Goodbye Dr. Krauthammer
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada with a word about Charles Krauthammer.
I’m sure you heard last week that this celebrated commentator on Fox News passed away from cancer. He was well loved for his bright humor, and even brighter intellect. As a conservative thinker, many said Charles Krauthammer surpassed even William F. Buckley. But for me (and I was a big fan), there’s a different reason I was moved hard by his death last week. Charles was a quadriplegic in a wheelchair. When he was in Harvard Medical School, he dove into the shallow end of a pool and consequently, fractured his cervical vertebra and severed his spinal cord. Now (and this is where it gets personal), as a quadriplegic, I always feel a unique kinship, an unusual unity with other quads, no matter what their political, social or religious views. We all share an intimate bond of living with the extreme hardship of paralysis. So, when a quad I know passes away, I feel the sting in my chest; I feel a strange kind of loss. It’s because I feel I knew that person well, just because of our unique situation.
I remember in 2004, I was in Ethiopia being interviewed, the anchorman asked what I thought about the recent death of actor Christopher Reeve. I teared up in shock, right there before the camera, because we shared a bond of injury. And now, Charles Krauthammer, a fellow quad, died last week. And I choked when I heard the news. Although I never met Dr. Krauthammer, he and I shared a lot in common. Both 68 years old… both quads from diving accidents, and we both battled cancer. I survived; and he didn’t.
In 1984, in a Washington Times article, Dr. Krauthammer said, “…after the accident, I thought, the terrible thing is that people are going to judge me now by a different standard. If I can just muddle through life, they’ll say it was a great achievement, given [my paralysis]. That would be the worst, the greatest defeat in my life. I decided if I could make people judge me by the old standard, that would be a triumph and that’s what I try to do. It seemed to me the only way to live.”
I understand those words… Surviving a terrible accident forces you to re-evaluate your life. For me, however, the greatest defeat in my life would have been to miss knowing the God of the Bible. For me, the triumph was being forced into the arms of God. And from what I can tell of his writings, Charles never let his quadriplegia push him that way.
And that’s ultimately all that matters. If we survive a catastrophic accident, would we let it push us toward Christ? I loved Mr. Krauthammer, but you can have all the fame and intellect in the world, and it sadly will not serve you in eternity. It’s why James chapter 4, verse 14 says, “you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” So please, friend, if there’s any doubt, if there are any questions yet lingering about your salvation, put away those doubts and resolve those questions today. The Bible is filled with good news that can change your eternal destiny. Today, come to Christ if you haven’t yet trusted him as your Lord and Savior. Go to joniandfriends.org and click on the tab that says Good News. And let those words of hope and healing push you into the arms of Jesus.
© Joni and Friends
