OUr INspiration

Many years ago, shortly after our special needs son was born, we were despondent but I picked up a hitchhiker (which I had never done before) while I was driving to work, and saying the rosary,  This other-wordly hitchhiker comforted me, foretold the future,  and inspired mes.  We believe now it was my Guardian Angel messaging to us that everything would be ok.  And he was right!

Here is the story as published in The Word Among Us in 2022.

An Angel Among Us 

A Mysterious Traveler and His Message of Hope 

In 1987, my wife, and I had everything we ever wanted: a wonderful marriage, a healthy young son, another child on the way, and fulfilling, successful careers. We were blessed and we knew it. 

But then something happened that changed everything. On June 9 of that year, our Andrew was born. He was a beautiful child with blond hair, a round little face, and bright blue eyes. But he also struggled from his first day. He had difficulty breathing, so he was moved into a special care nursery. Over the next few hours, our exhilaration turned into concern, followed by fear, and finally devastation. 

Andrew was diagnosed with a heart defect, but that was just the start. Doctors later found two more defects in his heart. They also diagnosed him with Down Syndrome. We were worried that he wouldn’t last long, so we had him baptized in the hospital. We prayed for the strength to endure whatever lay ahead. 

A Mysterious Passenger. 

On my first day back to work, I prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary as I drove to the office. On the way, I passed a clean-cut young man hitchhiking. He held a sign that said “Saulte Ste. Marie.” That seemed strange since he was on an east-west highway about 350 miles south of Saulte Ste. Marie, Michigan. There was no way he could get there. I had never picked anyone up before, but I felt drawn to give him a ride. So, I pulled over. 

As he put his backpack and sign in the back seat, he told me that he was on his way to meet his father for some fishing in Sault Ste. Marie.. What began as a vague sense grew into amazement. We had named our son after St. Andrew, the patron saint of fishermen. I recognized that Sault Ste. Marie was named for the Virgin Mary, and I had been praying the Rosary. I wondered if this man was somehow a sign from God. 

My passenger said he noticed I seemed upset. I told him that about Andrew and that he had been born with a heart defect known as VSD (for Ventricular Septal Defect). The man told me that he was born with the exact same condition, but that he had been cured and was able to lead an active life. He assured me that my son would be fine. He also said that he and his father would pray for us. 

I was so immersed in the conversation that I didn’t even care that I had missed my exit. After about thirty minutes, I pulled over to let him out. He thanked me and assured me again of his prayers. As I drove away, I saw that he no longer carried either his destination sign or his backpack—and they were no longer in my car. When I told My wife about it later, she too wondered if my hitchhiker’s message was a sign from God. 

A Dramatic Turnaround. 

Andrew was discharged from the hospital after a month, and we adapted to the reality of having him home. That involved feeding him through a tube, watching him sleep all the time, keeping our ears open for his heart monitor, and warning visitors not to touch him as even a simple virus could be fatal. 

One day, a few months later, Andrew developed a high fever. We rushed him to the local hospital, which transferred him to a medical center forty-five minutes away. As I drove behind the ambulance, I passed the location where I picked up that hitchhiker. I 

wondered if the young man’s words of encouragement were just wishful thinking. 

At the medical center, Andrew was diagnosed with severe pneumonia. The doctors confidently told us they were going to treat him so they could perform open heart surgery a few weeks later—something his initial doctor was reluctant to try. 

When we brought Andrew back for surgery, My wife held him for what we feared might be the last time. But as the anesthesia took effect, Andrew opened his eyes, and he looked very different. His eyes were vibrant and alive; they glowed an electric blue. I had seen eyes like that only once before, on the only hitchhiker I have ever picked up. Then Andrew smiled at me. He looked so peaceful as he went to sleep. 

The surgery was a complete success. In fact, it had gone better than anyone could have imagined. Andrew progressed rapidly, and when he came home: he was considerably more alert. , For the first time, he began to visually explore his surroundings. He grew and developed like any other child, albeit more slowly and with all the characteristic traits of a person with Down Syndrome. My wife and I were so grateful to God for caring for our son. 

An Angel in Our Midst. 

Andrew is now thirty-four years old and lives with My wife and me. He brightens every day with his smile and unconditional love. He has an innocence that we know he will never lose. He lacks the ability or the will to hurt anyone. We are constantly challenged by the demands of his disability, but we receive much more from him than we give. 

For instance, Andrew has inspired me over and over to be active in helping people with special needs. I coached Special Olympics for a time. I started a special-needs children’s group at work. I have served on the boards of several non-profits focused on persons with disabilities, and I help provide leadership for disability inclusion in the Church. Over the last few years I have been setting up training academies throughout the world for people with disabilities to secure life-changing jobs. 

We have learned far more from Andrew than we could ever teach. We learned humility and hard work. We learned that the journey is more important than the destination. Our faith has grown exponentially, and our marriage is stronger. We are more acutely aware of what is most important in life. We understand unconditional love because we get to experience it every day. We have come to understand Jesus’ words at a much deeper level, especially his call to love as he loves. Our experiences taught us that we are never alone—God is with us at every step, especially in the most trying times of our lives. 

We will never forget that messenger who gave us hope at a time of hopelessness. I only hope I can someday meet him again and express our gratitude.