Veteran's Day Memory by Gerri Brousseau

Each year when November rolls around, we celebrate Veteran's Day and my thoughts turn to an incident that happened back in 1988.  That year Veteran's Day fell on November 10th, and I had the day off from work.  At that particular time, I was trying to start up my own business, working at it on a part time basis.  Having a full slate of appointments for that day, I had taken my son to his normal latch-key day care, which was at our church.

It was a bright sunny day, and I remember it was warm for November.  I wore a skirt, blouse and sweater.  No coat, so it had to have been warm.  I went to a few of the appointments and decided to stop for lunch.  I reviewed my materials for the afternoon appointments and decided to check my phone messages.  But, I was not prepared for the message that awaited me in my voice mail.  It was a man's voice, one I did not recognize.  He identified himself as being my husband's boss.  Hearing his voice telling me who he was, the hair on the back of my neck rose, and my hands began to shake.  I remember sitting there feeling dread wash over me as his voice poured into my ear.  He said there had been a tragic accident at work and that my husband had been brought to the hospital.  Tragic accident?  How tragic?  I remember sitting there in disbelief thinking that someone would leave such a message on my voice mail and make no effort to find me.

Not quite knowing what to expect, not knowing my husband's condition, and being nearly across the street from the day care, I rushed there to get our son.  Tragic accident, it could have possibly been the last time my son would see his father alive.  My mind was racing.  I was trembling when I walked into the day care.  I think I was crying, but I can't remember being aware of it.  Of course, upon seeing me upset, my son became upset.  Trying to explain things to a six year old child took hold and calmed me enough to get my son into the car, and drive to the hospital.  Thankfully, the hospital was only a few miles away.

I can't even remember walking into the emergency room, but I do remember thinking it must be pretty serious because they ushered me directly into the back.  My stomach turned when we walked into the room and it was empty.  Grasping my young son's hand and hold him tight, the words "tragic accident" rang in my mind.  The nurse then told me they had taken my husband for a CT-Scan and asked me to wait there in the room.

Before long, the gurney, with my husband on it, was wheeled into the room.  He was alive, but his face was white as a sheet.  I looked at him and felt my blood drain to my feet.  His lips were not pink, they were white.  His blue eyes looked grey.  He looked like he was headed for the morgue pretty darn quick.  I took hold of his hand and he was cold as ice.  My son started to cry.  Then the doctor came in.  He explained what had happened and that they were headed to surgery, immediately.  He made no promises and no guarantees.  We were given a moment to say our goodbyes, and then they wheeled him away and ushered us to a waiting room.

I called my husband's mother, who, together with his sisters, rushed to the hospital.  One of my sister-in-laws took my young son to her house, but I knew my boy would be anxious and upset, and he was.  I remained at the hospital, sitting in the waiting room with my mother-in-law.  Hours passed.  As we sat in the waiting room, wringing our hands, I became aware that a telephone was ringing.  There was a little pay phone down the hall and it was ringing (keep in mind, this was 1988 and no one had cell phones then).  I mean ringing…incessantly.  The ringing would not stop.  It seemed to become louder in my mind, and I felt compelled to get up, walk out into the hall and answer it.  So, I did.

"Hello," I said into the receiver of the pay phone.

"Hello, Gerri?" the voice on the other end said.  The hair on my arms rose.

Was I ever shocked!  The call coming into a random pay phone was for me!

"Yes," I responded, hands shaking.

"It's Kathy, the Pastor's wife."

"How did you get this number?"  My voice just above a whisper.

"This is the number that is in the phone book for the hospital.  We heard about the accident?  What's the status? How is your husband?  How are you holding up?" she asked me.

"This is the pay phone out in the hall," I answered.  But at that moment, even as those words slipped from my lips, I knew the answer to her question was that everything was going to be all right.  Whether you are a believer or not, I have to say, at that exact moment, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that God knew EXACTLY where I was and that He was telling me He had this in control.

Now, not to overlook all the Veterans who have fought so bravely so that I could enjoy the freedoms we have in the United States, and to those who have paid the ultimate price, I deeply thank them, not only on Veteran's Day, but every day.  But since November 10, 1988, this is how I remember Veteran's Day.

Have you had a defining moment in your life?  A moment where you knew, even though things were out of your control, there was someone in whose hands you could trust them?

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