1
00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:09,000
Speaker 1: Hello, friends, Welcome to Story Behind podcast. This is the

2
00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:12,200
Speaker 1: show for people who love hearing a good story and

3
00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:15,720
Speaker 1: who believe the world could use more positivity. We're the

4
00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:18,959
Speaker 1: team behind God Updates and God Too, and we hope

5
00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:21,560
Speaker 1: these weekly short stories will brighten your day.

6
00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:29,480
Speaker 2: Ninety three year old grandfather travels forty hours to surprise

7
00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:32,720
Speaker 2: his grandson on his wedding day. Written by Mikhaela Gordoni,

8
00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:36,400
Speaker 2: read by July Provost. One grandpa in Rwanda was determined

9
00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:38,839
Speaker 2: not to miss his grandson's wedding, so the ninety three

10
00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:41,080
Speaker 2: year old did what he had to do and flew

11
00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:43,519
Speaker 2: all the way to Arizona by himself to surprise his grandson.

12
00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:46,280
Speaker 2: It really is a miracle. It was no small feet

13
00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:50,000
Speaker 2: for grandfather Kata, who had to travel for forty hours

14
00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:52,839
Speaker 2: with missing flights and long layovers to be there for

15
00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:56,400
Speaker 2: his grandson, Jeff Monogo. Jeff shared a video of his

16
00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:59,720
Speaker 2: grandpa surprising him, which went viral. Jeff FROs when he

17
00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:03,520
Speaker 2: saw him before tearing up and embracing him. Katara just laughed,

18
00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:06,199
Speaker 2: hugged him and smiled. All of Jeff's family and friends

19
00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:09,279
Speaker 2: knew Gatara was coming. They kept of the secret from Jeff.

20
00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:11,880
Speaker 2: They definitely got me with this amazing gift and surprise,

21
00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:15,119
Speaker 2: Jeff said. Jeff didn't have great relationships with the male

22
00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:18,120
Speaker 2: figures at his family, except for his grandfather, who was

23
00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:20,680
Speaker 2: the one who always made an effort to just communicate

24
00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:23,039
Speaker 2: with us and get to know him. Katara was the

25
00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:25,600
Speaker 2: last person Jeff expected to see as he was recovering

26
00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:28,280
Speaker 2: from a stroke and had difficulty getting a visa. He

27
00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:30,920
Speaker 2: also didn't know any English. I couldn't control the tears

28
00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:33,080
Speaker 2: that were coming out of my eyes, and he was like,

29
00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:36,200
Speaker 2: don't cry. Jeff said. It's just incredible to witness that

30
00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:38,840
Speaker 2: through all the odds, that he would show up for

31
00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:42,480
Speaker 2: my special day. Moments that only happened once are gifts

32
00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:46,119
Speaker 2: and grace we never deserve. Jeff said, I thank God

33
00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:48,240
Speaker 2: for this moment in my family and friends who prayed

34
00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,720
Speaker 2: for this moment to happen. Tara was overjoyed to celebrate

35
00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:53,880
Speaker 2: with his grandson and even showed off some of his

36
00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:57,160
Speaker 2: moves on the dance floor with Jeff. The layovers, the tiredness,

37
00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:00,720
Speaker 2: the long hour fights didn't stop Grandpa's dance. Jeff said,

38
00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:03,480
Speaker 2: he stole the whole show. He showed me that no

39
00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:05,360
Speaker 2: matter what, you have to show up for your family.

40
00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:08,760
Speaker 2: He said, it made people appreciate grandparents and their love

41
00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:11,720
Speaker 2: and the strength they have. What a tremendous impact Kata

42
00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:14,720
Speaker 2: has on Jeff's life. Jeff and his family will surely

43
00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:19,280
Speaker 2: never forget this painsaking and heartful gesture. Hopefully Katara doesn't

44
00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:34,320
Speaker 2: have to fly back too soon. Trapped in a burning car,

45
00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:37,040
Speaker 2: she honked for help and a brave officer saved her life.

