close to home

Friends of my parents, and really of my family, are in trouble. It's not really even trouble so much as a really rather bizarre and tragic situation, because the man, husband, father, friend of my parents is missing--for nearly five days. These two news stories do more justice than my retelling can do.
I don't understand how or why things happen to certain people (and not to others). But at this moment, these brothers and sisters in Christ could really use prayer.

So, as you talk to God about things, please remember them and cry out for mercy with them and for them.
It's hard not to imagine the worst and that does make this outcome rather grim. Yet I know, our God can do exceedingly more than we ask or imagine, so, I do live in hope of God's best.

Thanks, friends.

UPDATES 090808

These emails were posted today from the family (please keep talking to God about this family):

After hours of waiting by the phone and making calls to the King County Sheriff, the Seattle Police, and Missing Persons, at 1 AM I received a phone call from a Shoreline Fire Dept. chaplain who was sent to our house by the King County Sheriff. He was already parked outside my house when he called to see if he could come in and talk to us.

He was called by the Supervising Sergeant of the Seattle Police Dept. to tell us what was going on. Basically, my dad's car is so far down a very steep and dangerous ravine that recovery could not begin until daylight. They were worried about the car slipping farther down the ravine, safety of recovery staff, etc. The area was cordoned off and two police officers were going to stay at the site all night until recovery would begin. The chaplain was very kind and explained more to us and told me that the Medical Examiner Investigator wanted me to call him as soon as I could. The chaplain dialed the number and I spoke at length (about 45 minutes) with the ME. He actually went down the ravine in the dark, touched my father's car, and was able to tell me the man in the car fit my dad's description. As I am a detail person, he answered a ton of my questions. I appreciated him and all the information he gave me.

Recovery began this morning at 8 AM. A crane will probably be needed to retrieve him and the car, they may be using other means of stabilizing the scene.

My father and the car are 100 feet from the road and 70 feet down the cliff. The area he went off the road is directly in Discovery Park where nobody would have heard or seen a thing unless they witnessed the accident. The ME states that it is amazing that anybody at all found him. We praise God that He allowed somebody to see him; this is what we've been asking for for the past 16 days.

An autopsy will most likely be done, per the ME, and we will be given a full report. I wanted to be there this morning but the ME told me that the media will eat me up alive. We are still toying with going to the site.

The Chaplain left our home at 2 AM. Our kids finally went to bed and then I called my sister and gave her the details.

My sister spent the night at mom's house and was able to give her just a bit of information this morning; all that she could handle. Please pray for my mom. Please pray for all of us; the days ahead are going to be difficult.

Praise God with us that my dad has been found and that he is in the arms of his heavenly father.


Dear Family and Friends,

My family of five went to the accident site and just returned home. I'm thankful that we did that. My kids have experienced more than I ever thought they would at this age. I'm grateful for the support we have been given, and I speak not just of my family, but of my sister's family, and my dear mother.

By the time we arrived, my father's body was already in the Medical Examiner's vehicle. The car was still in the very deep and steep ravine. We stood on the ground where he went over the edge. It was cabled up and lifted so that my father could be removed from it. We watched the long and tedious process of getting the car up the ravine, picking up all the pieces, and then hauling it away.

There were many Seattle Fire Trucks/personnel, Seattle Police, Seattle Police Volunteer Chaplain, and the Medical Examiners. Media was also there. Most of the firemen and policemen had been there overnight protecting the scene.

I don't know what all to say to you . . . it has been another overwhelming day. Closure for my family. I will share the photos, the many photos, I took of the scene with my sister and possibly my mother so they can find some sense of closure as well as it is entirely possibly, per the ME today, that we may not be able to see him again.

We pray that my father was gone, resting in the arms of his heavenly father, before he went over the embankment. If he wasn't, he must have been scared. This grieves my heart to no end.

The medical examiner will be calling me in a couple of hours to give me an initial report. My father's body will most likely be examined tomorrow morning.

I gave a statement to the media when all recovery personnel were gone. It took a couple of attempts because the tears came flooding and I couldn't talk. I thanked the Seattle Police, the Seattle Fire Department, the community, Missing Persons, etc. etc. etc. As I was still in the process of thanking I broke down again . . . I regret and am so sorry that I couldn't stop crying anymore so didn't get to mention our incredible church family and friends, and our relatives all over the states. All of you are so loved, so appreciated, so treasured . . . . you are our gifts from God. How in the world could we have gone through these last 17 days without you? Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.

We covet your continued prayers . . . this is going to be a rough week. We are already exhausted, drained.

We miss our husband, our father, and our grandfather dearly.