Another Sad Day

Last Saturday morning as Raye and I were still lounging around, my cell phone rang. My friend Jeff called to let us know that some friends of ours were traveling to St George, when a truck heading north on I-15 suddenly lost control and crossed the median striking their van. Nyal, the father, did not survive. We were heartbroken to hear the news. Our thoughts were turned to Katie and the boys. It is so, so painful to go through such a thing, and yet, there comes with this, the sweet reassurance that "all is well". Nyal will be missed by all who knew him, and he will be able to touch many who will come to know him through his surviving family.

I wanted desperately to be at the viewing and funeral and tell Katie personally how I felt, but I had a committment in Denver that simply could not be rescheduled. Raye was able to attend both and spoke with her. We know some of what she will now face and hope we will be able to support her through this. Grieving is such a loney and isolating road. For us, the journey was made easier by so many good friends who showed up at just the right moment or said the right thing, or simply put an arm around us when we most needed it. I know Katie will have this too.

As for Nyal, he was a good man. I often heard him bear his testimony and was always touched by his sincerity and the spirit which accompanied it. I have been to scout camp and other outings and watched him in amazement. He was the outdoorsman, I never was, but wished I could be. He talked often of his time in Croatia as a missionary and I reminded him that during my time, Yugoslavia was part of the Vienna Austria mission which I served in. I often joked that we served in the same mission. I have been in leadership meetings with him and was always impressed with how he conducted himself and carried out his duties. Vocationally, Nyal was an attorney, and after working as a prosecutor, recently worked as a criminal defense lawyer. I was always intersted in his work and had read an article about a difficult case he had. This case surrounded a fatal car accident involving a teenage boy and his mother and a toddler. I asked him often about this case and though he could never disclose the details that were not public, the conversations always left me with an impression of the level of compassion he personally felt for those involved. It truly was a sad case.

And now, his own demise comes at the hand of a teenage driver. I know Nyal would want us to include this young man in our thoughts and prayers as well. That was just the kind of man he was.