Some of you old timers will remember John Tucker and most of the newer people won’t.
He was a staff reporter for Ido for many years. He shared a story and with his permission, is posted below.
The first thing that came to my little mind is WOW, how many souls has he touched since 1974 and I wonder how many peoples lives would be changed had he not made it past April 20th?
“On this date, 4/20/1974, I was a 14 year old teen with a full life ahead of me. I was athletic, fit, and had dreams of being a modern day mountain man and maybe a cross country runner. In one moment, my dreams, my innocent exuberance, and my outlook on life would forever change.
I was the victim of a terrible hunting accident, in which I took a shotgun blast from close range through the thigh. I had just learned in school that a person has 6 minutes to live with a severed femoral artery. Blood was pouring, my friend ran for help, and I laid down to pray for the Lord to receive me to Heaven.
But God had other plans. Doctors told my parents that I had received a miracle. My femoral vein was severed, my femoral nerve was damaged, my hamstring was severed, but “somehow” my femoral artery was intact, but inexplicably pinched shut from the surrounding tissue damage and only allowing a tiny bit of blood to pass through. The difference between life and death.
I faced death head on that day, and it forever changed my outlook on life at that tender age. I recovered and with extensive therapy and hard work, was walking well in a bit over two months. Nerve damage and major scarring were the only physical ramifications of the ordeal.
I thank God often still that he worked a miracle that day. 44 years later, I still marvel at God’s grace and love.” ~John Tucker
That was the first of John’s close calls.
