A Place to Share
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A Place to Share |
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Ted Dhooge (Santa)
In December of 1996 I was dressed up as Santa (as I have done for over 20 years). I was climbing aboard a Helicopter to visit 200 under privileged kids at the other end of the field. Climb out was uneventful, after one pass waving at the kids below, fate twisted it's ugly head. The aircraft experienced a malfunction and the pilot lost control of the helicopter. The helicopter crashed to the ground, the rotor caught, the next thing I remember was a rapid spin as we flipped over and twisted. As I realized I was alive I felt pain everywhere which I felt was a good sign. Then I detected the odor of gas, the horror cannot be explained. I then realized a fire had erupted and I was trapped. The pilot reached through the hole in the bubble, released me and I dropped. I was on fire and badly injured. I somehow escaped in the nick of time. Upon exiting, the helicopter exploded. I instinctively rolled and extinguished the fire (all that drop and roll training I received as a child in school). I was burnt twisted and broken, but alive. The healing took over a year and was very painful, but today through a miracle I'm better and moving on with my life. They just did a special on me "The Survivors Series" people who survive near death experiences. It really mad me aware of how lucky I was and how I came back 100%, and that miracles do happen. Have faith in God and in yourself, from all happenings comes strength.
poobird@aol.com