Toddler celebrating his third birthday killed by car
By VANESSA FRANKO, Staff Writer

In the cottage at Severn Side Farm on the Broadneck Peninsula this morning, two birthday cards wishing Hudson Maurice Gensler a happy third birthday stood on the mantel.

Yesterday was supposed to be a day of celebration for the Gensler family, complete with "Star Wars" and "The Incredibles" birthday party fixings.

But it turned to tragedy after Hudson, who turned 3 on Friday, ran behind the car of a family friend and was struck and killed.

" It could have been any one of us," said Vanessa Gensler, Hudson's mother.

According to police, Nathaniel Frank Morehead of Highland Beach had pulled into the driveway at 3 S. Winchester Road at about 12:45 p.m. when Mrs. Gensler asked him to park in the field. When Mr. Morehead was backing up, Hudson darted behind the car and was struck by the 2001 Audi TT Quattro.

" He's our best friend in the world and it's tearing him apart," said Hudson's father Laurence Gensler, eyes welling up with tears.

Lt. Russ Davies, spokesman for the county Fire Department, said the toddler was going to be flown to a local trauma center, but while the helicopter was en route, his condition worsened and he was taken to Anne Arundel Medical Center in Parole. Hudson was pronounced dead at 1:59 p.m. from multiple head injuries.
Police said the accident is under investigation.

" It's so hard to look outside the door where it happened," Mrs. Gensler said, choking back tears as she looked through the screen door. "There was so much blood. I didn't know what to do."

She said by the time the ambulance got there, Hudson was having trouble breathing on his own. "He took his last three breaths. They were so good. They tried. In my heart I knew," she said.

Mr. Gensler was at AAMC receiving treatment for a soccer injury when he was called over and informed of the accident.

In the family's home this morning, Hudson's sister, 5-year-old Alyssa, wrote "I hope you get well" with a heart above it on a chalkboard.

Hudson and Alyssa's clothes sat neatly folded on the family's coffee table. Pictures of the two lined the mantle next to the birthday cards. "He just had a smile that would light up the room," Mrs. Gensler said.

Alyssa and Hudson shared a room and would drive behind their father in a toy Jeep as he took a riding lawnmower across the fields.

" I love you Hudson so much. Thank you for playing with me. We had lots of fun and a good time together because it was so great together," Alyssa said.

Mrs. Gensler said Hudson's favorite color was yellow and he wanted to play soccer like his dad. She said he liked to run around in oversized work boots. He went to preschool at Heritage Learning Center.

" It's just hard to wake up and not hear him running to our room to tell us 'Good morning' like he did every morning," Mrs. Gensler said.

The Genslers said that if Hudson were alive, he would put his hands on their cheeks, instruct them to take a deep breath and tell them that it's all right.

" We just keep thinking he's going to come back to the door. It just doesn't feel real," Mr. Gensler said.

Staff writer Scott Daugherty contributed to this story.
Published May 16, 2005, The Capital, Annapolis, Md.
Copyright © 2005 The Capital, Annapolis, Md.