One Moment in Time

Tony and Rita Westerman were long-time Salvationists at Tawa Corps. In a book written by their daughter, Janet O’Halloran-Westerman, is documented a ‘moment in time’ when the life of Tony Westerman hung in the balance and the corps family gathered to pray.

‘Nurse Westerman, I am sorry but your father has been in an accident and is currently being brought here to the hospital by ambulance. As far as we know, he has serious chest and head injuries, and he is likely to be admitted to this ward. You may stand down from duty. Give yourself a moment to take in what I have told you, and then go and be with your family.’

One moment in time can change a person’s life. Our daily lives can seem so humdrum, yet we never know when that one moment might come that alters the canvas of our lives forever. November 6, 1979 at 1 p.m. was one of those moments. On this particular November day, Dad and his team of three young apprentices were leaning on the railing of the Arahanga ferry. The towline unexpectedly whiplashed, hitting my dad and the three apprentices standing at the railing on the Arahanga. With a split second to react, Dad threw himself on the apprentice beside him—an act that saved that young man’s life, protecting him from the full whip of the cable.

Also standing with Dad was another apprentice who was to be married the following Saturday. He took the full force of the cable and died on arrival at Wellington Hospital.

The third apprentice was injured, but survived.

My fifty-one-year-old dad, Tony Westerman, was the last to be stretchered off the ferry, unaware that he was about to enter the fight of his life.

Yes, much of life is a miracle, and I thank God for people who are willing to help make those miracles happen. For my dad, his miracle was about to begin.

My parents still attended the Salvation Army church, but it was more than a church to them; it was a family. As soon as word of the accident reached the pastors of the church, the phones started ringing. ‘Tony Westerman has been in a terrible accident. There are others with injuries as well. Someone has died. The side door to the church hall has been left unlocked so anyone can come and say a prayer for Tony.’

And they came. They walked and they drove as one by one people made their way to the Salvation Army church in Tawa, quietly slipped through the side door of the church, and started to pray. That day in Tawa, as an ordinary group of men and women gathered on behalf of Dad, something shifted. We couldn’t pray or even think straight, and Dad needed help in the battle as he lay in intensive care. Now, as my parents’ church family quietly came and went throughout the afternoon, into the evening, and through the night, they held us up in prayer.

My dad was fighting yet another battle. Thankfully, it was one he would also win. The day after the many friends and even strangers took time out of their day to pray for my dad, he began improving in leaps and bounds. It wasn’t long until he was moved to the general ward, and then eventually he was sent home to recover. In time Dad went back to work and the events of November 6, 1979 became a distant memory.

All of us have moments when life changes suddenly. Events that were so pivotal and life-changing become distant memories in the fullness of time, but I still remember those who carried us and walked with us during those difficult days. To everyone who helped us during Dad’s accident and recovery, I have not forgotten what you did for our family, and to those wonderful people, I say thank you.

Excerpt (abridged) from Simply Grace by Janet O’Halloran-Westerman, published by Torn Curtain Publishing 2023. Available at janetohalloranwesterman.carrd.co or order from Amazon