Would you risk your life to save your son or daughter?
I suspect almost every parent would answer in the affirmative but very few moms and dads are confronted with the reality of laying down their life for their child.
Fred Pepperman of Tennessee paid the ultimate price earlier this month when he jumped into a riptide off the Florida coast to save his three daughters from drowning.
The brave father succeeded in saving them but collapsed in the process and was unable to be revived.
“He did everything a dad is supposed to do,” his wife told reporters. “Without him, three of [our kids] would be gone.”
I’ve been blessed to take both Trent and Troy on numerous adventures over the years. We’ve boogie boarded, white-water rafted, hunted, fished, ridden ATV’s, rock climbed, rappelled and tackled all types of adventures.
I’ve often thought about the danger, especially during some of the more riskier ventures and made plans in my head how to respond should a rescue be necessary. Thankfully, I’ve never been put in that situation.
Fred Pepperman is a modern-day hero, a man’s man who all dads should laud and lift up.
Our faith commands fathers to both instruct and protect our children – even at great risk to ourselves.
The Pepperman family has started a GoFundMe page to help raise funds for their daughter’s college educations. If you feel led to give, I would encourage you to do so.
In a Facebook post following her husband’s death, Julie Pepperman offered the following reflection:
“Fred was truly a great man with a big heart and generous spirit. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, thunderstorms, and woodworking. He never met a stranger, was always ready with a smile and a story, and never turned down someone in need.”
Please join me in praying for the Pepperman family.
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