There it was, a Popeye’s Restaurant. I pulled into the drive-through, gave my order and drove up to the service window. I placed my car in park and reached for my wallet when suddenly there was a loud crashing sound. In the instant that I I looked up I saw that a motorcycle had plowed into an SUV and the motorcyclist was flying up into the air high above the scene. The person in flashy motorcycle uniform and full helmet seemed to float as he/she made a complete flip in the air and came down hard on the asphalt.
I looked at the girl at the service window and yelled, “Call 911!” I ran to where
the victim was lying face down on the ground, not moving. It was a young man, probably in his early twenties. Several of his friends were standing around just staring, their fine, brightly colored motorcycles parked where they had left them in the street.
After perhaps two minutes the guy began to stir and I and another man
held him down. His right arm was obviously broken and likely his hip. He had blood on his left hand but I couldn’t see where it came from. We kept him on the ground until the ambulance came.
When he came around, he asked me, “What happened?” I told him there had been an accident. “What’s your name?, I asked. “Danny,’ he said. “Oh, I’m
messed up! he whispered. (He actually used a more graphic phrase.)
“You’re going to be O.K. I said. I’m a priest and I’m with you and praying for you.
We kept him flat on the ground until the paramedics came. I guess it was five minutes or so after the accident when they arrived..
I told this story to a priest friend of mine and he asked me: “What kicked in first, your role as priest or medical person?” I answered, “Medical person.” But, when I though about it later I realized that my response was just me, priest and medical person and concerned citizen and Christian.
I’ve always thought that the priesthood is all about healing so maybe I don’t have a division in my person where I act as a priest or a provider. I’m me and I help. I think I’m a better priest, though, than I am a medic. I can tell you, it is very humbling to be at the side of someone who may be dying.
What would you do? Now, when I look deeper into this situation, the question comes, “Why was I there at all?” Surely it was the Lord’s guidance and providence that moved me to be where I was and to help as I could.
I haven’t been able to find out anything more about Danny but I trust he is O.K. and will survive this accident, messed up or not –one of God’s children who simply loves motorcycles.
Talk about “Days of hope and resurrection!”