Amalfi Coast crash & miracles!

(written by Cliff) To start off, let's chat about my hat collection. They go from the classic BYU fan hat to an exotic down under (Australian style) ostrich hat and everything in between. We bring up the hats because as senior missionaries we wear a lot of figurative hats. When we served as junior missionaries there were no senior missionaries. Everything in a mission was done by junior missionaries and the mission president. In our current mission, we do a large variety of tasks that aren't related to our primary mission assignment - which is to serve the Young Single Adults (YSAs) in our area. Fear not, we have not forgotten the YSAs. We still give them the majority of our time.

Hat #1 Medical assistant. We have become very close with our mission medical professional. Shout out to the AMAZING Sorella Parker! We do all we can to assist with the medical issues that come up in the Campania region. Whether it be rides to doctor visits, priesthood blessings, translations of medical records or even getting medical imaging to the correct medical professionals from the mission and the area, we do our best to assist in the care of the missionaries in our area and once in a while even those who aren't in our area. Sometimes all that is required is a hug and knowledge that someone who cares is nearby. My training and career have been an unexpected blessing for hat #1.

God places us where we need to be and places people in our path when we can help.

Even injured missionaries can get a lift from a quick trip to the Amalfi Coast. Anziano Lee stayed with us for five or six days after a bad knee injury.

We went to Church that Sunday in Salerno, then drove the long way home.

Have I mentioned how much I love having the best sister in the mission as my companion? Once we got home to Pompei, I got a call from our friend Mike Pickerd (former Rome Mission President, serving with his wife at the Rome temple), who got a call from one of his former missionaries, who lives in Texas in Ike's (Miranda's husband's) parent's ward. He had learned that a young mother (member of the Church) Miranda Preston was involved in a terrible vespa crash with her father. She had been taken by ambulance to the hospital in Amalfi, then life flighted to a larger hospital in Salerno, because of her traumatic injuries; fractured jaw, teeth fallen out, fractured orbital bone, broken ribs, fractured back, lacerated liver, internal bleeding, cuts, abrasions, and lacerations.

I immediately got in the car and was in Salerno at the hospital within 30 minutes. Upstairs guests (who were staying in a member couple's vacant apartment while they were on vacation) came down to hangout w/ Martha and injured Elder Lee. As we look back, we see so many tender mercies and divine signatures in this tragic, yet beautiful story of miracles.

The Prestons (and her parents, the Bolicks) spoke no Italian and didn't have an understanding of the culture - and above all Italian hospitals/doctors. I was able to really help, since I understand all three due to my career, working with Italian doctors in hospitals for so many years. With the help of Ike (Miranda's husband), I was able to get into Miranda's room. People are not able to get in to visit patients in Italian hospitals, especially in a pre-surgery unit like she was in. Ike and I gave Miranda a priesthood blessing. It was a sacred experience I won't soon forget. I don't remember the words of the blessing, but I do remember the calm feeling of peace and security and feeling all would be well for Miranda.

After the blessing a nurse came in and asked me to leave, but didn't have any information on the status of her condition to relay to Miranda and Ike, and the nurse didn't speak English. I politely told her in Italian that I couldn't and wouldn't leave until I had spoken to the Dr., so they could at least know the extent of her injuries and the plan for her health care moving forward. Up until I arrived, waiting with so much unknown, Ike (who had just graduated from medical school in America) felt so helpless, and they both felt so vulnerable not knowing what was going on. Shortly afterward, the nurse came back with a doctor who explained her injuries and what the next steps would be. This was the pattern for the next few days.

Word spread of Miranda's condition, and people from all around the world began praying on her behalf. Her name was on temple prayer rolls throughout the world. All the missionaries from the Rome mission knelt and prayed for her multiple times. Miranda told us that those moments alone in the hospital she felt angels round about her to bear her up and ease her fears. Miraculously her liver regenerated, she had a critical mouth surgery, and her condition stabilized to the point they could safely move her close to us, one step toward getting her back to America to continue her medical care.

With the help of Sorella Parker (our mission health advisor), our mission Doctor in Spain, our member friend Paolo D'Appuzzo, who is a retired pharmacist from Castellamare, and a wheel chair in Napoli, we were able to take her out of the hospital and set up a "mini medical clinic" in an air BnB by our home in Castellamare. Fortunately Ike is a doctor, so he took over her care until another set of miracles occurred, allowing her to safely fly home, just 8 days after her horrific crash.

Some of you may have seen the coverage on KSL news about Miranda (driving the Vespa) and her father's scooter crash on the Amalfi Coast near where we live. She flew into a wall and was so lucky not to fly over it. Amanda is a great example of faith in adversity. Through it all I never heard her say "why me?"

Amanda's husband Ike is stalwart. Getting to know him was an honor and blessing in our lives. We look forward to our next meeting being under much better circumstances.

Giving love, blessings and support to injured and very worried parents was a humbling privilege for us.

