The Accident

On February 13, 1992 I was involved in a multi-vehicle accident caused by a drunk driver. He hit me from behind and drove me into oncoming traffic and another vehicle hit me going the other way. My truck did a 180 and was totaled. As for me: my pelvis was split in two and my femur broken in half. After more than two months in the hospital and at least four operations later, I still have a noticeable limp. The reason I was working that night was so that I could get enough money to buy my girlfriend, who was carrying my son, a Valentines Day gift (This was a time when I was outside the Church living life according to the world). I never saw the man who hit me; I only heard the crunching of metal as the other car crushed the passenger side of my truck.

Despite what you may think about this accident in many ways has been a blessing. Some time before the accident I had been contemplating “The wages of sin is death” and the reality that purgatory was much worse after death than before. Even though I would not have admitted I was living a sinful life at the time, I knew that I had done many things wrong. So I had asked God that if there was any way I could do my purgatory here on earth to please make it happen. In my hospital bed after the accident, I was lamenting to God about my misfortune and asking why did this happen to me. Then I remembered what I had asked of Him and from that point on I have never questioned Him about it again. Seven years later I had my second conversion and now that I have deeper knowledge of the teaching of redemptive suffering I offer up my pain and discomfort in union with Christ's suffering on the cross for my own salvation and the salvation of others. What a great joy! I am so grateful to God for all that He has done for me and I would not change anything. I only ask of my loving Father that He use my life to bless others as He sees fit and to give meaning to those years where I was away from Him.

As for the drunk driver, I know his name, I pray for him from time to time, and it is my firm hope that God frees him from his addiction, and brings him out of the darkness into the light.

My God at this moment I offer the discomfort and pain I feel for the man who hit me on that fateful night many years ago and I ask anyone who is reading this to join with me in prayer for this man. AMEN!

Thank you and may God Bless You!

Chip