Editorial: Tragedy and a Moment of Unity
It happened so fast. He did everything in his power to save the ball from going out of bounds, and suddenly – WHACK – he was knocked out cold. What started as a normal night of 3v3 basketball turned into our worst nightmare.
When you receive first aid training of any level, you get it hoping you never need to use it. You prevent injury wherever possible, but you also know what to do if tragedy should strike. When someone’s life is on the line, all you can do is pray and trust your training.
Knowledgeable people sprang into action right away. Somebody stabilized his neck and cradled his head with towels. Another kept talking to him to make sure he stayed awake. Yet another person immediately called 911, and someone else prayed over him (though we were all praying). Several people volunteered to watch the building entrances. Much faster than I would have expected, the paramedics arrived, and our now-conscious friend was on his way to the people who could help him.
After the EMTs wheeled him away, we gathered in the middle of the gym to pray. Grasping hands, we all interceded for our brother while several people voiced petitions aloud. What a blessing to be part of a community that believes in the power of prayer!
While we weren’t sure if we should proceed with the rest of the games that night, we did, anyway – we needed a degree of normalcy in the wake of what we witnessed. With undertones of anxiety but hearts still praying and believing for healing, we played basketball.
That night, we saw how amazing it is to be a community united by prayer in an age of division. (Oh, that it didn’t take a tragedy for that to happen!) We saw how faithful the Lord is to His promise to be among His gathered people. What could have been a very serious and life-threatening (or at least life-altering) injury turned out to be quite mild: stitches and a concussion. He was going to class again the day after it happened: anyone who witnessed this injury believes we witnessed a miracle.
Being an athlete, and just living life, comes with a certain amount of risk. We always hope and pray for everyone’s safety, but we’ve all gained perspective on the fragility of life. Just as much, we’ve gained an appreciation for the unmerited goodness of God. May the same Lord who is before all things and in whom all things hold together continue to bolster His body against the forces of evil and the issues that divide us.
This article is by Julia Hotchkiss, Alumni Office Student Worker.
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