Update On My Dad
I am sure many of you have heard about the horrible freak accident that my dad, Pastor Andrew Edwards, had on Thursday, April 17, 2025. We have had many reach out about exactly what had happened. I decided to write it out from my perspective to hopefully answer a few questions.
Last week on Thursday, April 17th, around 10:45 pm, I had just finished up my skincare and was getting into bed. Justin had gone out that evening to meet up with a friend who was in from out of town and he wasn’t home yet. My mom had sent me a text and it simply said, “your dad went into an accident. I can’t get hold”. That was it. I immediately tried to call her. It was then that I realized that somehow my phone had been turned on airplane mode which is why I didn’t get her call a few minutes before.
She didn’t have much information except that she had received a call from the ER nurse who said he was in an accident. She said a tree fell on his truck, and mom needed to come to the hospital. I automatically feared the worst because the nurse was calling her and my dad wasn’t calling himself. Why couldn’t he call her? Was he alive? Was he just passed out? These questions and so many more were running through my head. I also didn’t know how bad the accident was. Was the tree small? Was it big? How did it land on his truck? Etc?!!
A few minutes later my brother called me and said he was on his way to the hospital and he’d keep me posted. He didn’t know any more than mom had on the situation. I immediately called Justin in a panic and while I was talking to him, I received a text from my brother that shared a news story about the accident. It read “1 killed, 1 injured in a freak accident.” Here is the news story that I was sent. https://www.13abc.com/2025/04/18/1-killed-one-injured-after-tree-power-lines-fall-car-near-secor-laskey/
I immediately started crying. I had no idea anyone was even in the car with him. That wasn’t mentioned in the phone calls. Normally my brother-in-law goes with him to Bible study on Thursdays so I was so frantic that it could have been him. I sent it to Justin while I was on the phone with him. Justin simply said “Dear God. Kalee,I’m sorry, but I just don’t know what to tell you. This doesn’t look good.” I couldn’t even speak. I just was bawling. Justin immediately said he would rush home. I was pacing the house just waiting for updates from my family. They kept saying that no one was telling them anything yet. They found out that the man who was killed was a dear man that would go with my dad to Bible study every Thursday. His name was Richard Miller. The authorities said he was killed on impact. My heart was deeply saddened to hear this tragic news. He was only 35 years old. I didn’t know him personally, but my family has said that he was so kind and sweet. They all only spoke highly of him. He was always willing to help and loved my dad and the church so much. They had helped him through all of his struggles that he had with anxiety, and my dad had been a huge mentor for him. Richard was even speaking at the Bible study, which was such a huge step from someone who didn’t even look anyone in the eye prior. In fact he had just spoken that evening before this happened. They were all so proud of how far he had come.
My family finally heard more details of the accident and were able to share them with me. Apparently what had happened was my dad, Richard, and my brother-in-law, Joe, were all in my dad’s truck coming home from the Bible study. My dad had dropped Joe off at his house and was headed to drop Richard off. This was about 9 PM EST. They were slowing down at a light to turn on the cross street and all of the sudden this huge tree just fell out of nowhere onto his truck. There was no wind, no storm. It just fell down due to tree rot. It was truly such a freak accident, and there were no warning signs that could have helped this situation play out differently. Richard went to be with Jesus immediately, and my dad was knocked unconscious and hit from behind with this tree. His truck was completely destroyed. The authorities got my dad out and rushed him to the hospital. They told my family he had a skull fracture, brain bleed, broken clavicle, fractured sternum, 3 fractures in the vertebrae in his neck.
When we got the information about my dad, I was first of all so grateful that he was even alive. I truly thought he was dead. However, I was so scared to hear what the long term issues might be from this and to even see what he looked like. When I saw the truck, I just could only imagine what that tree did to him personally. Around 1 AM my family was finally able to send a picture of him. I started to cry with sorrow and thankfulness because it was only God that saved him. God wasn’t done with him yet. He looked so good to me considering how terrible his truck looked.
First picture I received of my dad at 1 AM.
We headed to the hospital the next day to be with everyone and to just pray over my dad because he was in such critical condition. His future was very uncertain. He was somewhat responsive, would squeeze our hand but never opened his eyes. I was able to stay overnight with him that Friday evening. Early Saturday morning he started opening his eyes and responding to me. I cannot tell you how happy I was. We'd been praying nonstop for him, and God was truly answering prayers. He told me he loved me, which I’d been praying to hear all night. He also kept saying in a very muffled voice, “I want to brush my teeth.” 😂 That day they had scheduled to do more scans/tests on him to monitor the brain bleed. It appeared small, but deep, which was very concerning to them. So Saturday he was mostly sedated so that he would be able to sit still for the MRI and other tests.
My dad speaking with me early Saturday morning.
The kids visiting dad on Sunday (April 20)
On Easter Sunday morning, the stroke team came in and delivered the best news. The brain bleed that they were concerned about was nothing to be worried about. The doctors said they wouldn’t test it anymore because it was nothing. GOD TRULY ANSWERS PRAYER!
So many of you all from all over the world were praying for my dad, and we felt them. We can’t thank everyone enough. Obviously he has a long road of recovery ahead with his broken bones, but we are so hopeful. Thankfully the long term brain injuries were all ruled out. 🥹 He was moved out of ICU to the Trauma unit on Sunday evening. He is making progress slowly. He is a little more responsive every day. He is still not eating and sleeping most of the time, but every day he is comprehending more of what happened. Please pray for strength for him and for my mom. It is not easy to see someone you love in this state. He also is still unaware of the major details of this accident. I know he will be devastated when hears of his friend and church member, Richard. Please keep praying for his recovery, and we cannot thank God enough for sparing my dad’s life. He is truly a living miracle. 🫶🏼🥹. Also please continue to pray for the Richard Miller family as they lost their dear son and now try to navigate life without him. 😔
Thumbs up - Monday (April 21)
Looking at the cards the kids made him on Tuesday (April 22).