46
00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:40,720
Speaker 2: Written by Heather Riggleman, read by Jully Provost. Trapped in

47
00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:42,520
Speaker 2: a burning car, she honked for help, and a brave

48
00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:45,200
Speaker 2: officer saved her life. Most of the time on someone honks,

49
00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:48,080
Speaker 2: we notice, but we often ignore it. On May twenty fifth,

50
00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:51,519
Speaker 2: the Shari Montgomery was driving like any other day when

51
00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:55,079
Speaker 2: another vehicle reinjured her. The impacts on her and then

52
00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:58,280
Speaker 2: everything changed. Flames spread quickly, the heat pressed in so

53
00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,560
Speaker 2: fiercely that it felt cold like ice crawling across her skin.

54
00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:05,560
Speaker 2: Smoke filled her lungs, the doors wouldn't open, as Shari remembers,

55
00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:08,480
Speaker 2: the suffocating fear more than the fire, the feeling that

56
00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:11,040
Speaker 2: she couldn't breathe, the realization that time was slipping away,

57
00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:13,160
Speaker 2: and in that moment. Would nowhere to run and nothing

58
00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:16,160
Speaker 2: left to do, she prayed. Then she also honked her horn,

59
00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:18,520
Speaker 2: just honking my horn, because what else to do? She

60
00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:22,800
Speaker 2: later said that sound, small, desperate, persistent, was heard nearby.

61
00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:26,480
Speaker 2: Alficer Barry ran towards the burning car. Body camera footage

62
00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:29,080
Speaker 2: later showed the intensity of the flames as the Shari

63
00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:32,480
Speaker 2: remained trapped inside. Her doors were jammed. The fire was winning.

64
00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:36,560
Speaker 2: Shari remembers seeing him come. I saw him coming, she said,

65
00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:39,839
Speaker 2: And even though the fire still raged, relief arrived with him.

66
00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:42,960
Speaker 2: Officer Barry broke the window and pulled Ashari out by

67
00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:45,800
Speaker 2: her legs, dragging her to safety, just moments before the

68
00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:49,880
Speaker 2: car was fully overtaken by flames, moments that word lingers

69
00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:53,400
Speaker 2: because miracles often live in moments. Shari survived with the

70
00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:56,560
Speaker 2: rescue was only the beginning. Doctor s burns covered nearly

71
00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:58,680
Speaker 2: a third of her body, mostly on her right side.

72
00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:02,360
Speaker 2: She endured multiple skin grafts and months of physical therapy.

73
00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:05,920
Speaker 2: She wears a compression garment that helps her healing but

74
00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:09,120
Speaker 2: also brings anxiety. She ranchers the world. I don't know

75
00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:11,200
Speaker 2: what people are seeing when they see me, she admitted.

76
00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:14,600
Speaker 2: And yet She's still here. Six months later, Ashari said

77
00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:16,560
Speaker 2: her life was spared for a reason, and she knows it.

78
00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:20,320
Speaker 2: She has changed your major at ACU to psychology, hoping

79
00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:23,360
Speaker 2: to help others navigate trauma with honesty and hope. Don't

80
00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:25,200
Speaker 2: want to be the person they can talk to, she said.

81
00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:27,800
Speaker 2: As I sit with her story, I can't help but whisper.

82
00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:30,799
Speaker 2: Thank you God. Thank you for the prayers prayed in panic.

83
00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:33,320
Speaker 2: Thank you for horns that were heard. Thank you for

84
00:04:33,400 --> 00:04:36,440
Speaker 2: brave men who run towards fire. Shari's life is living

85
00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:39,480
Speaker 2: proof that God still answers desperate prayers, and sometimes his

86
00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:44,520
Speaker 2: answers come running Psalm twenty eight seven. The Lord is

87
00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:46,760
Speaker 2: my strength and my shield. My heart trusted him and

88
00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:47,400
Speaker 2: he helps me.

89
00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:00,000
Speaker 1: Thank you so much for listening to Story Behind podcas

90
00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:03,200
Speaker 1: We're really glad you joined us for this week's story.

91
00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:06,440
Speaker 1: To see photos and videos that may have been referenced

92
00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:09,279
Speaker 1: in this episode, check out the links and the show notes,

93
00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:12,760
Speaker 1: and if you enjoyed what you heard today, subscribe to

94
00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,360
Speaker 1: our podcast and please tell a friend about us. We'd

95
00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:18,400
Speaker 1: also love it if you'd rate us and leave us

96
00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:21,360
Speaker 1: a review. It really does help more people find us.

97
00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:24,640
Speaker 1: Story Behind is a Salem Web Network production