Good Samaritan Helps With a Flat Tire — Doing So Saved His Life
There was a time when people would not hesitate to help someone on the side of the road with a disabled vehicle. Times are changing, though, and most auto issues end with a call to AAA. When Victor Giesbrecht and his wife saw someone with a flat tire, When Victor Giesbrecht and his wife saw Good Samaritan Helps With a Flat Tire This simple act is likely why he survived the day.
Victor had no way of knowing who was in the disabled vehicle when he stopped. In fact, even after pulling away, he probably only knew this was one of the many people who can’t change a flat tire. It turned out one of the ladies he helped was exactly who he needed that day. Had events not transpired exactly as they did, the day could’ve had a very different outcome.
An Inspirational Story Started With a Flat Tire
Many of us resort to inspirational TED talks when we need uplifting, but this story starts with a simple flat tire. Sara Berg and Lisa Meier were on the side of a highway in western Wisconsin after experiencing a blowout one evening in 2011. Feeling certain that no one would stop, the duo had already reached out to Lisa’s husband.
Before Lisa’s husband could arrive to assist, though, 61-year-old Victor Giesbrecht pulled over to help. His wife Ann says Victor gives 100% to help others — at times even to his own detriment. Since he just so happened to be among the population of folks that can change a tire, though, he had Sara and Lisa back on the road just a short time later.
Right before the ladies pulled away, Victor told them, “Someone up above put me in the right place at the right time.” Many of the most inspirational Bible verses tell us just that. God puts us where he wants us when he wants us. Victor had no idea how right he was that day, however, until he experienced a heart attack just moments after driving away.
A Turn of Luck or Divine Intervention?
After watching Victor and Ann depart, Lisa and Sara pulled off a few seconds later. Before they even made it a quarter mile down the highway, though, they noticed the Giesbrecht vehicle pulled over. Sara passed the truck and pulled over herself, but almost immediately, she saw Ann trying to wave down passing motorists.
When Ann locked eyes with Sara, she screamed, “I think he’s having a heart attack!” Having someone there to help undoubtedly would’ve been better than sitting on the roadside alone. It seems miraculous intervention, though, works in much bigger ways. It just so happens that one of the women Victor stopped to help that day — Sara Berg — was a nursing assistant.
She quickly ran to Victor’s aid and discovered he had no pulse and was not breathing. As Sara began to administer chest compressions, Lisa quickly got on the phone with 911. Emergency personnel, deputies, and even Lisa’s husband arrived within minutes. The group did everything in its power to help Victor that day.
Its Own Little Miracle
The efforts of Sara, Lisa, and everyone else involved helped to save Victor’s life. The two ladies worried that assisting them may have led to Victor’s heart attack, but in reality, any physical exertion could’ve resulted in cardiac arrest. What really matters comes down to a single statistic: Less than 10% of people who have a heart attack outside of a hospital survive.
The simple fact is that Sara and Lisa were in the right place at the right time. Had Victor not stopped to help that day, there’s no telling where he would have had a heart attack. Even scarier, though, is that there’s no telling if anyone would have stopped to help. Victor listened to his conscience that day, and the universe immediately returned the favor.
That day went exactly how it needed to go. Even a slight variation could have resulted in tragedy. Victor’s willingness to give — in this case, just a few minutes of his time — put him where he needed to be to receive a blessing.
How DonorWerx Can Help
People often speak of “the butterfly effect” and how a simple action can result in something significant down the road. However, it’s rare for such a significant effect to occur so quickly after the precipitating event. The truth is that God often rewards His children quickly and in miraculous ways when they’re generous, and this is something congregants often need to be reminded of.
Victor Giesbrecht learned firsthand that the rewards for giving can be great. Let DonorWerx show you how to convey this truth to your congregation. Our combination of giving platforms, engagement strategies, and messaging tools can help increase donations to your church in a very short time. Click here to Get started today and see how we can help your ministry.