Reading Response 5: Mistaken Identity

We are now in chapter 6, which is entitled "Comfort in the Midst of Pain." Newell, Colleen, and Carly wrote the obituary for Whitney's funeral while driving home from Taylor the day after the accident. Once the got home they couldn't believe what they saw. Friends, family, and acquaintances had left things for the family. There were cases of water and coolers of Pepsi as they walked through the door, the fridge was stuffed with food, but the kitchen blew them away the most. There were food and floral arrangements gathered all throughout the downstairs of the house. The rest of this chapter displays the emotional ups and downs of losing their daughter. They were grateful that the community was so supportive of the family, but at the same time they were just shocked that it was them needing the support. Throughout this chapter the family is setting up the plans for the following days to come, the visitation, and the funeral. At the end of the chapter, Colleen and Newell decide to go to the high school soccer game because Whitney had played the previous year.

"They felt pulled between two poles. One of gratitude for all the expressions of love,the other of grief over Whitney's death." 

"It feels like this is happening to someone else. I almost feel like I'm outside my body watching all this." 

- Newell said to Colleen the day before the visitation

"It hurt when my dad died, but children are supposed to bury their parents. Parents aren't supposed to plan their daughter's funeral. It seems like you just took her shopping for a prom dress; now we're picking out a casket."

- Newell Cerak

"Even from there they could see that each girl on the team had wrapped a piece of white athletic tape around the top of her socks. On the tape was written, "Whit #9," along with a personal message for Whitney."

This part of the passage amazes me. To see a community be so supportive of a family in need is wonderful. Generally, people don't think that many people would care if they died. This is an important thing to realize. No matter how anti-social someone is, they will always be a part of someones life. The fact that this family had to go through something as tragic as this just kills me inside. I know it must be hard for every family who has gone through such a tragedy. I feel great sympathy for these people.

Article 1 Response: Is Google Making Us Stupid?

This article is based on the theory that the internet changes the way we think about things. The writer says that he once was able to focus on a long novel, but now he can't seem to do that anymore. The internet allows people to find things in a matter of seconds, compared to in the past something could

take a decade to figure out. The article is about whether or not the internet is changing the way we think, read, understand and interpret text. The author includes quotes from many different authors and scientists. He also makes a comparison between the internet and a clock, and a typewriter at one point in the article.

"Now my concentration often starts to drift after two or three pages. I get fidgety, lose the thread, begin looking for something else to do. I feel as if I'm always dragging my wayward brain back to the text. The deep reading that used to come naturally has become a struggle."

"Now I zip along the surface like a guy on a Jet Ski."

I don't particularly agree with this man, but at the same time I feel for him. I do not agree that the internet is what's making people dislike reading and things like that, I do not agree with this theory. But I do know that I am unable to focus often times when I am reading a long book or story as well. Heck, I lost concentration during this article about twenty times. I do not agree that the internet has changed our thinking process, but I agree that it is harder for people to focus on long things. However, that generally only happens when the reader does not feel a connection to the text.

Reading Response 4: Mistaken Identity

The next chapter focuses on the Van Ryn family. This chapter is filled with so much emotion and hope as the Van Ryn family copes with the situation. The family is at Parkview Hospital and they learn that their daughter Laura is in a coma and there are no guarantees that she is going to come out of it, or if she'll be the same person when she does. Laura has a traumatic brain injury that was cause by the violent force of the accident. Many of her friends and family come to visit her. At one point Don Van Ryn, Laura's father is asked what he would say to the bus driver if he could say anything to him at all. Her father says that he would forgive him, because he knows how awful this man must be feeling. A couple of strangers come in to show their support for the Van Ryn family, one of which is the medic who got Laura to the hospital. The other stranger that visits them is someone who has been keeping up with their stories on the news. She feels  connected to the Van Ryn family because her father owns a hardwood store in the city that they are from. She owns a Little Ceaser's Pizza in Fort Wayne and offers to bring them food because she knows how awful it must be to eat the hospital food all day. She also informs the family of a house a few blocks away from the hospital that is specifically there for people who have family in the ICU.

"Oh god, she prayed, whether Laura lives or dies is completely up to you. 

You know what I want, but I don't have any choice

 but to trust you and place my daughter in your care. Again."

- Susie Van Ryn

"I was one of the medics on the medi-flight helicopter that  brought Laura in last night... I know I'm not the first one to say this, but this was pretty much the worst accident scene I've ever come across. I hope I never see another like it. Laura was the only one thrown from the vehicle who survived. She was breathing on her own when we found her. We had her here in twenty, maybe twenty-five minutes, after the call came in on the accident... God was watching out for her, you could sense that at the accident scene. And I have to tell you, this one was pretty personal for me. I graduated from Taylor. Working on Laura was like working on family."

- Jay Curry, paramedic at the scene

"God, hear my prayers! I want to be so mad at your will. Lord, but I can't. You know how much I love her. Please, I pray, perform a miracle in her life. You are the great Healer. Do your thing... I know that you will perform your will, and I pray that your will is a full recovery for her. You know I would give my life for you. How I wish it was me in that bed instead of her, Father. She doesn't deserve this. It is so hard to just sit around all day. Please give me peace knowing that you are at work. Life is so short, Lord, what a reminder this is... Please sustain us... I love you, Lord - Your faithful servant."

- Laura's boyfriend Aryn's prayer for her: April 28, 2006

These quotes are very empowering. They show how each individual, even a stranger, cares for and loves Laura. These quotes help give a feel for the relationship each of these individuals have with one another. It amazes me how they can go on for so long not noticing that something is off, and she is not who they think she is. I would think that someone would notice that her hair isn't the same or something. But then again, I guess it is hard to tell with her being in a come, unresponsive. 

Reading Response 3: Mistaken Identity

Now I am going to switch back to the Cerak family. Throughtout this chapter many things happen. It begins with the Whitney's mother and a family friend going to the hospital where all of the victims in the accident were located. The bodies were already identified, and Whitney's mother did not want to see their baby girl dead, so they avoided it. They went to the church service the next day along with thousands of other parents, students, and faculty members and it suddenly hit them. At the service they had a projection screen with the names of all those injured and dead. It was when Whitney's name flashed onto the screen that her mother realized that it was real.

"'They're praying for us. For me. For Newell. For Carly.' In that moment, she felt as though she could feel the prayers reaching up toward heaven and the arms of God physically reaching down to her in response. She closed her eyes, soaking it in."

After the service, the family heads out to pick Newell, Whitney's dad up from the airport in Indianapolis. They went to unpack everything out of Whitney's dorm room and her roomate gave her something Whitney made the day before as a reminder to serve God in everything she did. It was a small sign that said "Well done, good and faithful servent." This is ironic because, according to the Bible, these are the words with which Jesus will greet into heavven those who love him. Next they discussed when the funeral should take place. Colleen wanted it to be on the coming up Sunday, which Newell pointed out would be on Whitney's birthday. Colleen thought it was an even better idea to have it on her birthday because she knew Whitney always loved birthday parties. Colleen believed that it was only right to have one last huge party to celebrate her life, on her birthday. The family was riding home from Taylor University when this took place.

"This is our first sunset without Whitney."

I think these are both very important quotes from the passage. It shows how Colleen is thankful for all of the people praying for her and how she realizes that there are people who are there for her. The second quote is kind of a hard hitter. I started crying when I got to this part because it just builds up all these emotions, and then boom: you realize that it actually is real, it actually is happening and there is nothing you, or anyone else, can do about it.