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Miracle Flight

January 15, 1988, there was a terrible car accident near Soda Springs, Idaho, in which a young girl was critically injured. It was determined that she needed to be life-flighted to the Primary Children’s Trauma Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Normally, a helicopter crew would be dispatched for this, but because of a driving snowstorm, the choppers were all grounded.

It was decided to send an air ambulance plane. Ward was dispatched to take the trauma transport team and bring the injured child to the hospital. They could not land the plane in Soda Springs as the runway was too short and did not have instrument approach. The closest equipped airport would be Pocatello, Idaho.

The ground ambulance crew could not get to Pocatello for at least three hours due to the blizzard conditions. The flying time was only 45 minutes for Ward. However, the doctor wanted the air trauma team on site ahead of the girl’s arrival, so they took off.

The flight was routine until they approached Pocatello airport. Landing conditions were made an absolute minimum by blowing snow and limited visibility. A Skywest commuter flight attempted to land just ahead of Ward but could not see the runway lights. They broke off the approach and circled around.

Ward came in to make his attempt, knowing that if they could not get in—what would become of the little girl. Ward said,

“I quickly said a silent prayer. I told Heavenly Father if He wanted us to pick up that little girl, I would need His help.”

Ward descended through the storm—no lights. Down further—no lights. At the last possible instant, he saw the lights—dim, but enough. He landed and offered a silent prayer of gratitude.

The Skywest flight came around again, and this time made a successful landing. Both aircraft taxied and parked. As soon as the commuter flight crew and passengers left, the airport closed down. To make matters worse, the Fixed Base Operator that would normally provide deicing service and a hangar to park the air ambulance, had also closed and gone home for the day. There was no way to shelter the aircraft and it was snowing even heavier.

Ward looked out the window of his now cold, dark plane and saw snow and ice accumulating on the wings of the commuter plane next to him. If there was any such on their aircraft, they could not take off. What would happen to the little girl if they were unable to make that flight? Ward prayed again “asking Heavenly Father for His help, if it was His will to get that child to the trauma center that evening.”

Finally, after about two hours, the ground ambulance arrived. Ward and his team shook off their blankets and made to receive the little girl. He describes what happened next,

“I opened the cabin door and stepped out onto the tarmac. The SkyWest airliner, the one that landed right after we did and was parked by us, was covered with snow, and icicles were starting to form on the leading and trailing edges of its wings. I turned around to see what condition our plane was in. Although I had tried to have faith and be optimistic, I am ashamed to say I was astounded by what I saw. Tears of gratitude welled up in my eyes as I walked around the airplane. It was totally clean and dry— absolutely no snow or ice anywhere on it and it looked as if it had just come out of a heated hangar.”

The flight back to Salt Lake City went well and the injured girl was delivered to the hospital. What happened to her? Ward never knew. He said:

“It was a very humble pilot, who bowed his head in gratitude that evening for the great blessings and miracles he had received.”

And one more thing that stands out about this remarkable story–something I had never thought of until Ward’s experience. Sometimes we do not fully comprehend the miraculousness of our miracles until later.

Ward explained:

“Now, 37 years later, the memories of that flight remain as vivid as ever and I have gained a new perspective on the events of that night. I have recently retired from a 49-year flying career—one that has taken me to all 50 states and more countries than I can count. I have been in similar circumstances many times, over the intervening years, and it is rare to get a second chance at an approach, and the snow and ice has never spontaneously gone away.

“I now appreciate the events of that night, even more today than I did back then…. Sometimes, people need to know that they are loved and that they matter. I have thought many times since, that like that little girl, we are unaware of all of the miracles that are taking place in our lives.”

All I can say is, Amen!

Source:

Ward Holbrook first-hand account in writer’s possession.