The events of August 7, 2015 still cannot be explained. The laws of physics were compromised. How can one be hit by a Ford Explorer at 35 to 40 miles per hour on the left side and be placed gently on the road to the left instead of in the ditch to the right in the direction of the impact. How can cuts, scrapes and other body and clothing damages be avoided? The events of this day will be recorded and become one of the most special days of my life.
In life, I believe all of our experiences are as building blocks in our character and given to prepare us for future opportunities to serve those around us.
The long-awaited day had finally come. It was my day to ride the open road through Lassen Volcanic National Park. I had made this an annual event and the day was full of excitement to get on the road and enjoy something few people get to experience.
The ride to the summit from the south was smooth and steady. I was amazed at the energy I had and how quickly I came to the sign at the summit. It was now that most enjoyable downhill and on to the north entrance at Manzanita. Down I went and the closer I came to my destination at Manzanita I could feel the energy and excitement of the ride. I stopped along the road in the shade of a tree to refresh myself and get some water. As I was about get back on my back and be on my way everything in my life changed. What had just happened? I would never be the same.
What was that freaky noise? I turned around to look only to see the sunlight on the empty road behind. As I turned back around, I started to pass out. I noticed a car pull over in front of me. Then the pain hit me. On a scale of 1-10 this was a perfect 100. I then remember the words, “I have been hit by a car!”
What happened next was nothing short of a miracle. As I passed out, I felt as if my body was floating or being carried. It all became black and my mind was caught up as if it were a vision. I saw the Savior in the Garden of Gethsemane kneeling in prayer, suffering for our sins and affliction, and praying to the Father. I felt a portion of his pain. My soul was caught up in great joy and then humbled as I felt the true sorrow for all my sins. I knew that He had paid the price and I was truly forgiven. Never had I felt such joy and was humbled by what had just happened. That joy and peace were comforting.
I did not suffer any further injury one would expect from being tumbled to the ground. It was peaceful and gentile. I was hit, passed out and felt as if I were being carried as it were.
Following this period of unconsciousness, I came back into a state of semi-consciousness and felt my body being gently laid down on what I learned was the road adjacent to me on the left. When I came to, I was lying straight on my back with my feet toward the side of the road and my head towards the center line with my arms and hands crossed on my chest. Other than the massive black bruise on my backside from the impact there were no other cuts, scrapes, or injuries to my body you would expect. Why?
10 days after the accident and then surgery to repair the broken bones in my leg I was at home in bed with my leg in the air. My assistant scoutmaster had come over to visit and was listening as I told the story of the accident. When I got to the point where I felt myself floating as I was being carried, I stopped speaking and heard a voice come strongly in my head. “It was me! It was me! It was your mom!” What I just heard humbled me and made perfect sense of what happened that day.
When I was hit by that car and before my body could be hurled into the ditch and further injury, my mother caught me and carried me as any mother would carry her child, and gently laid me down to the left in the road with my arms crossed over my chest and made it easier for people to get to me and administer the aid I needed. Yes, a loving mother was permitted to be there to care for her child. All of my life, in her passing from mortality, and even now I have always been close to my mother. She truly is my guardian angel. All through the rehabilitation period and to this day I feel her presence and strength as I have been asked to endure many things. Our mothers may pass from mortality and we can miss them but they never really leave us. Moms are always near. “I LOVE YOU MOM!”
View photos from this adventure in my Gallery – Lassen Trip – Broken Leg page.