DailySusan Humor Blog

RETURNING THE CALL

(T)hat their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ. . . .
-- Colossians 2:2

He’s just out of college, eager to join the adult world . . . but his baby sister was killed in a car crash a few days ago.

What’s cruelest is the timing: right before his wedding, right before his graduation from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with highest distinction, and right before Mother’s Day.

But Ryan Wilkins received a message the other night, one he shared at his sister’s funeral in a riveting account of the joy that often bubbles up like a well from the desert of unbearable grief.

Our community has been rocked by the deaths of Ryan’s sister Kayla, and her friend Nick Alfrey, both 15. They were tip-top students, talented singers, heavily involved in our high school, and beloved among their peers. Outpourings of sympathy have been flowing toward their families in acts of kindness, prayer services, candlelight vigils and two beautiful but sorrowful funerals.

Our community also is strongly supporting their 16-year-old friend Cori, who was driving, and, thank God, escaped serious injury. She and Kayla were cheerleaders and very close friends.

Kayla’s big brother, Ryan, is a young man with poise and purpose. He finished a term this spring as UNL’s student body president. He’s noted as a strong Christian with a great sense of humor. Kayla was to be a bridesmaid in his upcoming wedding. They had a sweet relationship, with lots of teasing, antics and love between them.

Then came the crash. Her shattered body was life-flighted to a trauma center. She clung to life, unresponsive, unable to talk or squeeze anybody’s hand. Family and friends held a vigil, praying for her, holding her, singing to her. But she died.

The big brother’s heart was broken. Kayla! Oh, Kayla! Questions swirled:

Did she know how much he loved her?

What would she have said to him, if she could, before she died?

Oh, God, is she in heaven? Let me have a sign!

Late that evening, Ryan, his fiancee and best friend went to the crash site. It’s the intersection of a sleepy side street and a fast-moving highway. There should have been a stoplight there years ago; everybody said so.

Already there in the gulley were memorials: white crosses, flowers and mementoes.

They got out. It was pitch black. Ryan moved about, choked up, alone in a raging storm of thoughts and prayers. He crouched down to write a note on Kayla’s cross.

All of a sudden, a cell phone rang.

It rang several times, then quit. A few seconds later, it rang again.

They had a flashlight in the car. They began searching through the tall grass and debris. Where was that phone? It would ring, but just when they were close enough to find it, it would quit.

Finally, it rang again, under an inch or two of leaves at Ryan’s feet. He picked it up.

It was Kayla’s. There was her name.

There were over a dozen messages on it from her friends, expressing their grief, saying they just wanted to hear her voice, one more time, on the outgoing message.

A wave of emotion washed over Ryan. Their parents had given Kayla that phone for her 15th birthday. It was his job to come up with a fun way to present it to her.

So he had set up a scavenger hunt. He hid it, then called it from the house phone while Kayla searched like wild. If she came close, he’d hang up so it’d stop ringing. If she wandered away, he’d call again. Finally, they connected, and she got that first call -- from Ryan.

Now he’d made a different kind of call: for assurance . . . for peace.

There was no doubt in his mind Who made sure his call was returned that night, in the darkness and sorrow and doubt and pain.

Ryan got the message:

His baby sister Kayla is A-OK.

--------------------------

Prayer request: An elderly mother in a distant state has had a health setback; her daughter asks for the situation to be resolved quickly and smoothly. Another elderly woman, who has Alzheimer’s, is gravely ill and hospitalized on the eve of her granddaughter’s wedding; the family asks for comfort and peace. (Matthew 6:8)