52 ~ 2:00 AM Phone Call

By Kay Heitsch

When I answered the phone in the middle of the night, I was half asleep. I could hear someone sobbing on the other end of the line.

It took a few minutes for me to understand what was being said. But eventually the caller calmed down enough to talk.

Through sobs, I learned that someone at the hospital had given the caller my name. I suppose she looked up my number in the phone book.

Now this distraught mother shared why she was calling. She explained that she had been mowing the lawn with a tractor while holding her little boy. Somehow, he slipped off her lap, and she ran over him. Her precious son was dead.

Oh my God, help me! I didn't know what to say. This must be a nightmare. But I knew it wasn't.

During our conversation, I learned there was another child in the family. There was a little girl. Now I was told the day and time when this precious child's funeral would be. I knew I should attend.

Out of the blue, right before I went to the funeral, I thought I should stop by K-Mart and buy a stuffed animal. I bought a gift bag with tissue paper and put the toy inside.

When I walked into the funeral home, I spotted this little girl. I walked over and handed her the bag. Her sweet eyes lit up. It wasn't much, but I believe this little gift helped in some way.

This was a horrible tragedy, but once again, God gave me an idea of how to show His love and to also bring something good out of Todd's death.