Posted on 12/17/2016 8:20:20 PM PST by wheresmyusa
Yesterday our area in MO was blindsided by an ice storm that was not supposed to happen.
At about the time i was warming up the car to head to the bus stop and get my 6 year old daughter, my wife and i received a phone call that the buses would not be running and we would have to pick our child up. We live in a rural area, and were only about 5 miles from her school.
The ride to the school was dicey, but driving 20mph, we made it there with no problems except rattled nerves. We prayed for an uneventful trip and safe passage home.
With the baby girl secured in her carseat, we began our snail speed venture back to the homestead. In the span of time it took for my wife to get the child out of school, and into her carseat, every bit of moisture froze solid.
About 200 yards from the school, driving 10 miles per hour, we slid into a shallow ditch. Well, EVERYONE did. We managed to get out and at this point, my wife had that look in her eye. This was something we hadn't seen before. Vehicle type didn't matter. Dump trucks, 4x4's; no one could get a grip on anything anywhere. Any hasty maneuver was slinging vehicles without mercy.
My daughter was hysterical. She is a tender-hearted child by nature, but she could sense that something was really wrong; no matter how we tried to calm her. Barring a few hills most of the rest of our trip was straightaway road and the vehicles were pressing on at a clip of about 5mph. We were all hungry, stressed, and praying. We pressed on very, very, slowly.
Sketchy as it was, we were doing well for about 2 miles; and then it happened. We crawled, i mean slug speed, around a very slight bend in the road. The grade was slightly canted to the right, and gravity pulled us sideways into another much deeper ditch. There was no way i could get us out of this one.
As it happens, we slid off the road across from a building that belongs to a construction company. In the parking lot facing the road was a large dump truck with a man inside. He hopped out of his cab and shuffled across the icy road to us. We talked for a minute and took in the situation of my wife, daughter, and the car listing 35 degrees with one drive wheel still hanging on the asphalt. We decided to give it a shot; there was nothing to lose by trying. My car, granted, is not a large one; but somehow some way managed to shove that vehicle up and across the road with the help of some damn fine driving by my wife.
Neither myself or the truck driver thought it would work; but it happened.
My wife pulled the car into the construction company parking lot; and 90 seconds after we shuffled across the road, a large truck came around that bend and slammed into the ditch in the same exact spot we had just vacated. The truck driver and i exchanged looks; he grinned slightly.
We moved our car behind his truck, expecting to be stranded in that parking lot for a while. Every half hour or so i would get out for a smoke, and the trucker and i would chat, exchanging info about what we were hearing on the radio. We would watch vehicle after vehicle pass that spot without incident; only to wipe out on the straightaway a hundred or so yards down from us. No one else slid off where we did.
Ironically, as the night passed, the temperature gradually started RISING due to a warm front moving in from the south. At about 10:00pm we saw our first salt truck come through. The truck driver and i talked again and decided since the temp had risen to 35 degrees and there was now salt on the road, we would wait another half hour and possibly take a shot at making the trip home.
We waited another hour just to be sure.
I shuffled out of the car one more time toward the mans cab, and he stepped out. I couldn't thank him enough, and shook his hand with a grip tighter than i probably realized. I asked for his name again(Bill)even though he told me already, but i wanted to be sure to remember it. He told us that he worked for the construction company we were parked in, and i made mental note so i could somehow repay him later.
As we pulled out slowly he had his window rolled down and i yelled my last thank you, safe travels home, and a very hearty Merry Christmas. For the second time he shot me that same slight grin.
It was still a very trying 3 miles, especially that last big hill, but we made it home safely right before midnight.
My wife happens to know the owner of that particular company whose lot we spent most of the night in. We live in a very small town. This morning she texted him to let him know what his employee had done, and that we'd like to repay him somehow because we never asked for his phone number. She told him Bills full name.
There is no employee that currently, or has ever worked there by that name.
True story.
“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
Prayers granted bump.
Freegards
It would seem that Guardian Angles come in all shapes and sizes.
Be sure to retell your young one this story later in her life so she will know if/when her time comes for need....she will know that she is not alone.
Was this on 47 by chance?
WOW!
I got goosebumps...great write up of an amazing story.
That was an Angel named” Bill “.
thanks for sharing.
Was this on 47 by chance?
I believe you know the name of your guardian angel, and thank you God.
No it was a rural 2 lane road. I did hear a lot of reports of what was going on on 47. What a mess.
I promise i will. I’ll never ever forget last night.
The major highways were all awful. 70, 44, all of ‘em...turned into parking lots for miles is what the radio was saying. Just terrible for everyone.
I’m still dazed by the whole thing. Angel indeed...
Ain’t God good?
My uncle had something similar in his life. The difference is it turned out his “Bill” had just stolen a truck load of equipment. Even being a thief he helped in a time of great need. My uncle also discovered the truth about his “Bill” when he returned to repay the kindness.
There are no words i can come up with to describe just how good.
=)
Yeah it was bad. Had I not grabbed cat litter on the way home for my cat, I’d still be stuck. BTW the story on ksdk.com severely got the facts messed up. My kids got off the bus right before the bus went in a ditch so I know for certain it was sloppy journalism at best and the school was less than truthful. Don’t even want to get into that but Just thankful my kids made it home safe. Someone was def watching over us all. So glad you made it back safely.
Wow! I hope that man paid his debt and came to the light. I bet your uncle was floored when he found out.
Quite a day wasn’t it? Extremely happy that your children and yourself got home unharmed! I can’t understand why no one called off school earlier. I bet the weather forecasters are in a bunker somewhere...
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.