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I Once Was Lost
Tuesday, September 9, 2008 at 11:44PM 
Some stories are so amazing, you just can't stop thinking about them. Two come to mind, of very recent vintage.
Our married daughter, Stephanie, lives in Lenoir, North Carolina. (Happy Birthday, Steph! Can't believe it's been 28 years since we met.)
When we were together for Labor Day, Stephanie excitedly told me about the miraculous rescue of Amber Pennell, who works in Lenoir and lives in a neighboring town.
On the night of August 20th, Amber, a 21-year-old wife and mother of two, left her job at Hannah's Barbeque in Lenoir. She called her husband to tell him she had one stop to make, then she'd be home to kiss the babies goodnight.
Surveillance cameras at the brand-new Wal-Mart SuperCenter in Lenoir confirm that Amber dropped in to buy a birthday card for her daughter, Gracelyn. Only she doesn't remember running that errand -- or her next stop, at a gas station.
Because when you add panic to exposure and fatigue, you drown; right?
When Amber failed to come home, her husband became frantic and called the police. Authorities and citizens alike began a concerted search the next morning. Five days went by. No Amber. No car. No nothing. They decided it was time to give up; perhaps Amber had run away. It's been known to happen.
Amber's husband stood firm and wasn't too proud to beg. Amber would never leave us, he said. She would never leave her babies. Please, please keep looking.
He pled with rescuer Tommy Courtner, who knew Amber, not to give up.
Tommy went out to look one more time along the route Amber would have traveled. That's when he noticed tire tracks on the side of Route 321, the road leading up the mountain into Boone. He looked a little more closely ... and he saw something white in the kudzu.
Specifically, kudzu overgrowth so thick it concealed a steep embankment and a deep ravine into which Amber had plunged her Toyota pickup, her legs becoming trapped by the crushed dashboard.
For five nights Amber had waited, reaching her hand out of the window to get stray drops of rain to drink. (She only remembers bits and pieces, but she heard the helicopters overhead and somehow she knew they were for her.)
Tommy Courtner called Amber's name. A moment later, she waved weakly from the open window of her truck. "It was such a blessing to us," Tommy said.
Amber is recuperating at Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory, where our granddaughter Allissa was born in April. I know they'll take good care of Amber there. Seems to me the odds were pretty long for her making it, but make it she did, and I'm happy for her and her family.
# # # #
And then there's the 13-year-old autistic boy who, while swimming in the Atlantic near Daytona Beach, Florida, last Saturday, was borne out to sea by a strong current. His father jumped in to save him and was swept away as well.
It happened in the afternoon and although rescuers scrambled immediately, both the boy and the man had disappeared.
Father and son spent more than 12 hours -- all night -- treading water to stay alive. Neither were wearing life vests, and they were not together. The only thing between them and drowning was their ability to keep their heads above water until help came.
That one night must have seemed as long as the five nights Amber spent buried in the kudzu. I can do a decent dog paddle in the pool (for a few minutes) but I'm scared of the dark. Factor in fear of sharks and I'm pretty sure the outcome would be no more Jenny. Because when you add panic to exposure and fatigue, you drown; right?
Thank you, Lord.
But they didn't.
On Sunday morning a fisherman rescued 46-year-old Walter Marino. The Coast Guard kept looking for Christopher. They found him an hour later and plucked him from the waves. Both are doing fine.
I believe God was with Amber, and with Walter and Chris.
And I believe He's with me. I once was lost but now am found.
Thank you, Lord.
Reader Comments (7)
I like the new background and header :)
Those are some pretty incredible stories. The story of Amber reminds me a lot of something that happened up here in Washington not too long ago - a woman left her job at Fred Meyer (one about 10 minutes from my job, actually) and was headed home when somehow she went off the road and landed her car in a ditch, under thick shrubbery. Her husband KNEW she wouldn't have run away or anything like that, so the police searched and searched, even searching along the road she was ON, not finding her. Finally they traced her cell phone ping (not sure exactly how) and found her, but by then it was almost a week later. Thankfully, she was doing okay and lived to tell the story - but, like with Amber, I'm sure God was with her!
Being swept out to sea would be terrifying. I am very glad they are okay, too!!
Angi, that's an amazing story, almost identical to Amber's! I wish they could have found these ladies more quickly, but I am so moved by the dedication of the searchers. What a great thing to be part of. Have a great day, luvvy.
Absolutely amazing story about Amber! I hadn't read about that one. Very glad it has a happy ending!
About the boy and his father, did you know his autism is partly responsible for keeping him alive? Heard one of the doctors talking about it on the news. Many kids with autism have no concept of fear or fear of death. In this boys case water was his favorite thing.
Elaine, I had not heard that. How spectacular! And I'm sure what kept Mr. Marino alive was his need to see Christopher alive again. What a lovely happy ending to what could have been such a tragedy.
amazing stories.... and I like you find my own salvation from an ordinary and blessed though lost life to one that is in a saving relationship with Jesus !! That is as miraculous as it gets.
@ Dixie ... Amen, girl. That's where it's at.
Amazing! I wish the news reported stories with happy endings more often. News of what is possible. I think that would help restore a lot of people's faith. Truly marvelous!