Why I believe in miracles

Sunday, April 28 isn't just another day anymore; it's become a day with significance because it's the day my sister should have died in a horrific car accident and didn't.

Last Sunday night, my sister Hannah, almost 18, was driving down the mountain (they live on a mountain) to meet a friend for a late dinner. No one's sure exactly what happened and Hannah doesn't remember much either, but the truck flipped several times and slammed into a tree on the driver's side. She was near the bottom of the mountain that had some residential areas, so someone saw it happen, called 911 immediately, and ran to help her. For nearly an hour, she was upside down as the paramedics tried to get her out with the jaws of life, first through the passenger's side, then through the driver's side. When both were unsuccessful, they finally landed on pulling her out the back window, which somehow worked.

She shouldn't be alive.

In fact, the tow truck guy said that the only area that wasn't crushed in completely was exactly where she was sitting, which is a miracle when you look at that picture above. Here's a picture the tower took:

I still don't know how her head wasn't crushed.

If I saw that truck being towed down the road, I would have thought the driver was killed for sure, or at least paralyzed.

And here's the miracle: My sister left the hospital 36 hours after she was wheeled in. 

Yes, she has injuries. 

Yes, she's in pain. 

Yes, her recovery will be long and arduous. 

BUT. 

She's here. 

She didn't have to have surgery. 

She has all her limbs. 

She has full brain function. 

She should make a complete or near-complete recovery. 

Praise the good and gracious and powerful Lord Jesus!

For now, she's sporting an upper body brace that she has to wear all the time to help a compression fracture in her back heal. She's walking with a walker to help her fractured pelvis, cracked rib, and bruised lung heal. She's taking pain meds regularly to help her cope with all over pain from being flipped in a car and slammed into a tree, and to help her sleep.

She's also a picture of strength. She doesn't think it's true, but it is. I've known it forever, but she's showing it now in this difficult place, displaying her strong character, fighting for her own recovery, longing for others to have the spotlight instead of her, appreciating her moments afresh, and taking one day at a time, with a smile when she can. I'm so very proud of Hannah and am unspeakably grateful for the miracle of her life.