Lost a Wheel

On a Trip to Southern California, 12 February 1982:


As we were driving to Southern California for a long weekend our Volkswagen van broke down again! Previously, we'd broken down two times going there and two times coming home. The Lord was really watching over us this time or we could have been seriously injured. We were going down a steep grade of the San Diego Freeway at 5:30 in the morning when the rear of the car began to shimmy and shake.


Tom pulled to the side of the road and got out to check out the trouble. He discovered the left rear tire had come loose from the axle! The tire never left the car because the tire was higher than the fender. If it had left the car, it would have been very hard to control, possibly even making us skid and roll in front of other trucks and cars. THAT was a miracle.



Though Tom had pulled all the way to the curb, there was little space between the lane of traffic and the car. It was pitch black outside and cars raced by in the dark. Tom sat on the ground (almost in the lane of traffic) and tried to kick the tire back on. It would not budge.


Seeing the cars and trucks racing by within inches of Tom and the van, I thought we'd all be dead by daybreak.


Tim and I walked to a call box (no cell phones in 1982) and phoned for a tow truck. The dispatcher asked if Tim and I were alone. She was concerned because the Hillside Strangler that had not yet been apprehended. I needed to know that! Once Tim and I were back at the car, a police officer stopped by and said for our protection we needed to be inside the car, up in the front (in case a driver plowed into the back of our van)! That was encouraging.


Finally, the tow truck arrived and towed us to a repair shop. We did not die that night, but I'm sure the guardian angels were working overtime. I am grateful for their protection.