Posted on 10/18/2008 8:10:35 PM PDT by Joya
Little Ali Tuller will soon be sporting a bracelet that contains the inscription “Walking With Jesus.”
That couldn’t be more appropriate, after the night she had on October 3.
Tracy Ali Jo Tuller, who goes by Ali, is the 23-month-old daughter of Shanna and Robert Tuller. She crawled out of her bed and slipped out the sliding glass door of the couple’s home located a few miles south of town. She started her walk sometime between midnight and 1:30 Saturday morning, which was when her mom discovered her missing.
“That night was my birthday, and my husband and I put the children to bed and stayed up late in the living room. When I went to check on the kids at 1:30 that morning before we went to bed, Ali wasn’t in bed,” said Shanna. “We have five children, and three of them were at home that night. We woke up the two boys, and frantically searched the house. She just wasn’t anywhere.”
Shanna called 911, and within minutes rescue workers, firefighters, people from the police and sheriff’s office, family and friends were on the scene, combing the area. The search lasted until nearly 4 a.m., when Gibbie Gibson, a rescue worker from Wynona, found little Ali standing in the middle of a pond about a mile from her home.
“He walked out to get her, and the water was well up past his waist,” said Shanna. “When he got to her, though, the water wasn’t even up to her waist, and she wasn’t standing on anything. It had to have been God holding her up. Gibbie was in shock when he saw it, and really had no explanation other than a miracle.”
The search seemed much more of an ordeal for the family and rescue workers than it was for young Ali. After all, right around the pond where Ali was found, people came across two cougars, a pack of coyotes, and even killed a copperhead snake. Everybody was muddy, scratched up, and wet from the big storm that rolled through the area.
Not Ali, though, who was unfazed, and practically dry despite walking around in the rain and wading out into the pond. She didn’t have a scratch on her, and her hair wasn’t even messed up.
“She went out without her shoes on, walked all that distance, and even had to cross two barbed wire fences to get to where they found her,” said Shanna. “There had to be at least 60 or 70 people out searching for her that night, and after it was all over, they were all in worse shape than Ali. My daughter wasn’t even scared, she was just out for a walk.”
Ali wasn’t sure why she went for her late night walk, and really didn’t have much to say later. But Shanna certainly has thought a lot about the ordeal, and she is convinced Ali wasn’t alone during her trek through the woods.
“There is not a doubt in my mind that God was with her, watching over her that night,” said Shanna. “God must have a special purpose for Ali. Our only guess as to why Ali was in the pond is that God must have put her there to keep her away from the cougars. I hope this story touches people, because it has certainly touched our lives. There is a God out there, and he is watching over all of us. God was definitely with Ali that night.”
There was a similiar story in AZ news several years ago- girl about this age was missing and found a few days later wandering near a lake. A man had kidnapped her, and then dumped her by the lake. She had been by herself at least two days before being found as far as LEO could determine. She told her mother and nurses at the hospital she was not afraid because an angel was with her. When you think of all the things that could happen to a toddler by themselves near a lake in a remote area you have to believe she really had an angel with her.
Post 78, wow, thanks for sharing. What a beautiful home, glad to see the picture. Those roofers musta just about dropped their teeth when you appeared, three stories up. Glad you weren’t hurt.
I love happy stories like this one too.
Amen.
[You’re right, I do need to make sure I have on a freshly applied coat of lipstick 2 weeks from today when I cast my vote!]
You said, “Some are wanderers and some are climbers.” True true.
I’m grateful, that your 22-month-old got back safe and sound.
No doubt you had a little talk with the six-year-old about raising the alarm next time when little brother does something he’s not supposed to do.
Good thing the neighbors are sweet people and were alert and aware and noticed your little guy at their back door.
Wow, excellent. Interesting that she was able to see the angel. Thanks so much for sharing that.
When we first moved to the Houston area (Oak Ridge North...Spring, TX zipcode, across I-45 from The Woodlands) in 1999, my son was just shy of 2. Wife was pregnant with my daughter.
We’re unpacking stuff, and the doorbell rings. My boy had walked right out the front door and down the street. It was one of our new neighbors, with my son in tow.
The adrenaline went up, don’t ya know?
I’m so glad your little one was safe and sound.
Getting that call had to make your heart skip a beat.
As you said, these things can happen to anyone.
It’s a wonderful thing that God is watching.
What a beautiful home!
I’m glad the roofers were up there to get you.
Otherwise, I might not be getting this ping from you.
I used to give my folks fits.
I climbed the guaranteed non-climbable fence before they had two sides up.
I used to love to play on the railroad tracks.
I was two years old.
I think God spent a lot of time watching over you and me. ;o)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.