My indomitable dad

It was Tuesday, May 26, 2020. Clayton and I had plans to babysit our toddler nephew Archer while his parents went to the gender reveal ultrasound of their next baby.

As we were getting ready to go, I got a text from my sister Melanie, informing me that our dad had been in an accident earlier that day and that our brother Graig, his wife, and a close friend were missing. (They went camping for Memorial Day weekend and weren't answering their phones for a while. Within hours, we figured out they weren't actually missing and everything was okay.)

It was a shock. Initially, I was more worried about Graig. I knew my mom and Aunt Connie were with my dad in the hospital, and that was a big comfort. I felt peace and knew he would be okay.

Looking back, maybe that's why I was surprised when he ended up losing his left leg. When I received the impression that everything would be okay, I think I assumed that life would go back to exactly the way it was before.

I knew from the text updates I was getting from Aunt Connie that Dad's accident was serious. In that initial emergency surgery, he lost all the blood in his body at least twice. But I didn't really understand how serious his injuries really were until I saw him on the hospital grounds.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, he was only allowed two visitors (who were Mom and Aunt Connie), so we didn't get to see him for weeks. Because we didn't get to see him for a while, I was somewhat insulated from the severity of his pain and the challenges he faced while recovering (like MRSA). It enabled me to pretend that he wasn't as badly hurt as he was.

When I finally did see him on June 12, I was a little shocked at how pale and thin he looked. His skin was tissue paper soft.

Still, I held out hope that Dad would make a complete recovery. He was my dad, after all. Invincible. Indomitable.

It was another shock when my mom called later that day to say she and Dad were seriously considering amputation. Clayton and I were on our way to a peaceful, remote reservoir for an overnight camping trip. My first reaction was, "What? But everything was supposed to be okay!"

My next thoughts were, "Mom says she and Dad have prayed about this and they feel it's the right decision. I trust them. I'll support them."

As I had those thoughts that night in the campground, I again felt peace wash over me. And I realized that even though our lives--especially my parents'--weren't ever going to be the same as before Dad's accident, everything would still be okay.

My dad may not be invincible physically. But he is indomitable. His reaction to becoming an amputee, and his frank forgiveness of the driver who hit him, continue to amaze and inspire me. And I'm not alone; I'm positive that he inspires many other people too. As does my mom, who has shown incredible faith and resilience throughout this entire trial. I'm a lucky daughter.