Recently, I was asked to speak to a group of students from a church in a neighboring community. When I received the invitation, it didn’t take me long to know what I wanted to share about: The miracles I experienced on August 1, 2014. It’s been a few years since then, but surprisingly not a day goes by that I don’t think about what occurred that summer afternoon. The circumstances forever changed me and I’m not referring to the scars on my leg. My entire outlook on life was altered after that day and I will never be the same.
Up to that point I was learning to take one day at a time as we had two of our three children living with Cystic Fibrosis. But even so, I figured it would be the disease that ultimately ended their life somehow. After their diagnosis I never even considered anything else.
But then August 1, 2014 happened. My youngest son and I were involved in a traumatic accident involving eight people that left a van driver deceased and five others injured- some serious. It all happened so fast.
Dan Imming, a volunteer staff member of the Pine Butte Guest Ranch was our van driver for the day taking a group of us vacationers on a fun outing. Suddenly and without warning he died at the wheel. His heart just stopped, leaving us to veer off the road and tumble down a ravine landing upside down in a creek. One minute we were seven passengers being driven by a friendly man, traveling unsuspectingly down a Montana gravel road. And the next, I found myself helping to pull people from an overturned vehicle through muddy water. One minute I was sitting next to my 7 year old son, looking at pictures on my phone. And moments later I was wet, bloody, running for help.
These experiences are forever ingrained in me and I think about them several times a day even still. But I’m not scared, traumatized or upset. In fact, it’s just the opposite. God did many miracles that day and I am actually grateful. Here are eight of them.
The first miracle is that Anders and I were physically unharmed.
Anders, the day before the crash.
At the time of the crash, we were not wearing seatbelts. It’s difficult for me to admit this and I’ve wrestled with tremendous guilt for a long time. Call it vacation mode- or being naive to think that nothing could happen to us in the middle of nowhere. We were traveling in a Sprinter van- like what Fed-Ex uses and similar to an airport shuttle. I never even thought about buckling us up. Studies showed that there was no attempt by the driver to decelerate at the time of the accident. With the speed the van was going, and the way we rolled, Anders and I could have easily been thrown from the vehicle- especially Anders who was sitting next to the busted out window on the same side we rolled. Everyone around us was seriously cut, broken and more. But Anders and I were left practically untouched with only a few minor cuts, a bloody nose and some bruises. I truly believe that an angel softened our fall. (My injuries actually occurred after the accident as I climbed up and down the ravine and when I ran for help, barefoot on the gravel road.)
The second miracle is that my son and I were able to remain calm. God allowed me to keep a level head and an ability to focus throughout the entire event. (I never actually panicked until later that evening.) Anders showed incredible composure too. I’m not sure I could have done what was necessary if my son had been hysterical. He did exactly what I told him to do, watching for cars along the side of the road when I ran for help. During this time, no one comforted my little boy- the other passengers were all rightfully absorbed in their injuries. But later it was Anders who offered them reassurance by handing out breath mints from his pocket. I am so proud of him!
Third, God gave me incredible strength to assist people and run for help. I am not a physically strong person and I hadn’t run in weeks. But He allowed me to endure at least 45 minutes of non-stop exertion, helping passengers from the wreckage and running a mile without shoes as I sought aide from a nearby ranch.
The fourth miracle is that the family who lived at the closest nearby ranch just so happened to all be at home. They had plans to attend a rodeo in Bozeman that day and if the accident had occurred just an hour later, no one would have been there. When I arrived at their house, they were relaxing inside and readily available to help us at the scene. Praise God for this family!
Their 14 year old son Garrett Yeager was the first to give aide. When he first saw me running and screaming, he instinctively hopped on his four-wheeler and met me at their driveway. He quickly brought me to their house and then got me a phone so I could call 9-1-1. His father Lane then raced to the scene and tended to Dan, our driver. Garrett's mother Bev and sisters drove me back to the crash sight and soon brought Anders to their home and cleaned up his wounds. They returned with shoes for me, blankets, water and further assistance. They were absolute angels on earth and I will never forget their kindness.
