Joe Grefenstette
Joe Grefenstette's Story
Collision on the Slopes
My first thought was, "oh my gosh, I'm gonna hit that pole". I didn't really have much time to think anything else as I flew out of control down the hill.
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I was on my way to Blueknob PA with my friend Dean and his church group. It was a weekend ski retreat and I couldn't wait to hit the slopes. Having been a Christian for a number of years, I was looking forward to some time away and hopefully hearing from God.
I remember praying and asking God to "show up" that weekend in a real way for me. Looking back, I had no idea what that would look like. All I knew was that I wanted to see God "in action".
We skied the first day and I had a great time. I was really feeling comfortable even though the conditions were very icy. The second day was when disaster struck.
We were heading down a blue square at full speed. I suddenly hit a patch of ice and lost my balance and control. I felt myself drifting to the left side of the trail. I looked up and realized that I was headed straight for a pole!
My first thought was, "oh my gosh, I'm gonna hit that pole". I didn't really have much time to think anything else as I flew out of control down the hill. I laid down and tried to dig in my skis to stop, but the whole trail was ice.
The worst part was knowing that I had absolutely no control over what was about to happen. I did everything I could think of to stop, but nothing helped.
Next thing I knew, WHAM! I hit the pole on my left hip. I struck it below the pad that was supposed to protect skiers. My feet were on one side and my head was on the other so my whole body wrenched around it. I was going fast enough that my skis flew off my feet.
I laid there for a few minutes trying to breathe. I thought I was paralized and I'd never be able to run or play soccer again. I was able to move my legs and arms, and a couple of ski patrolers checked me out.
I stood up and looked at the pole. It took a few seconds for it to all sink in. The ski patroler that saw me hit it said I was probably doing 30 mph! You don't hit a pole doing 30 mph and walk away! Had I hit the pole with my leg or ribs, they would have definitely broken. Had I hit my head or face, it would have probably been lights out. Because of where I hit it directly on my hip bone, nothing broke.
I was thankful to be alive let alone to be able to ski down the hill. After riding the lift back up, I realized that I had sever whiplash and my day of skiing was over.
I left the mountain and went back to our condo to relax and recover a bit. I called my Mom to let her know what had happend and that I was alright. Her first reaction was "No you didn't". After convincing her that I wasn't joking, she told me that she had woken up the night before in the middle of the night. She said that she felt like she was supposed to pray for my sister and I so she did for about a half hour. She didn't think anything else of it and went back to bed. It was then that I realized it was no accident that I hit the pole the way I had. I believe that God literally saved my life that day in Pennsylvania.
Some people might say that it was just coincidence. I might be led to agree with you if that were the only time I had seen a "supernatural" type of intervention in my life. Since that day, I have seen God work in my life in countless ways. I would love to share these with you sometime.
I believe God has a purpose for my life. Had it not been for Him keeping me alive that day so that I might fulfill my purpose, things might have turned out differently.