A Parent's Nightmare And Heaven Sent Help!
Posted: Tuesday, June 26, 2007
by James Carrick
On October 30, 2006 I got that call every parent dreads. My oldest son, Jimmy, had called me when school let out that he was not riding the bus home and had a ride home with his friend, Kara. This was not the dreaded call. It came about 20 minutes later. When the phone rang that second time and the caller ID showed his cell number, I figured he wanted to go to one of his friend’s house.
“Dad?"
I could tell by the sound of his voice that something was wrong. “What’s wrong?" I answered as fear clutched my chest in its icy grip and started squeezing.
“We’ve been in an accident," he said.
“Are you okay?"
“I’m okay but Kara’s arm is pinned under the car."
I have to admit that up to this point I thought “accident" meant fender bender. After all, Jimmy was talking to me, he sounded okay so it must not be too serious, right? Not quite.
Kara was driving with another friend, Brittney, in the passenger seat while Jimmy was in the back seat. None of them had their seat belts on. (This is where all you parents can feel free to smack your forehead in exasperation!) As they rounded a curve they met a pick-up truck. The truck and their car were both hugging the middle. Kara went off the right side of the road, over-corrected and shot across to the left side of the road where the car struck an embankment and flipped over on to its roof. Brittney, who was in the front, was now in the back laying next to Jimmy. They were able to get out but Kara was trapped, her left arm pinned under the roof of the car.
I asked where they were and Jimmy told me. It was about five minutes from our house. I said I was on my way and got there in about two minutes! When I arrived Kara was already out of the vehicle and sitting on the road. She had a cut on her head and her left arm didn’t look too good. There were three other people there. One was the guy in the pick-up truck and then a man in a brown car wearing a flannel shirt and a woman in an SUV and a dark windbreaker that had stopped to offer any assistance. Shortly thereafter the rescue squad arrived. Kara and Brittney were transported to the hospital and Jimmy was released to me. My wife and I ended up taking Jimmy to ER because of back pain and numbness in his hands. Everyone turned out to be okay. Jimmy and Brittney were bumped and bruised and Kara received some stitches in her head and her arm was fine. It wasn’t even broken. But Jimmy told an amazing story.
After he called me he went to check on Kara and let her know help was on the way. The car was on its roof and the front was partially in the ditch. Jimmy then went to the rear of the car to talk to Brittney. They had even discussed trying to lift the car, but Jimmy was afraid it would roll further into the ditch and do more damage to Kara’s arm. He then turned back toward the front of the car and a man was standing there by Kara, kind of checking on her. He was an older man with white hair, no facial hair and blue eyes. He wore a heavy Carhartt coat, despite the temperature being in the low seventies that day, and blue jeans. The man went to the rear of the car and looked at Jimmy.
“You," he said, pointing at Jimmy, “Come here."
Jimmy went to see what he wanted.
“We’re going to lift this car so she can get her arm out," he said.
“I don’t know what to do."
The man half smiled. “Just grab right here and lift straight up," he said as though he lifts cars off of people everyday.
Jimmy started to protest but was interrupted.
“Just lift straight up," the man said. “Trust me."
So they both grabbed the back and lifted straight up about six inches and Kara pulled her arm free. They then helped her out and on to the road. Jimmy asked for napkins to put on Kara’s bleeding head and the woman in the SUV gave him some. When he turned around, the man was gone. That’s when I arrived. Jimmy asked me later if I had seen the man and described him to me. I told him the only people there besides the three of them were the pick-up guy, the flannel shirt guy and the SUV woman, nobody else. And I arrived about forty-five seconds to one minute after they had gotten Kara out. Also, Kara recalls someone helping Jimmy get her out, but never really got a look at him. Brittney didn’t notice anyone help Jimmy get her out. Jimmy is the only one who saw the man clearly.
I often pray that God watches over my children and keeps them safe. I believe it was a Guardian Angel there to help. Even if it was just a mortal man who happened to quietly slip away with no one noticing, I still think he was Heaven sent. Either way, I’m thankful!
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)James, What a moving story. I believe you are right - either a true guardian angel, or an earthly one. So glad for the kids that it all worked out!
wonderful :) I believe too.
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