Last Friday my daughter and I decided to stop over at my parents’ (who are almost 74 and 79) house for a visit. While driving, it occurred to me that it was exactly 29 years that day since my dad’s tragic accident. Against all odds, he regained consciousness. Soon thereafter, my family was told that there was “no hope”. He was given the sacrament of his last rites as we all assembled into the hospital chapel to pray.
Thriving with Disability
As we pulled into their driveway, we heard loud music coming from the garage. My dad was in there working on two doors he bought to rebuild his shed. The building store didn’t have the sizes he needed, so he bought what they had, and resized the doors himself.
What’s more, he’s doing all of this with the use of only one arm. After the terrible accident, he emerged from his recovery with a disability. He was left-handed, and would have to learn how to live life on different terms.
When we pulled up to their house, I sat in the car for a minute and took it all in. I thought about what a gift it is that we’ve been able to enjoy the last 29 years with him. I thought about what an inspiration he has been to so many over the years. And I thought about how the power of prayer ushered my family from hopelessness to a place of triumph.
In my book SOAR, I talk about this experience in exquisite detail. It’s a miraculous story of triumph over insurmountable odds, that I got to witness at the tender age of 16.
Have you ever felt hopeless?
Have you ever felt the odds were stacked against you?
Regardless of your situation, there is always a way through. And it doesn’t have to stop at “through.” You can actually bounce back higher. You can SOAR.
Grab your copy of SOAR today for insight on how you can find hope in the midst of fear and uncertainty.
August 1, 1991
I’ve always been amazed by how we can remember the details of significant days in our lives in such fine detail. August 1, 1991 is one of those days for me and my family. Our world was turned upside down.
This is straight out of SOAR:
“One hot and humid August night when I was 16, I was working at a local, family-owned Italian restaurant. It was nearing closing time and one of my co-workers asked if I wanted to go out with her and her friends after work. I would usually say “yes” without hesitation to this type of invitation, but this time was different. I immediately got a very heavy, sinking feeling in my core. Without thinking, I briefly paused, then muttered, “I can’t. Something really bad is happening in my family right now.” She asked what I meant and I answered, “I don’t know, but I know it’s really bad.”
“Within moments, my mom’s best friend scurried into the restaurant, completely frazzled, she walked up to the counter where I was standing, and told me that I needed to come with her. She said that my dad had been riding his bike on a path in a local forest preserve and was hit by a car. She was there to take me to the hospital.”
Shortly thereafter, we were told he wasn’t expected to live. Through a perfect blend of my dad’s will to live coupled with prayers, he not only survived, but thrived. In my book SOAR, I share his journey through this. His triumph over insurmountable odds is such a beautiful story of hope, and I share this powerful story so that you may be inspired to always look for a glimmer of hope.
The Power of Prayer
During these challenging months, when we weren’t eating or sleeping, we were praying.
Through this experience I learned how to pray. Really pray. Not just recite the words of a creed that someone else had written, but really dig deep, and find the words that were buried deep within my soul.
I had no choice but to choose prayer and faith. There was nothing else to tap into. Doctors were doing all they could. Nurses were tending to him constantly. There were no more medical tests to be run. All forms of treatment were exhausted. So we were just left with huge voids of time to just wait.
Here is an excerpt from SOAR:
“This was my first experience of learning to rely on faith. Learning to rely on a power greater than we are. Up to this point, my experiences with religion had been routine and rehearsed and perfunctory, like learning about religion in class, attending weekly mass and attending sacramental celebrations for family members. Prior to this incident, I never had to dig really deep and completely surrender my situation to a higher power.”
It is through our reliance on trust in a higher power that we were able to find hope.
A Glimmer of Hope
It was mind-blowing to experience how a few fleeting moments of affirmation could be the winds that carried us through the crushing overwhelm of this situation fraught with fear and uncertainty.
“We spent days, which turned into weeks, which morphed into months, on the couches in the Intensive Care waiting room, alternating between an upright seated position and a half-reclined position as we drifted off from time to time from the emotional and mental weight of the situation. There was a steady stream of family who came to keep us company and help us keep the faith. But, nestled within the stress and the uncertainty and the despair and hopelessness was a glimmer of hope. A few fleeting seconds of sheer peace and serenity that would serve to be the bedrock of the hope that we so desperately would need to rely upon in the weeks and months to come. Through all the challenging moments that would ensue over the next several months, we would always anchor back to those pivotal moments.”
Grab your copy of SOAR to read more about this experience.
Messages from Higher Realms
During these challenging months, we prayed constantly. We were so connected with God and even in the midst of sheer agony, we felt comforted. It was surreal to experience how both feelings could coexist.
As validation of our connection, we received “signs” along the way that we were being taken care of.
My mom and I experienced an intercession that was one of the most divine experiences I’ve ever had. Even as a writer, it’s hard for me to put words around it.
I describe this moving experience in SOAR:
“One afternoon as my mom and I were sitting on the couch in the waiting room, she suddenly turned to me and asked if I smelled what she was smelling. I did. It was the most beautiful, potent scent of roses I had ever experienced. With bewildered looks on our faces, we both scanned the room in an attempt to find the origin, but no roses were anywhere in sight. I even got up and looked down the hallway to see if anyone had walked by with a flower delivery, but there was no one around.”
You can read about the rest of this divine experience in SOAR. Click here to buy today!
During the time my dad was unconscious, he had a conversation with one of his guides, angels, call it what you will. He was presented with a choice. In SOAR, I share the details of this profound experience and show how it shaped the rest of his life.
If you are feeling hopeless or frustrated by whatever situation you are dealing with, reach out and we can set up a time to chat. I’m always here to serve you and guide you on your journey.
Happy SOARING!