Update on

Bob Murdock 

 

             On February 19, 2009 between the hours of 3 & 4 A.M. our son, John R.(Bob) Murdock, was driving to work on Newman Rd. when he hit some ice, lost control of his car and ended up hitting a tree and going into a ditch at the intersection of Newman and Division roads. Bob crawled out of the rear passenger side door and lay on the freezing ground calling for help as his body cavity filled with blood from a ruptured spleen. The darkness of the hour, the depth of the ditch, along with the brush and the trees surrounding the area, worked together making the accident scene nearly invisible to any casual traveler. 

Bob's car at the impound yard

              Soon after this, Deputy Shane Howard of the Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Department was traveling on Newman Rd. on his way home from work. Rather than “winding down” and putting work and its disciplines behind, Deputy Howard was still on the job. Passing the accident scene all he noticed was a "reflection", but it was enough to make him stop and investigate. Deputy Howard located Bob and immediately went to work putting the rescue into operation.
 
            Bob lost consciousness and went into convulsions after he was put into the ambulance. They administered I.V. fluids and stabilized him for the trip to the nearest hospital, which happened to be St Elizabeth (which had just that week closed its Trauma Unit). 

After surgery to remove his spleen

  
            Deputy Brain Lowe, a friend of mine from his days at West Lafayette Police Department, worked the accident for Deputy Howard and recognizing me as the owner of Bob’s car had dispatch contact me at home. When we arrived at the hospital, a Chaplain had been called in to help us "deal" with the situation (ironic for me, being a Police Chaplain). It was made plain that Bob’s chances of surviving were in question. 
  
         Multiple fractures of the skull, a broken arm, broken collar bone, fractured pelvis, broken jaw, broken teeth, ruptured spleen, and an assortment of other things added to his predicament. 

About 5 days after the accident - Bob's collar bone, arm and pelvis were bolted back together

             We want to thank everyone of you for your prayers, calls, letters and cards through the past several weeks. The outpouring of love and concern is truly amazing and humbling. God, in His mercy, brought Bob through all of this in a truly miraculous way and he is now walking again and looking forward to getting everything back to normal.  He is still facing oral surgery as soon as his jaw heals and then later on will have one more surgery to remove an implanted blood filter in his leg.  

           We want to extend a special thank you to the Officers, EMT's, Doctors and Nurses that worked so diligently to save and preserve Bob's life. Had Officer Howard not been doing his job, there is no telling when Bob's accident would have been  discovered; obviously it would have been too late to help him. 

            It is clear to us that God is working in a special way in Bob's life and has a plan and a path for him. We are so very thankful that God chose to spare him and allow him to be on the road to a full recovery. 

 

Bob getting ready to teach his teen class again

            Thank you again for all of your prayers.

Sincerely, 

Pastor & Mrs. Murdock and Family