Coming close to death on a country walk

I love it when people get in touch to tell me about their experiences of “light through the cracks“. It makes me realise my writing is resonating, and it reminds me of the power of every person’s story.

Just recently, I was contacted by a wonderful woman called Pip, a friend of my brother and sister-in-law, and her “light through the cracks” story soon came tumbling out …

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It was a little over two years ago, one autumn afternoon, when Pip was walking in the Peak District, with her beloved dog, Buster – but a short cut, through a field of cows, quickly turned into chaos.

The official advice for walking through a field of cows with your dog is to let go of your dog’s lead if the cows start chasing you, the theory being that the dog will run off and the cows will follow the dog. But Pip could see a gate on the other side, “so I kept Buster on a really short lead, and we just stayed quiet as we walked across the field,” she says.

“I don’t actually remember the beginning of the attack,” recalls Pip, “but, when I came to, I was lying on the ground. I think this cow kicked me, and I rolled over, put my head in my hands, and prayed Psalm 23, ‘The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures’.”

“I’ve been a Christian a long, long time, and my faith is incredibly important to me. At the time when I really needed it, I was aware of God’s presence with me and I wasn’t afraid … I was very peaceful. I really, really thought I was going to die.” 

Pip was recently interviewed on BBC Radio 4 in an episode on Jane Garvey’s ‘Life Changing‘ programme. In it, she describes, in vivid detail, what happened, who witnessed it, how they were impacted, what happened to Buster, the nature and extent of her injuries, the dramatic way in which she was rescued by air ambulance, and all that followed.

Pip’s injuries were so serious that she needed 17 titanium plates fitted inside her. The operation to do this would be the second trauma to her body in the space of two days, and the risks were so high, that the doctors warned her husband and three sons that she might not survive.

Yet throughout all that happened, and in all who helped her, she had an incredible sense of peace, and she knew that God was looking after her. (Even his choice of surgeon for the operation felt more than merely ‘coincidental’.)

Pip’s worldview has inevitably shifted since her traumatic experience. “I can honestly say that, as a result of this accident, good things have happened to me that probably wouldn’t have happened without it. I don’t understand why it happened, but I don’t question it too much. I just try and get on with everyday life.”

I highly recommend setting aside the half an hour it will take to listen here to Pip telling her story, in conversation with Jane Garvey. (If nothing else, it’s worth listening out for Pip’s response to Jane’s question, which asked her why she was not afraid of dying!)

Pip’s story is also summarised in written form for you to read here.

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Have you ever had a traumatic experience, incident or accident? Have you ever, like Pip, really thought you were going to die?

Why don’t you ask God to show you how he was present with you, in the midst of what you went through, whether or not you were aware? And why don’t you ask him to give you a sense of peace, and a faith and fearlessness about dying?

As ever, constructive comments are welcome below!

Photo by sammanthayore via Pixabay