I just have to tell you about what happened to one of my old hunting buddies recently. That’s Reverend Bob Baltrip, in the above picture, heading out to his bear bait while hunting with us in Marquette. Bob and I go back a long way. We met on the production line at Ford Motor Company and immediately “hit it off!” Bob was in my wedding 38 years ago, and we camped, hunted, and just enjoyed one another’s company. I got Bob started into bowhunting, and through his commitment to practice, practice, practice he become one of the best target shooters in the state. Over the years we’ve not gotten together like we used to, but when we do see one another it’s like old times. Bob’s major commitment is now to Liberty Missionary Baptist church where he is Pastor, and of course his faithful wife Linda, his children, and grandchildren.
A couple weeks ago Bob was cutting the grass in front of his son Doug’s “Eye Care One” building when he keeled over, without warning! He was on one of the busiest roads in Monroe and a nurse was driving by and saw he needed help. She pulled into the lot, and immediately began mouth to mouth. A passerby must have called 911 as a Monroe City policeman was there within a couple minutes. This policeman just happened to have cardiac paddles, and gave Bob a “jolt!” In the meantime another women stopped who had just taken a CPR class, and started to administer chest compression! Between the three of them they got Bob’s heart beating again, as the ambulance whisked him to the hospital! The doctors said that there is only a three minute window of opportunity when your heart gets out of sync. and quits beating. Years ago this very same thing happened to a fellow pipefitter friend, and he didn’t make it. There was no one around to help him. The Monroe Evening News did a front page article about the ANGELS that saved the Pastors life. I even heard his story was on one of the local T.V. stations.
Bob had a pacemaker installed, and his prognosis is excellent. A spy told me he was “chipping balls” in his back yard recently. In no way does Bob attribute his experience to “good luck!” He knows that his heavenly home wasn’t ready for his arrival, as yet, and that his days have been extended for a purpose. It wasn’t a coincident that just the right three people converged upon the scene by happenstance, but by Divine orchestration. Bob gives God the glory for sending His angels to minister to him in his time of need. Incidentally Bob doesn’t remember a thing until he woke up in the intensive care unit at the hospital. Robert William Baltrip I for one am very glad your work is not finished yet. You are a blessing to many, and thanks for being “my old buddy!”
Mike
Glad to hear that your friend is doing well after such an episode. I would definitely say that all of the people who helped were angels, and sent from above on purpose.