Chapter 3

Once my dad was informed they brought us in to fill us in on the news. Zach had been in the “special care nursery” so the whole family made the trek a couple halls away to see him. His breathing was not very strong and he had tubes coming out of him left and right. Even with all that, he was beautiful. To this day, he’s so beautiful. While visiting my new, baby brother a bizarre thing happened. The hospital began to shake. The floor tiles were doing this rolling thing that just looked unnatural. It lasted about 10 seconds and was not very strong. When it ended, we didn’t even give it another thought. Later that evening we would find out that it was one of the strongest earthquakes in U.S. History.

It was time to go home. My dad wanted to get over to our grandparent’s house to let them know about Zach. When we arrived, they were not home yet from a temple trip. Our great-grandparents, though, lived right behind them so my dad went to talk to them. Talking to my Grandma Nelly, he informed her of Zach having Down Syndrome. When he was done telling her all about it she said, “Todd, I always knew the Lord loved you, but I never knew how much until now.” My dad felt the Spirit wrap his arms around him and was so grateful for what my grandma had said. To this day, he says that line is engrained in his mind, something he will never forget.

Later on that evening is when the footage of the earthquake began. October 17, 1989, the “Quake of ‘89” took place. The earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay Area, measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale, killing 63 California citizens and leaving a path of devastation and destruction. My mom sat and watched in her hospital bed, trying to suppress those post-partum emotions but could not contain herself. Glued to the screen, she watched as they continued to pull lifeless, American people from beneath the rubble. As she cried in that hospital room, a nurse walked in to see what was the matter. “Why are you crying?” she asked curtly, almost annoyed. My mom let her know that she was upset over what had happened and that she was feeling really emotional. The nurse responded to this sorrowful, weeping mother, “Well, if you want someone to talk to, I’ll go find someone.” Before my mom could even answer, the nurse had already left the room. Nobody came, but that was okay for my mom. I think she just needed a good cry. She continued to watch the documented destruction. The earthquake was tragic, but while watching the footage and sitting there alone in her hospital bed, my mom knew and felt that she would be okay. “I can do this!” she thought. Her son was here, alive, and healthy. Though he has a disability, she knew that the Lord had blessed her and trusted her with one of His most choice spirits. With love and gratitude in her heart, she couldn’t help but feel honored to have him teach and bless our lives for eternity.