No Greater Love
By Carolyn Shewfelt
Sometimes we take for granted how our lives can be
so drastically
changed in just a few
moments time. We sometimes also forget that others
around us may be
experiencing
circumstances that we cannot fully comprehend.
Please allow me to share this life changing story
with you. The life
change will only come if
you place yourself in this story and check how you
would handle the
circumstances. Would
your response glorify our Lord or bring great
bitterness to yours and
other''s hearts.
Angela, Brian (her new boyfriend) and Jenny were
at a wedding
reception of a friend and
decided to go pick up another friend. Knowing that
she had had a
couple drinks, Angela gave
her car keys to Brian. Brian was unfamiliar with
Angela''s car and was
going to fast to make
the corner on the unfamiliar road. Brian lost
control of the car in
the gravel, they were
thrown off a cliff, bounced off of a tree and came
to rest against
another.
Within moments of the accident a off duty police
officer saw the
lights in the trees and called
for help.
It was clear that all of the impact had been on
Angela''s side of the
car. Paramedics were at
the sight in minutes where a human chain had to be
formed to get to
the car. Angela wasn''t
breathing when they got to her. A paramedic
(Bobby) from Arrow
Ambulance got to Angela
first. He ripped back the roof of the car and
''''jaws of life" were
used to get her out of the car.
Bobby held Angela as they pulled her up the hill
and he never let go
of her until the doctor at
the emergency room told him that he had done all
he could do.
Brian & Jenny were treated and released. Both had
minor cuts and
scrapes and Jenny had a
fractured collar bone.
Angela however was not so lucky. She was diagnosed
with major brain
damage. The impact
was so severe that her brain had actually bounced
around inside her
skull and her brain had
been damaged in many areas. Angela stopped
breathing several times the
first several hours
and Doctors had to remove part of her skull, bone
fragments that were
lodged in her brain and
a section of her brain.
After being in a coma for 17 days, Angela began
her battle for life.
First she moved her finger
then later she opened her eyes. She was later
transferred to Spokane
Respiratory Care Unit
where she spent 8 months in intensive treatment
and therapy.
With the abundant love and support of her parents,
Angela has beaten
all the doctors odds of
recovery. Most accident victims are not as
fortunate to have a family
as special as the
Underdown ''s. Tom & Patty don''t see what Angela
can''t do, they see
what she can. Her
accomplishments are no little thing and they are
grateful to have
Angela alive.
Angela Understands everything you say, but cannot
put thoughts
together or verbalize them.
Since the accident, Angela has not been able to
cry. Angela''s nickname
in high school was
"Smily" and that hasn''t changed. Angela still has
a smile that melts
your heart when you see
her. Patty said that Angela has made it easy for
them and that Angela
is a great teacher. With
minimal assistance, Angela can get dressed and fvc
meals. She likes to
work on the computer
and with daily practice she can write legibly.
Recently while Angela
was playing on the
computer, Patty asked her to spell her name.
Angela typed out Angel
Underdown and Patty
knew that she was right, she is their angel. One
of her favorite
things is swimming at the gym.
With assistance Angela can walk and gets around
quite well.
For the Underdown family, life will never be the
same. Not only have
their everyday lives
changed, but their understanding of the grace,
compassion, and love of
God is being
manifested daily in their lives as well as those
who have the
privilege to know this family.
Taking one day at a time is the only way that
tomorrow is faced. They
have learned to live
with the unforeseen changes in their lives.
Angela''s daughter who was
1 Yi years old at the
time of the accident is 4 years old now. Kylie
understands that Mommy
has been in a car
accident and that''s why she is not like other
mommies. Kylie lives
with her dad now and visits
Angela on weekends and sometimes during the week.
She likes to sit on
Mom''s lap and read
to her.
It wasn''t until we were asked for examples of
humility in our bible
study group that I realized
how deeply my life was impacted by this family. I
will never forget
the images of the pride and
praise of how well Angela was doing. The
protection for Angela,
knowing that she hears
everything, to be sure that she never feels like a
burden. They
express the joy of having her
with them still, how well she is doing and her
continued
accomplishments.
It makes one wonder how we would handle such a
tragedy. Would we live
out the devastation
or would we focus on the little accomplishments
and how huge they are
in reality. Many
would consider placing someone with Angela''s
disabilities in one of
the care facilities
available to maintain some stability in their
lives. But how many of
us would allow every
aspect of our lives to be dramatically changed
forever. Many see the
good thing being done,
but do we realize how big this is in the Lord''s
eyes. Because as you
do to these, you have done
unto Him.
I can only imagine the great reception on the
Underdown ''s homecoming
with the Lord. Great
will be their reward. I sometimes wonder if the
Lord has a special
jewel made for their crown
as they hear, "Well done my good and faithful
servants!"
John 15:12-14
This is my commandment that you love one another
as I have loved you.
Greater love hath no
man than this, that a man lay down his life for
his friends. You are
my friends, if you do
whatsoever I command you.
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