On Saturday evening, T and I attended a beautiful Advent Vesper's concert that our Alma Mater puts on every year at a beautiful church in downtown Minneapolis. We went with some friends, and had a wonderful time. After the concert, we went to a little French Bistro with our friends and had dinner. Afterwards, we headed back home. We had carpooled with a friend of ours whose car was parked in our driveway.
At 11:30 pm, we took the exit to our house. The exit we always take off the interstate. It was a very cold evening, and I think we were all looking forward to getting to our prospective homes and calling it a night. We pulled into the driveway, said goodbye to our friend, and enjoyed the comfort of our warm home.
A perfect evening. For us.
At 11:45, at which time I was already in my warm bed, cuddled underneath a couple layers of blankets, another family was going about their evening. The parents had just come from a funeral, and had picked up their 5 children from a friend's house. The wife was also 8 months pregnant with their 6th child.
At 11:45, 15 minutes after us, this family took the exact same exit we took off the interstate. No doubt, the exit to their home. Unfortunately, their night didn't end there. Instead of getting home safely like we had just 15 minutes prior, this family was met by a drunk driver who was going the wrong way on the exit ramp. This drunk driver hit this family, and the poor family had no time to react. Instead, the wife is in critical condition, and her 8 month old fetus is dead.
What a difference 15 minutes can make in the rest of your life. Just another reminder on how life can change in an instant.
There was a story about this family in our local paper today. They are accepting donations at any Wells Fargo's in the area. I wish I had more to give this family.
This is the season of giving. This is the season to recognize how fortunate most of us are, and to find a need and try to fulfill it as best as we can. And there is a lot of need out there.
16 comments:
that breaks my heart. i don't understand how people can be so irresponsible.
:( This gave me goosebumps, Leah. How very horrible... It's the kind of thing that made me immediately pick up my phone and call my husband and tell him I love him.
speachless
and
Heartbroken
So, so terrible.
Oh my gosh. I have no words. I will be praying for that family for sure-
Oh that's so sad! How selfish that one person was cause a tragedy for that poor family!
I want to puke. That is such devastating news. That poor, poor family.
I had chills go down my arms from this story. My heart goes out to that family. It's sobering to think about how a small gap of time separates you from disaster and how many of these pop up daily and we just don't know how lucky we are.
Hey, we share the same first name and it looks like a heart for adoption...Fun to read about your journey though I am not envying the snow storm right now : )
May God hold this family in the palm of his hand. And may we all find our blessings despite our struggles.
Yes, this is the season of giving...it's sad how commercial this holday has become. My mission this year was to make this holiday brighter for someone else, even through my struggles. It helps me to find peace.
Andea
www.persuitofourfairytale.blogspot.com
Oh my gosh. That story gave me chills. How devastating. I am so heart broken for them.
I am so glad you weren't there at the wrong time.
What a sad, tragic story. Life is just so unfair!
Wow... how heartbreaking. I"m glad you got home safely. It's a wake-up call for sure.
Oh Leah...this is the sadest thing I have heard in a long time. We have a friend who's wife was walking across the street with their two kids (one in a stroller, the newborn in a carrier)...she was hit by a car and thrown. Luckily the stroller wasn't touched, but her and her infant both went flying. Sadly, mommy died before getting to the hospital...baby girl in her carrier only had a few scratches (miraculously). I guess mom turned her body so her baby wouldn't get hit by the car...so the car hit her in the back. It happened last year and things with her husband and kids have not been easy.
It makes us think about how quickly things like this can happen to anyone. Scary.
What a sad story. And yes, only a moment can make the difference between life and death. Every time I get stuck in traffic or delayed, I stop and think that maybe there is a reason for it. My prayers are with that poor heart broken family.
What a sad story. And yes, only a moment can make the difference between life and death. Every time I get stuck in traffic or delayed, I stop and think that maybe there is a reason for it. My prayers are with that poor heart broken family.
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