Miracles Do Happen

By Debbie Bollenbach

Josh Primble, a dedicated National Park ranger in the Great Smokey Mountains and his beautiful wife Joanne, a registered nurse looked forward to a long fun filled weekend with their three children in Chattanooga Tennessee. Their fun filled weekend turns into a parents worse nightmare as an unknown person abducts their youngest child: six month old Amanda.

Follow two nurses, both mothers through the physical and emotional demands that nurses endure on a daily basis. Read the heart retching story of a family whose youngest child is missing. Find out what terrors meet up with two young boys backpacking in the Great Smokey Mountains.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Dec 28, 2007
• ISBN: 9781465323330

Debbie Bollenbach

As a young child I dreamed of becoming a nurse. That dream became a reality. I obtained a Bachelors of Science degree in Nursing. I am employed by Children’s Hospital of Michigan and I have worked on a burn, trauma surgical floor for the last thirty two years. During that time frame my husband and I have raised four children, two sons and two daughters, and now we also have a granddaughter. I continue to work five days a week. During my spare time I write, spend time with my family, go camping and exploring in the National Park system. I have a love for children and animals of all kinds. I have three dogs at present all of the German Sheppard breed.

Book preview

PART 1

Chapter 1

My fingers are slipping. I can’t hang on much longer, Joseph, you have to get help! Oh sweet Jesus, help me! Joseph stood and stared in horror at the steep cliff that his brother had just slid down. Steven, Steven, can you hear me? Joseph peered over the edge, his eyes searching for any signs of his older brother. He couldn’t see through the thick canopy of leaves. Steven had taken his younger brother Joseph on a seven-day backcountry camping adventure. This was day seven. The boys were behind their schedule by two days. They had been walking on the Appalachian Trail near Cosby Knob in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Steven, please, answer me! Please! Joseph had frantically attempted to reach his brother for more than two hours. The side of the mountain was too steep for him to descend. The forest seemed darker to him than usual. Blackness enveloped him; Joseph didn’t know what to do. I want to go home, he cried out for his parents. He felt very cold, very tired, and horribly alone. He pulled his sleeping bag out of his backpack and crawled into it. He pulled his head into his bag. His tears would not stop. He was finally over come by exhaustion as he fell into a dreamless sleep.

Steven woke up with a terrible headache. His whole body was in pain. He could see that night had fallen. He tried to call out for his brother but found that he couldn’t make more than a whisper. He lapsed in and out of consciousness all night.

Joseph woke shortly before dawn. For a moment, he couldn’t remember where he was. Then suddenly it all came back to him. He called out again for his brother. Hearing nothing but the wind, he made the decision to go get help. He ran down the trail and soon found that it forked in two. He was undecided about which trail to take. Nothing looked familiar, but he knew that he had to get help for his older brother. He continued farther west on the Appalachian Trail. He fell several times, running in a panic. Tree branches tore at his face. Once, he fell into a creek that he didn’t see. His clothes were soaked, and his teeth were chattering. He realized that he didn’t have his backpack with him. He remembered that was one of the great rules—never leave without your pack. How many times had his brother and dad told him that rule?

********

He was standing in the aisle of a very large plane. People were staring at him. An unseen force was pulling him toward an open door. He struggled against it but felt the force pulling harder. The people continued to stare at him. He reached out both of his hands, but no one offered to help him. He felt himself falling through space. He couldn’t see anything. The plane had disappeared from sight. He could hear himself screaming in terror. A cold rain hit him in the face as he plummeted toward the earth. The rain falling on his face had awakened him. For a second, he felt relieved that it was only a nightmare until he realized that he was still involved in one. The cold rain was chilling him. Steven knew his only chance of survival depended on whether he could get to his pack. It took all his strength, and on the fourth attempt, he dragged his broken body to where his pack had fallen. He gulped down sixteen ounces of water so fast that he threw it back up. He pulled out his sleeping bag. The pain was so intense he wondered if he was going to live. He knew it would be his fault if anything happened to Joseph. He wondered if he was all right. They shouldn’t have been goofing around, but they had such a good time at Mount Sequoyah. They had spent a night out on the trail staring up at the stars. They seemed so much brighter than they did back home. After what seemed an eternity, he finally managed to roll into his sleeping bag and pulled his tent over him before passing out again. It was sheer luck that his backpack had fallen only ten feet from him.

********

Joseph was delirious and suffering from hypothermia. He kept hearing voices but never saw anyone. He was so thirsty he drank from the stream he had just crossed. He saw their dog Ralfie. Ralfie, come here boy. He felt so sleepy, if he could only sleep for a few minutes before continuing on. He lay on the ground and curled up in a ball, trying to keep warm. Ralfie felt so warm, but his breath smelled awful.

