was the sight of his boys, lying bandaged in their hospital beds. They were so small and vulnerable. How could he possibly leave them? Focusing on that, he managed to survive day by day.