(Immediately after the accident.)I think I knew in my heart that Maria was gone, but I was hoping that the LifeFlight team had been able to either resuscitate her or keep her breathing. I couldn’t comprehend what was happening. I kept trying to wake myself up.
They took us to a small room beyond the ER. The doctors who had worked on Maria were there, along with several nurses. They told us that while they had done everything they could, Maria had, in fact, passed away.
“No!” I screamed. I fought the nurses and doctors to get out of that room.
“No!”
They eventually walked us to the trauma room where they had worked on Maria. They had already disconnected most of the equipment that had been used to try to save her life. She was just lying there, like she was asleep. The only mark on her was a small abrasion on the side of her forehead.
Somehow in that unthinkable moment it became clear to Steven and me that we were standing at the very door of heaven, placing our little girl carefully in the arms of Jesus, desperately trusting that she would be safe there until we could come and join her.
Steven and I bent over and kissed Maria’s forehead. My hand shook uncontrollably as I stroked her face and tucked her hair back behind her ear one last time. Then we walked out to meet our friends and begin our long journey of grieving and waiting until we would pass through heaven’s door ourselves.
Book details and sample chapters
UK paperback edition just published!
Price: £7.99
ISBN: 9780800719920
Available via all good bookshops, or on-line.
Mary Beth's blog
Information on 'Show Hope', the charity established by the Chapmans.
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