Chapter 2

Josh Primble was on his way out of the rangers office as the phone rang. My boys didn’t come home. They were camping in the Smoky Mountains. Sir, did they file a backcountry permit? Yes, they promised us they would. What are their names? Steven and Joseph Citz, my youngest boy Joseph is only ten. Steven turned eighteen last month. What day did they leave? Last Saturday. Hold on for one second, sir. Josh ran through the backcountry permits.

I have them leaving from Big Creek Saturday May 10 and returning Friday, May 17. That’s correct. Sir, I’ll send a unit over to see if they’re still parked over at Big Creek. If they are, we’ll assemble a search and rescue team. Let me know either way, Mr. Ranger.

Taylor, how close to Big Creek are you? About twelve miles, I’m coming out of Cosby right now. Check and see if there’s a blue Sierra truck with FL plates parked over there.

We’ve got a blue Sierra truck parked in the Big Creek lot with FL plates. What’s up with it? Two kids are missing. Their backcountry permit says that they left from there May 10 and were due to return May 17. Their dad called and reported them missing just before I called you. I’m calling in a search and rescue. Hey, Josh today is the twentieth, what took their old man so long to call? I didn’t ask him. Stay where you are, Taylor. I’ll get the rest of the team to you as fast as I can.

The team was fully assembled in sixty minutes and ready to spring into action. The kids were to spend the tenth at camp 38 and finish up a round-trip to camp 37 for their last night. The rangers had two teams. The A team took the Baxter Creek Trail toward camp 38. The boys’ first night out camping was to be at camp 38. B team started toward camp 37 along the Big Creek Trail. The boys’ last night camping was to be at camp 37. Having the teams walk from opposite directions decreased the time spent searching for them. The rangers didn’t know whether the boys had a problem at the start or finish of their hike. Josh was in camp B. The group walked in silence, each person having their own thoughts. Josh had been a ranger for fourteen years and was hoping for a happy ending for them. It had been ten days since the boys had left. If they had food and water for the seven planned days, they would have been out for three. A body can go without food for five days, but they would need water. There was water in almost every direction in the park. If they kept their heads, they could find water sources.

They never made it to their last camp, stated Dave Taylor. This camp has been empty for some time. He was the best tracker the park had. He had single-handedly found over fifty people. The group continued along the Walnut Bottom trail.

********

Stephen thought he saw someone. Fear tore through him. He dragged his body farther away in an unsuccessful attempt to hide himself. Josh saw him as soon as he started to move and knew from experience that a person, who is lost for more than forty-eight hours, will run and hide from their rescuers. Victims who are lost but have a companion whether it is a person or animal will run to the rescuers. He approached him slowly.

Son, are you all right? My name is Josh, and I’m a forest ranger. I’m here to help you. I will not hurt you. Stephen continued to drag himself farther away. Hey, Charlie 109, I have an injured male here appears to be eighteen to twenty years old. I see no signs of his brother. Send in a wheeled litter, there are too many trees for a helicopter to be able to fly in. He continued to approach the boy slowly; he appeared to have lost consciousness on examination, he found a compound fracture to his left tibia and fibula bones. From the position his body was lying, he suspected a fractured pelvis as well as a severe concussion. Steven woke up as Josh was examining him. He could see the fear in his eyes. He couldn’t find a pulse in his left leg. Son, I’m going to stretch out your left leg. I need to increase circulation to it. It’s going to hurt. Here, bite on this. He handed him a roll of gauze. Steven screamed out as his leg was straightened. He pulled his leg until the tibia and fibula bones were in alignment. Josh was still unable to feel a pulse. His foot was cold. Stephen passed out during this procedure. He wet a bandage with saline and applied it to the exposed bone. He then applied a splint to his leg. His left hip was extremely discolored. His abdomen felt distended.

He woke up minutes later. Josh spoke to him in soft tones, reassuring him that all would be all right. Is your name Steven? Yes, you found my brother, didn’t you? He was with me. He was my responsibility! Josh looked down at his desperate face. He didn’t want to upset him further. He also knew that if he lied to him now, he would lose any trust he had gained.

Steven, you are the first to be found. We have rangers going all over the trails. We will find him. God, what am I supposed to tell my parents? I swore that I wouldn’t leave his side. He’s only ten years old. You’ve got to find him! Steven, we will find him. He remembered the little girl that they never found. He said a prayer that history would not be repeated. Steven, tell me where you’re hurt. I hurt all over. I feel like a truck rolled over me. My left leg and hip hurt the most. I have a pretty bad headache too. Are you having any trouble breathing? A little, and my chest hurts.

Stephen became apprehensive as additional help arrived. Steven, we’re going to put you on that stretcher. We’ll tape you down so you won’t fall off. Son, everything is going to be all right. It took them more than three hours to descend the mountain. Stephen remained stoic throughout the long, painful ride. Stephen was loaded in to the EMS ambulance. Son, take care, you’ll be at the hospital soon. Josh padded his shoulder. Stephen grabbed his arm. Ride with me, please, I’m afraid.

