Their Legacy

(The following is a long post.  It was hard to write, and may not be fun to read, so bear with me.  If you just want the happy stuff, skip to the paragraph right before the photo.)

On February 4, 2012, life changed dramatically for this family.  The day started out normal.  Brittany was at work. Jordan was attending Acquire the Fire--a Christian youth rally.  Chase was at his wrestling tournament.  And Mick and Julie got in the car with Nicole to go watch Chase wrestle. 

It was snowing that morning, and the roads were slick.  A little too slick.  They drove on, discussing the church and family like they always did.  Laughter was shared, and everything was normal. Except for the roads.  As the three came over a hill, they hit a patch of ice I suppose, the car spun, and they went into the ditch.  Some accounts say the car flipped, but I can't be sure.  I don't remember.  ...In case you hadn't figured it out, I am the same Nicole listed as a daughter of Mick and Julie in the previous post. 

I do remember the prayer of my mother,  "Lord, help us."  I echoed her prayer, and blacked out. When I came to, things were a bit foggy, but I remember very clearly things I simply will not share with you all.  I slid myself up over the seat, onto the trunk of the car.  The back windshield was gone.  By then, some people had arrived on the scene.  They carried my up the ditch, and I sat in a stranger's truck and she held me and prayed with me as I sobbed over and over again, "God, they have to be ok.  Make them be ok!!"  Deep down, I knew they weren't.
Mom and I were taken separately to the hospital.  I was held in the emergency room for several hours while they made sure I was ok.  I was.  I came out with a minor concussion, a few bruises and scrapes, and a bit of whiplash the next day.  Other than that, I was fine.  But Mom and Dad were not.  After lying in the ER for a while, my mom's sister, Beth, came in a had to break the news.  Dad had not made it.  We cried as she told me they were still working on Mom, but the injuries she had sustained did not look good. 

After a bit, Brittany and Chase came in to see me.  We cried again as we held each other, aware and yet completely naive about the situation that would soon be our reality.  Jordan was still in Minneapolis, but was driven home and was there later that night. 

By the time they said I was free to go, we knew Mom would not make it.  She was on life support, and we had one last chance to say, "Goodbye."  But as Dad had said so many times, "For Christians it's never, 'Goodbye.'  It's just, 'See ya later.'"  So, I walked into Mom's room, held her hand one last time, and told her I'd see her in the morning as I had every night before bed for as long as I can remember. 

I was released that night and came down to the waiting room to find a good handful of people there to give us hugs and support.  Thus began our week of people in and out of the house.  Hugs.  Lots and lots of hugs and prayers!! ...Enough hugs to give my poor chin, which happens to be a bit lower than most, carpet burn!  But I didn't mind.  Each hug was a reminder of the love and peace God was surrounding us with.  There were tears of course.  And wanting to cry, only to find the well was all dried up and our minds too exhausted to grasp everything and need to cry. 

Because Mom and Dad knew so many people, we had two visitation nights.  People came from all over.  Even from Ohio where Mom and Dad were first youth pastors.  The funeral was held in the high school gym, for the church simply was not big enough.  And that building, that group of people, was as much a part of their ministry as the church had been. 



On that day, exactly one week after their death, we truly celebrated their life.  Yes, for the first time we fell apart in front of everyone, but we also worshiped our Creator along with nearly 2,000 community members.  My uncle gave the "sermon" and reminded each person that every single thing Mom and Dad did was so that they could know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  He reminded them that not one person was at the funeral by accident.  They were there because God wanted them to be.  And as he invited people to accept Jesus Christ and His forgiveness, literally hundreds of people stood to their feet.  Students and teachers, parents and children, alike. 

In that moment, we saw why it was Mom and Dad's time to leave us and be Home.  They had done their job.  And they had done it well. 

"Mick and Julie went on the best date night of their lives. They thought they were only going to wrestling sectionals. How awesome to walk into paradise with your best friend! God is good."  This was sent to me by one of their good friends, and how true it is!!  So, while our hearts still ache, I believe Mom and Dad got the happiest of "happily ever afters," and in that, I find comfort. 

And I have no doubt they stood before the throne of the Most High and heard, "Well done, My good and faithful servants."