Isabel

From: Amber (heart.in.ashes@hotmail.com)
Story type: Angel
Location: Rapid City, SD, USA
Source: Form Submission

This year, 2006, has been absolutely horrific for me, but hardly anything was quite as shocking as when I met my angel. This story occurred shortly after I turned seventeen.

On October second of 2006, at around eight 'o clock at night, I had decided to take my new car and drive to Wal-Mart. A friend's birthday had come and passed, so I had decided to get a birthday card for her. I drove quite successfully there, got the card, and wandered around the store for about perhaps a half hour. Then, without any hesitation, I left to return home.

Shortly on my drive home, my car began acting weird. At first, it felt like something was being dragged underneath. Then, as I continued driving, I noticed the power of my engine was slowly dying. I could literally press the gas pedal all the way to the floor and only be going twenty miles an hour. I became increasingly concerned because I was in the middle of a four-way at this point.

I managed, though, to drift my car into the deserted turning lane (out of the flow of traffic) and park. Being rather curious, I got out and checked underneath my car. Nothing seemed to be wrong. The tires appeared fine. I continued to do so for about five minutes until I was absolutely sure I could see nothing. Then remembering that a laundrymat was about a block away and that it had a telephone I could use, I grabbed my money and secured my car while keeping its lights on so people could see it in the dark.

The last thing I remember is walking up a slight hill and noticing a man on a bike staring at the scene.

At about eight-thirty or nine o' clock, I was hit by a car. I had been crossing the street when I wasn't supposed to while a girl around my age raced the light in order to make it before it was red. I was sent home that night.

Once at home, my mother asked me if I remembered anything from the accident. Instinctively, I replied with a no -- I couldn't remember anything before being on the stretcher. After a moment, though, I realized that hadn't been true. A memory instantly came back to me. I'd been lying on the ground just before anybody had arrived at the scene and opened my eyes. Right at my side was a woman who glowed a golden light. I felt like I'd been trapped inside of my body and the words exchanged between us were muffled like I'd been underwater, but I remembered this woman and partially of what was said. She had this presence, like a mother who looked at her child with complete and unconditional love. Before I passed out, I remember telling her that she was pretty. The name that came to my mind was Isabel, which means God is my oath.

I was born a Christian, but I'd lost faith over the years. It felt like everything had been taken away from me -- my dignity, my father, my self-esteem. Isabel was my miracle. My mother and I believe she was my guardian angel, that she took most of the hit for me. In the past two months, I've heard of around eight car-pedestrian related accidents. Most are in ICU while some of them didn't make it. All of them have had serious injuries. I walked away with a concussion, a stretched ligament, and some scrapes and bruises. I could not even find a drop of blood on my body.

I don't understand why God wants me here. In the accident report, I was found on my side and I wasn't breathing. I've lead a hard life. Yet, something is keeping me here. I should have died, but I didn't. When I think about it, I'm rather grateful for that, and I'd really like to see Isabel again, if just under less dramatic circumstances.