LIFE is FRAGILE
After spending the weekend in Michigan with my sister, Anjee, her husband, Jim and their family to celebrate the 80th birthday of Jim's mother; Jim's sister, Ruth, her husband, Don, and three of their children headed back to Minnesota on Sunday night at 9:00.
Sometime after midnight, on I-90 near Rockford, IL, an oncoming vehicle crossed the median and slammed into the family. The driver, who had alchohol content in his blood, and had also been on his cell phone, was killed. Ruth and Don were taken to separate hospitals: the son Isaac, and Don to the same, Ruth and the two daughters to another.
Don and Issac are at Rockford Memorial Hospital and Ruth, Hannah and Zophia are at Rockford Memorial Hospital - a childrens specialty hospital.
Injuries:
Don - broken hand, cracked ribs, messed up ankle in a cast. Released today.
Issac - broken toe and bruises. Monitoring him for fused vertabrae problem he has--he was to avoid all contact sports because of the damage an impact could do. Likely to be released today.
Ruth - broken ankle and wrist that needed 3 hours of surgury yesterday. They'll work on her ankle today. She had to go into surgery after being told how critical Hannah was.
Hannah - had intensive surgery yesterday, spleen removed. Pray that she survives these first 48 hours.
Zophia - has a kidney laceration which should heal itself, and a broken collar bone.
The oldest daughter, Samantha, is a student at Taylor U, and not with them during the accident. She arrived in Rockford yesterday.
Don's parents made a beeline to Rockford from Minnesota, as did my brother-in-law, Jim.
Today, Anjee and the children, Jessica (13), Lizzie(11), and Zeke (4) are going. Please pray for them. They are very close to their cousins, especially Lizzie and Hannah.
Churches in Rockford have been notified and mobilized. Thank God for the body of Christ!
This gave me goosebumps: I substituted at Dayton Christian this afternoon--went right from my morning job at Penney's to a nice 3rd grade classroom. I asked the children to pray for Hannah, and I described what happened and her injuries. To make it a little educational, I also showed them where Michigan was, where Minnestoa was, and where Rockford was on a map. A friendly black boy raised his hand and said, with wonder on his face, "My aunt is a nurse in Rockford. She called last night and said a family had been in a car accident. There was a girl named Hannah. And then my aunt said, "We're going to do everything we can to save her."
This put it all together for me. It wasn't very real to me beforehand. I know Ruth and Don, I was at their wedding, I worked for Don's mother for over a year, I was a bridesmaid for Don's sister, Ruth's father was my pastor . . . Ruth is my sister's sister-in-law. . . I just don't ever get to Minnesota, nor they to Ohio.
But God used a little 3rd grader to show me it is real, and very serious, and yes, God connects us all together.
Go pray now.
After spending the weekend in Michigan with my sister, Anjee, her husband, Jim and their family to celebrate the 80th birthday of Jim's mother; Jim's sister, Ruth, her husband, Don, and three of their children headed back to Minnesota on Sunday night at 9:00.
Sometime after midnight, on I-90 near Rockford, IL, an oncoming vehicle crossed the median and slammed into the family. The driver, who had alchohol content in his blood, and had also been on his cell phone, was killed. Ruth and Don were taken to separate hospitals: the son Isaac, and Don to the same, Ruth and the two daughters to another.
Don and Issac are at Rockford Memorial Hospital and Ruth, Hannah and Zophia are at Rockford Memorial Hospital - a childrens specialty hospital.
Injuries:
Don - broken hand, cracked ribs, messed up ankle in a cast. Released today.
Issac - broken toe and bruises. Monitoring him for fused vertabrae problem he has--he was to avoid all contact sports because of the damage an impact could do. Likely to be released today.
Ruth - broken ankle and wrist that needed 3 hours of surgury yesterday. They'll work on her ankle today. She had to go into surgery after being told how critical Hannah was.
Hannah - had intensive surgery yesterday, spleen removed. Pray that she survives these first 48 hours.
Zophia - has a kidney laceration which should heal itself, and a broken collar bone.
The oldest daughter, Samantha, is a student at Taylor U, and not with them during the accident. She arrived in Rockford yesterday.
Don's parents made a beeline to Rockford from Minnesota, as did my brother-in-law, Jim.
Today, Anjee and the children, Jessica (13), Lizzie(11), and Zeke (4) are going. Please pray for them. They are very close to their cousins, especially Lizzie and Hannah.
Churches in Rockford have been notified and mobilized. Thank God for the body of Christ!
This gave me goosebumps: I substituted at Dayton Christian this afternoon--went right from my morning job at Penney's to a nice 3rd grade classroom. I asked the children to pray for Hannah, and I described what happened and her injuries. To make it a little educational, I also showed them where Michigan was, where Minnestoa was, and where Rockford was on a map. A friendly black boy raised his hand and said, with wonder on his face, "My aunt is a nurse in Rockford. She called last night and said a family had been in a car accident. There was a girl named Hannah. And then my aunt said, "We're going to do everything we can to save her."
This put it all together for me. It wasn't very real to me beforehand. I know Ruth and Don, I was at their wedding, I worked for Don's mother for over a year, I was a bridesmaid for Don's sister, Ruth's father was my pastor . . . Ruth is my sister's sister-in-law. . . I just don't ever get to Minnesota, nor they to Ohio.
But God used a little 3rd grader to show me it is real, and very serious, and yes, God connects us all together.
Go pray now.
Comments
Of course I will pray for this family. I miss you very much! Keep us up to date.
Love to you and your family!
Cindy
If you can, please provide an update later.
Love, Aimee and Ryan
I am praying ... I'm glad to hear from you, but sorry about why.
Keep in touch and let me know how they're doing.
Agape,
jma
Blessings~ Beth
Please continue to pray, and check back here for updates. Also feel free to fwd this as you feel led by God.
I hope to update later today, and any time there is critical change. Appreciate you all!