Early on the morning of July 22, 2003 I woke to a phone call. The man said that my family had been in a rollover accident near Kearney, Nebraska. He said that one of my boys had been thrown from the car and "didn't make it."
I immediately thought it might be Josh and asked him if it was an 11-year old with Down syndrome. He said yes.
He called back several minutes later and said that as the paramedics were working on Josh, he suddenly sat up and "darned if he didn't look half pissed about it."
The story of the accident - and the miracles surrounding it - will have to wait for another post. Here I want to talk about Josh's experience. He told us about what happened to him, using his usual combination of words and sign language. First he told us of angels in white that flew him out of the window of the Suburban and laid him on the ground.
He said that he went to a place that was all white and that he saw his "Dad in Heaven". Josh said that he wanted to stay, but his Dad told he had to go back, that his mom and family needed him. I don't know what you think about accounts of near death experiences, but I can tell you that this 11-year old with Down syndrome hadn't been unduly influenced by media reports.
I was thinking the other day about how when Josh relapsed and knew he was going to die that he wasn't afraid. Not one bit. He even seemed to be looking forward to it. I was thinking that I don't want to die - just not ready. But Josh was.
Of course, Josh was as sweet and pure and anyone I've ever known. And he didn't have any of the regrets that most of us carry with us. But I think Josh's experience nearly four years before had prepared him. I think he remembered how he felt when he had his visit with his Dad in Heaven. I think he knew how absolutely wonderful it would be to once again be bathed in his Father's love.
Good to go home.