The fifth miracle is that my lost shoes were both recovered. They had been blown off from the impact and I was barefoot during the rescue. But just before emergency personnel arrived I rummaged through the muddy creek searching for various belongings and spotted one of my black shoes on the other side of the bank. I went for it instinctively and kept it with me as I was soon taken to the hospital by ambulance. A few hours later when my husband arrived at the Emergency Room he spotted my lone shoe and seeing only one, he decided to toss it. When I learned this, I was upset because having that shoe was somehow important- a trophy almost. I was tempted to climb out of my hospital bed and go dumpster diving but Nathan convinced me this wasn’t wise. The next morning however, with Anders and I safe and sound at the ranch, a staff person arrived. He had just come from the junk yard where the van had been towed and had searched the wreckage for any lost belongings. In it he found my other shoe. I was overjoyed!
To this day, I can’t fully explain why it means so much to have that shoe but when I see it I think about everything Anders and I went through and automatically thank God. To me it’s an important reminder of survival and His mercy. I bring it along whenever I’m asked to speak.
Another miracle took place in the Emergency Room. As I was waiting for X-rays, a hospital chaplain was invited to wait with me. I was alone and worried and the realization of what had happened was quickly settling in. I shared with him bits and pieces of the accident through sobs and he gently listened. Then the pastor asked if he could read scripture to me. I nodded yes. He opened his Bible to the book of Isaiah chapter 43 and began.
"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you, I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And when you pass through the rivers they will not sweep over you..."
I don't believe the pastor knew all of the circumstances surrounding the crash- that our van ended up in a creek and that just hours earlier I had been wading and even swimming through muddy waters searching for people. It was so terrifying! But these words were proof and comfort to me that God saw. He knew me personally, was there with us and indeed never let the waters sweep over me. Tears streamed down my face and peace flooded my heart as I lay in that hospital bed. I later wrote a thank you note to the hospital chaplain expressing what his presence meant to me.
The seventh miracle demonstrates true, divine intervention: an unplanned meeting between our family and the van driver’s wife in Hawaii. Just two months after the accident, Make-A-Wish took our entire family on a surprise trip to the island of Oahu. They chose the dates and planned the itinerary for us. Up until 36 hours before the vacation, all we had to go on was the flight information. It was so exciting! Upon arrival, Nathan updated his status on Facebook sharing the news and location of our trip. That's when Dan’s wife Susan saw it. After the van accident, Susan and I became friends. In an attempt to find closure and offer comfort to her, I researched the possibility of attending Dan’s funeral in his home state of Colorado but ultimately I couldn’t justify the time away and money spent.
Susan messaged me immediately after learning of our incredible trip to Hawaii. She wrote, “You’ll never believe this but I’m packing my bags right now for a planned trip to Oahu in less than 24 hours! Would you like to meet me?” And two days later our family was having lunch with her on Waikiki Beach. God allowed my desire to see her come to fruition- and in Hawaii of all places! It was an incredibly meaningful, and healing time for us all.
Our New Friend
The eighth and probably most important miracle of all was discovering how truly precious life is. I actually feel blessed that I went through this experience, seeing firsthand how fleeting our time on earth is. It has changed my entire perspective and everything I do has more meaning and purpose. The idea that we never know when our time will be up drives me to make the most of what we're given. I never want to let a day go by without making things right with people.
Leanne and Anders
Obviously I would never ask to go through this tragic experience- especially with my young son. However God has taken something difficult and used it for good in my life. Not a day goes by that I don’t look at my boy and praise God I can still hold him in my arms. I feel this way about all of my children!
When I say good bye to a friend or family member, I also pray for their safety and protection and thank God He put them in my life. I view the colors in our world so much brighter now. It’s as if I’ve been given a second chance and I want to live my life to it's fullest potential.
August 1, 2014 gave me eight miracles and so much more.