Today’s guest blogger is Mysterious Ways assistant editor Daniel Kessel.
Have a road trip planned this summer? Chances are you’ll bring your car to the mechanic for a tune-up, stock a cooler full of drinks and snacks, and create the perfect playlist to listen to as you cruise along the interstate. But what about those things you can’t prepare for–those unforeseen dangers on the road?
Fortunately, when problems arise, we often encounter a little roadside assistance in the most unexpected ways. Here are six amazing examples:
Help Is Already There
Two weeks ago, in White Plains, New York, a 69-year-old driver went into diabetic shock and ran off the road–right into the pumps at a gas station. Fire quickly engulfed both the vehicle and the unconscious driver within.
It only took seconds for someone to come to the rescue–New York State police officer John Vesico, who knew exactly how to respond and get the man out of harm’s way. John was off duty that morning, but happened to be filling up at the gas station–right at the pump where the accident occurred.
A Narrow Escape
A few weeks ago, Wayne George, a youth minister in Greensboro, North Carolina, was driving along a wooded area not far from home when he saw the branches of a tree up ahead whipping violently in the wind. He was just about to pass by when the entire tree uprooted, falling across the roadway. Wayne had no time to swerve out of the way.
The tree smashed through the passenger side of Wayne’s car–but missed Wayne in the driver’s seat by mere inches. “This is absolutely divine intervention,” Wayne told WGHP News. “I preach this story a lot. It’s good to be able to live it.”
A Well-Timed Warning
Nature-lover Dennis O’Keefe of San Diego, California, was hauling his camper trailer to the northern Sierras for a week in the wild when the “Check Engine” light on his dashboard turned on. He couldn’t understand it; he’d had the truck serviced just before he left.
As it turned out, there was a good reason that warning light went on–but it wasn’t anything wrong with his engine. It was a good piece of luck, though–or was it something more?
A Life-Saving Pit Stop
Angel Franks of Watkinsville, Georgia, knew her husband had one rule on family road trips: no pit stops, except in case of an absolute emergency. Certainly no snack breaks. So why, with less than an hour left in their journey, did he exit the highway and stop at a Hardee’s?
His craving for a hamburger might have saved their lives…
A Protective Dream
Terri Bradbury of Houghton, New York, woke up one night from a disturbing dream. She chalked it up to stress–until a week later. An eerie feeling overcame her as she drove along a rural route. Everything seemed so familiar, so vivid. The empty road. The truck in the distance, coming toward her. Her nightmare was becoming a reality…
Guidance to Their Destination
A sudden snowstorm put Ruth Shenck and her 75-year-old mother in danger as they drove from Frankfort, Indiana, to a Texas wedding. Ruth could barely make out the road. They desperately needed to stop, but where? The swirling snow parted for just a second to reveal a billboard on the side of the road, offering directions to a nearby hotel. When they arrived, however, the hotel desk manager told them something that left the two women absolutely stunned…
What about you–have you ever received “roadside assistance” from above? Send your story to us.