Steven, I need to look for your brother. Please, sir, I’m afraid I don’t want to be alone. His eyes reminded him of a frightened deer. There are other rangers looking for my brother, aren’t there? Yes, Steven, there are many other rangers searching for your brother. Do you have room for one more? Sure, anything for you, Josh, said the paramedic.

********

I’ve got a bad feeling about this. We’ll have to look hard for him. We might walk right past him as he will probably be afraid of us and hide, said David. Apparently, this is his first camping trip alone with his brother. Unless he kept his head together and set up some sort of shelter, I doubt that we’ll find him alive. He’s only ten years old, said Andrew. Heck, grown men have panicked and run off and left their backpack behind. Remember last spring when those guys got separated from each other. One guy kept his head and set up camp. He cooked himself a full course meal. He slept fairly comfortable with his sleeping bag and tent. The other guy panicked. He ran dropping things out of his backpack. We kept finding items as we walked. First, a jacket, then his cooking pan, followed by food, water, his sleeping bag, tent, and then we found him. He had died from dehydration and exposure. The temperature had dropped below thirty degrees that night. It’s a dame shame that people go back packing in the wild without the proper knowledge needed for survival, stated Taylor.

"I love the mentality of day hikers. They go out for a two-hour walk to see a waterfall.

They get themselves lost. They have no food, no water, and no jacket. Some spend an uncomfortable night, and others have died," said Jack.

The four rangers spent a grueling four additional hours searching for the young boy. We’re running out of daylight. If we don’t start back, we’ll be stuck out here. Team B’s not having any luck either. I hate to leave that kid out here another night, said Andrew.

Andy! That looks like a backpack. It is. There’s his sleeping bag. Like I said, I’ve got a bad feeling. Jack, don’t call up a body bag until we find him, okay? Oh Jesus, that poor kid. They found the corpse forty-five feet off the trail. From the amount of blood present, it doesn’t appear that he walked from the trail. He was dragged. Look here, the ground cover is smashed over, pointed out Andy.

Joseph’s corpse was ravished by a brown bear. The kid was alive when he was mauled. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be bright red blood. Also, he wouldn’t have bled out like that, said Dave. He wished they would have found him still alive.

Now is a good time to order that body bag? It would be handy if we carried a bag in our pack when we go out on these search and rescue missions. Jack, don’t you think that’s kind of morbid?"

********

Andy found Josh at headquarters. The two of them just looked at each other and walked away. Andy headed over to the ranger housing. The shower almost felt warm. He was so tired. He didn’t care if he ate anything. All he wanted was his bed.

Josh went home to his wife and children. Are the kids in bed? They just fell asleep. I’ll heat up some dinner for you. You just relax, and I’ll be back in a minute. Joanne found her husband sound asleep on the couch when she returned with his dinner. She kissed him as she covered him up with a blanket and climbed into their bed. It felt empty without him, but she didn’t have the heart to wake him. Good night, my big, handsome, strong ranger. I love you.

Josh woke up to the laughter of his children. He picked up six-year-old Justin and three-year-old Alicia and gave them a big bear hug. Justin yelled out, Dad, you’re squishing me! Six-month-old Amanda started to cry. Josh embraced his youngest child in his arms. Joanne stood by the kitchen door. She loved seeing her husband with the children. Let’s make a big old heart-stopping breakfast. I’m hungry enough to eat a bear. He picked his wife up in his arms. I thought we were going to have breakfast, said Joanne. You two stop kissing. My tummy is rumbling, said Justin. I guess we’ll have to wait until later, sighed Josh.

Chapter 3

Joanne was angry; Jamie Wells had left for dinner break at seven fifteen. At nine, he came waltzing down the hall as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Jamie, I’ve medicated every one of your patients for pain. I also discharged Mr. Beaches in 678. Did you forget about him? This has to stop. She had reprimanded him the last two times she had worked with him. She decided to leave a note for her superior.

The cell phone in her pocket started ringing. She heard Don’s friendly voice on the other side of the line. Hey, Jo, I have a sixteen-year-old MVA. She was an unrestrained passenger in the backseat. She has a right pneumothorax with a chest tube to suction, a right fractured femur, multiple abrasions to the face, and a long laceration to her right cheek. Plastics sutured her already. She had a five-minute loss of consciousness. Pupils are equal and reactive. Oxygen saturation is in the high nineties. Her vital signs are all normal. We medicated her twice with morphine sulfate. 681 is open, bring her on up, Joanne told him. Okey-dokey. See you in a few, replied Don. She delegated two of her patients to Jamie. This patient coming up would need a lot of care initially.

Her new patient’s name is Dolores Young.