Wednesday, February 6, 2008

desperate measures


Have you seen this photo? It, and the story behind it, was all over the news networks yesterday. It was taken at an apartment fire in Germany where nine people perished (story and more pictures here).

Every time I saw this picture, or some of the other ones of the same event, my heart would skip a beat and I'd stop to ponder what the parents were thinking and how desperate they must have been when they dropped their baby from their fourth story window.

Seriously, could you drop your child out a window? I guess I would if I felt like the fire and/or smoke was about to over take me -AND- there was someone below who looked capable of catching my child and was ready to do so. But as I sit here on my comfortable couch, and in my safe home, I have a hard time imagining how I could actually let go of my infant knowing he/she would be falling at a fast rate to the ground below where a person I don't know will do his very best to catch my precious child who I love more than life itself.

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link of the day:
http://www.forbetterlife.org/

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am not up on news, unless I see it on my computer. How horrifying for all those involved.

I think out of sheer desperation for the life of my child, and I knew there were those below determined to save my child's life, I would take that risk.

I would be crying the whole time and wishing I could safely release all those trapped in that building to the arms reaching up from below.

Dee said...

i saw that on the internet, and no I can't imagine, what a blessing that the baby was caught, have you heard about the people in the window? did they survive?
Dee

Susan said...

From my perspective I would like to believe they were Christians and that it was their faith in their God that moved them. Whatever it was, it is yet another example to us that there is always hope, even when it seems like there is none.
Susan

Momma Roar said...

It is hard for me to look at that picture - my children are just too close in age....it would be hard. But I think I would be strong enough to put my faith in God and trust Him!

Masked Rabbit said...

I must have had my head in the sand. I was shocked when I read your post as I had no idea of this situation. I can't even begin to imagine.

Barb said...

I didn't see that on the news or internet yesterday. It really shocked me when I saw your blog - just the picture itself, with that baby in mid air.

I felt it in my stomach! What courage it must have taken, what desperation. One could only pray.

Angie @ KEEP BELIEVING said...

That picture absolutely makes my stomach turn and my heart flutter at the mere thought - the horror of coming to that point where you felt THAT was the best option for your precious baby, the ANGUISH you must feel when you let go. I can't imagine what was going through those parents' minds. I would guess our Lord felt close to the same when he allowed Jesus to go to the cross for salvation of many who still choose not to take it.
Thanks for making me hug my kids again.
KEEP BELIEVING

Diane @ A Watered Garden said...

Whew! I hadn't heard of that event either until I read your post. I, like Dee, wandered what happened to the people in the window that had to throw the baby? Did they survive?

Melissa said...

What a horrible situation for those poor parents to be in! Thankfully the baby is okay...

Jamey said...

I had heard about that story but hadn't seen the picture. That's amazing! Definately desperate measures!

... said...

f.y.i.

as the news agencies covered this story and showed the pictures, they kept saying that they didn't know what happened to the parents. but on the late news last night, it was reported that they did make it out okay.

Humble wife said...

oh good I was wondering about the parents. I think in a situation where a split decision has to be made(and clearly with 9 dead it was serious and deadly)the parents did what I believe many of us would have done. Oh and I choked up when I read the interview of the I think(off duty) policeman that caught the baby.

Wow...

Unknown said...

I would have to be totally that someone would catch the baby! I mean, if I was on the ground, it wouldn't even be a question to catch him.

That's so sad though :(

Heidi Jo Comes said...

ya know i can understand that type of desperation far more than i can understand when a mother gets out of her burning house but somehow her toddler/baby children do not....

thank God that all is well!

Unknown said...

Wow! It is hard to imagine being able to do that but I guess if that's the only chance you thought your child had, what's a broken bone. . .

Anonymous said...

In all that chaos, People are united. They are all reaching to help that baby, yes everyone was safe in that family, how awesome!! That mom had to trust God and mankind, see were not all so bad....Praise the Lord!!

Dana a/k/a Sunshine said...

True. That would be a very difficult decision....but if there were nowhere to go inside the house and the fire was consuming me, I think I would do it.

Anonymous said...

This was a wild story.