FLOOD07982 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Eventually the women caught on the north side of the canyon met in the ranch director's home. After moving several times from one building to another, they and other tourists settled down to wait out the night in the recrea- tion hall. The women in the hall had no idea how bad the situation was on the other side of the river. After crossing the bridge, which had since been blown out by a propane tank traveling downstream, the women in the four cars stopped to gain direction. Women in two of the cars heard the instructions via megaphone, "Get out of your cars and walk to higher ground." "At that time we assumed that everyone heard the message," says Ney Bailey, a staff member on the Campus Crusade national leadership team. "We must have climbed 15 minutes through dirt and rocks before we got to a place where we could stop and rest," says Ney. Tragically, Ney's assumption was in- correct. The nine girls in the other two cars did not hear the instructions. In- stead they followed a policeman east to Loveland. Although the water was deep, relates Marilyn Henderson, one of the two survivors from those cars, other vehicles up ahead appeared to have made it through the water. Gaining encouragement from a sign which read, "7 miles to Loveland," the girls proceeded downstream. A few minutes later the car Marilyn was driving stalled and was pulled into the raging river. Marilyn and Melanie Ahl- quist, the other survivor, were able to roll down their windows in an escape at- tempt. But as the water rushed toward them, the worst seemed inevitable. The five girls in the car remained calm. I<Lord Jesus," they prayed, "we love You, and we're ready to meet You." Marilyn and Melanie tried to help the other three girls - Carol, June and Precy - out through the open windows, but the two young women were pulled immediately from the car. The waters continued to drag Marilyn about a quarter of a mile downstream where she was thrown against a tree which she clutched until she was found by two local ranchers who happened to stop to look for some friends. She told them about the other girls and shortly after that rescuers in wet suits with lifelines saved Melanie who was caught in a tree in the middle of the swollen river. Precise details as to what happened to the other car are not known. All four women as well as the officer leading the way lost their lives. Staff members back at Ft. Collins were not aware of the extreme danger. Vonette phoned her husband at 10:30 Saturday evening to alert staff mem- bers of the situation, but at that time she expected nothing more than a possible delay. Early Sunday morning the tragedy began to unfold. Paul Eshleman, the U. S. field director, received a call at 1:30 that Marilyn was in the hospital. Soon after that a helicopter brought Melanie to the same hospital. Then at about 2 a.m. Ney Bailey and seven other staff women arrived at Ft. Collins. It had been an exhausting night for these women who successfully maneuvered their way out of the canyon by following an older man and the local police over a back road. By sunrise Sunday more of the loss was known: the bodies of the missing staff women were being identified at the morgue. "Though we've shed many tears," comments Dr. Bright, "they are not tears of despair but tears of sadness that we will not see our sisters again in this world. However, we rejoice, knowing that these girls are now with the Lord." Meanwhile the women stranded at the Sylvan Dale Ranch were eager to get word out of their safety. An exper- ienced hiker managed to surmount the surrounding rough terrain in search of survivors at the camp. On the return trip he escorted two staff members who brought the news back to Ft. Collins. Later on Sunday women at the camp also hiked out across the terrain. Half- way over the mountain, they were reunited with a group of staff members led by Dr. Bright who'had traveled out to meet them. "OUT sisters are enjoying a relationship with our wonderful Lord which none of us could imagine," Dr. Bright later told staff who had gathered for a scheduled day of prayer. The activities that Sunday included an extended all-staff service of praise and singing. "As I think back upon those few hours," says Vonette, "and the confusion which reigned as we searched for higher ground, I gain com- fort in the assurance that seven of our staff women are now resting in the highest ground of all." "Lord Jesus," they prayed, "we love You, and we're ready to meet You." 19