He doesn't believe in luck

The following story is very dear to my heart. It recalls the first time I met Tim and Nancy Hewitt, parents of Ashley Hewitt.

"He doesn't believe in luck"
By Bob Perks © 2001

We were fortunate indeed to have met Mr. Bagheri, the Director of Food &
Beverage at the Allegro Resort Aruba. He had no idea the important part
he would play in fulfilling God's plan for this vacation.

"I'm so glad that you enjoyed the stage show. Did Harold take care of
you?", asked Mr. Bagheri. "Yes, it was incredible! Harold had a table
for us front row. The show was magnificent!" I told him.

"Your plans for tonight?" "We are attending the beach barbecue."
"Please see Harold again. Tell him I said to save seats for you right
down front. You'll love our limbo show!"

I was very uncomfortable and always am when it comes to "pulling
strings", using influence or name dropping. But it was our last night
and this vacation at the Allegro was absolutely perfect. I found Harold
and mentioned Mr. Bagheri's request.

This wonderful trip was about to become even more incredible.

I put on my finest Hawaiian shirt and Marianne was as beautiful as
ever. We had already started our "It's our last night in paradise. I
don't want to return to reality!" crying and moaning. So we were
determined to wrap it all up in a big way.

I located Harold and asked him to show us to our seats. As promised,
Harold came through again. Front row center. "There are four of you,
right?" asked Harold. "No. Just the two of us." "Ok. Enjoy!"

This time we were at the end of a long banquet table. Within a few
minutes Harold sat another couple next to us in the extra seats he
mistakenly reserved.

"Hello. How are you?" the man asked as he turned to everyone seated.
We all shook hands and made the necessary introductions. When he heard
that a young couple at the other end of the table was from his area of
the U.S. the conversation turned toward them and all of the things they
had in common. I was Ok with that. This was our last night and I
wanted to enjoy these final hours here with my wife. But before long
the four of us became instant friends.

It all started when I asked him what he did for a living. He replied
"Nothing." His wife immediately reached for his hand and urged him to
explain. I instantly had the feeling that our meeting was meant to be.
He obviously was unemployed and struggling with the new changes in his
life, I thought. So I went into my story about losing my job and facing
thoughts of suicide.

I said, " I can't believe how lucky we were to have both of you sit next
to us tonight."

"I don't believe in luck!" he said. He then told me that he was a
Commander in the Navy and recently was taken out of the one position he
loved and assigned to a desk. He flew helicopters. He lead men and
women in the air. "The finest."

I spoke to him about change and turning seemingly bad events into
positive ones. "God has bigger plans for you!" I said.

I spoke to him about the past tens years and discovering my true purpose
in life and I told them about my son Keith's fight against Ewings
Sarcoma, a cancer.

His wife grabbed his hand and with tears in her eyes, still looking at
him, she said "Our daughter had Ewings
Sarcoma." Oh yes the cancer was in the same leg as our son's.

Confirmed. My thoughts of "meant to be" were confirmed. I laughed and
cried in amazement that this couple would sit next to us. Harold held
four seats for us on this final night. I thought we only needed two.
But God was in charge of seating this evening.

We talked over dinner, watched the show and then our new friends shared
the rest of their story. Not only did their child have Ewings Sarcoma,
but then after defeating that, she developed another similar cancer
within a short time. He went on to share this story with us...

"I told you when we first met this evening that I don't believe in
luck. I am a military man. A commander of helicopter pilots. I
believe and trust only in what I see and know. When flying, I look at
my meters, my controls, my equipment and trust what they tell me is
accurate. But!", he pauses for a minute to gather his thoughts.

"My daughter needed a bone marrow transfer. I was with her alone the
evening she came close to death. I held her hand as I sat by the side
of her bed, never letting go. It was in that moment..." he stops. I
can see how difficult this was to share. "It was that evening in the
hospital as I held her hand and prayed to God to save her, that...I
swear this to be true. Remember I told you that I was trained to believe
in my instruments, the true readings they provide. I swear to you that
as I prayed for her I felt a third hand. It was on top of mine as sure
as my wife is holding my hand now. I believe it was God. I knew then
that she would survive."

For some reason I rarely looked in his eyes as he told the rest of this
story. I found myself watching his wife. Her eyes lit up when his
did. They filled with tears when he shared stories of painful memories
and long difficult months. She smiled in anticipation of his words of
hope and funny stories they have both told a hundred times since this
ordeal. She loved him deeply. I could tell.

We sat silently. Tears mixed with nervous laughter.

"I know it to be true. I have heard many stories just like it from
others." I said.

He looked at me and reminded me again "I don't believe in luck."

Just before we said our good-byes, he casually mentioned, "Oh, yes. In
the middle of all of this we found out that my wife had cancer, too."

I was overwhelmed by their story. I said "In my years in the Navy I
never had the desire to do this. But I'd like to hug you, Commander!"
We did. We all did.

I am sending them a copy of my book, "The Flight of a Lifetime!" and a
few other things. My story is in there. I know they will understand.

By the way. Their daughter and my son is doing very well. So is his
beautiful wife. During dinner God had urged me to tell her that
everything was going to be all right. There have been times when
someone has shared a story with me that I get this overwhelming urge to
share a message with the individual. Sometimes they think I'm full of
it. But as I was walking back to the table during dinner, I argued
with God, "They won't believe me. I'll be lucky if he doesn't punch me
in the nose, sharing a message from God."

God said, "I don't believe in luck!"

Ashley is no longer in pain. She took her heavenly place July 13, 2001

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