Not a coincidence - when Ike went out to buy Miranda a shirt to wear in the hospital, it was an image of the Japanese pottery technique of Kintsugi. Little did he know, that night we had given Miranda's parents a framed image of Christ for Miranda, painted by the artist Paige Payne (with permission), portraying the Kintsugi technique of repair using gold. We give this painting as a gift to whoever needs an embrace and healing from the Savior. We place this explanation on the back:

An embrace from the Savior

Kintsugi (金継ぎ, "golden joinery") is a Japanese pottery technique, where cracks in the pottery are put back together with a gold lacquer. The cracks are considered a beautiful part of the pottery’s history - something that has made the pot even more beautiful and valuable than it was before. From the artist,“In this painting, you can see that the Kintsugi connects Christ to the person He is hugging. I really wanted to make the person He is hugging abstract enough that anyone could imagine that it is them. You can’t tell if it is a man or woman, you can’t tell what skin color they have or what they look like. I hope that when you see this piece you can imagine that He is hugging you, binding up your broken heart, healing you and helping you become something more beautiful than you could ever imagine. (artist, Paige Payne Creations, with permission)

John 13: 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

I pause Miranda's story to tell you about Hat #2 we wear: Event Planner and cook. In the middle of everything going on, we were also in charge of the food for Zone Conference that week.

As you all know Martha loves to plan events. In the Campania zone we and the Coppia Castellano assist in making a nice meal, along with beautiful presentation alla Martha, at each zone conference.

At this conference, we also printed and laminated pictures of cleaning products for apartments, with instructions on how to use them.

This transfer it was three large pans of homemade lasagna alla Cliff. We think they liked it since they were a little disappointed when we didn't have it the next conference.

This conference we also had the help of Sorella Miller, master chef, who made mille foglie. Che buono!!!

Back to Miranda. This is their view of Vesuvius from their AirBnB in Castellamare. If you look closely, you can see our apartment in the distance!

Once we broke Amanda out of the hospital she continued her recovery nearer to us and our resources. She began miraculous, rapid healing.

Ike's mom Rachel flew in from Texas and made it just in time for a very important birthday.

The Castellamare Relief Society also heard about Miranda's situation. They made a get well video for her and sweet little Mother's Day gifts.

On Saturday, once everyone was settled, we took Ike his mom and the kids to stretch their legs a bit on Lungo Mare in Castellamare.

Rachel had never been to Italy, and we told her she could't leave the country without seeing the beautiful sea and having a gelato and walk along the boardwalk. (You can see the image of the island of Capri in the distance.)

These couple of hours were healing for everyone.

Castellamare is a beautiful city on the shores of the gulf of Napoli. This day there were five brides taking their wedding pics.

We rushed home from the beach, picked up the meal I had made and headed to Napoli. YSA's gotta eat! Most weeks after institute we feed them. Today was pasta e patate, a typical Napoletano dish, per request of they YSAs. I ask them for recipes; now that I'm retired, I am enjoying cooking.

Looks like a future Relief Society Presidency to us. What do you think?

These are our some of our faithful, dedicated, amazing GANS (YSAs) in Napoli after church.

Sunday, a week exactly from their accident, we had a very sacred time all together at their BnB. Rob, Miranda's dad was also injured in the crash, and I think it finally hit him that he needed to also be cared for. It was Mother's Day, and both Miranda and her beautiful mother Wendy needed this special moment. Rob and Wendy had lost two other children in death, and my heart was so tender recalling what Wendy had told me in tears right after the crash, "All my eggs are in this basket. She is all I have."We were so happy we could bring them a homemade meal and bring the sister missionaries with us to minister to them. Sorella Miller made the yummies brownies that Miranda could eat.

We reflected on all the miracles surrounding the accident and her transfer to Castellamare. Teams of doctors Ike and Miranda knew (from med school, and Miranda had previously worked for a maxillofacial surgeon) consulted with Ike (including the Rome Mission Dr) to make a treatment plan to stabilize her, move her to the BnB, then safely fly her home. Without the help from Dr. Crozier (Mission Dr) who wrote the prescriptions and Paolo D'Apuzzo (former Castellamare pharmacist) and his friends at the pharmacy, the care plan would not have worked. Cliff walked with Ike and Rob into the pharmacy and they were greeted with... "Oh good. You are here! We were told by Paolo to give his American friends everything they need."

Friends and strangers donated and made arrangements so Miranda and Ike could fly first class (so she could lay down flat) to Utah (where her parents live) and teams of doctors were waiting to care for her. Tickets were purchased for Rachel, Wendy, and Rob to fly the boys to Texas, where Rachel and her husband would care for them. Wendy and Rob then returned to Utah to care for Miranda. To add complexity to the situation, this was Ike's medical school graduation trip. The day after the crash, they were supposed to fly home to his graduation ceremony, then pack up their home in Billings, Montana and move to College Station, Texas. They had bought a fixer upper and planned to work on it the rest of May, before he started his medical residency June 1st. More miracles occurred as teams of angels helped Ike pack and move their things from Montana to Texas, then get their fixer upper home livable.

You may have seen this picture in the news or on tv.

Our sisters gave a beautiful Mother's Day devotional about grace. It was very healing! Perhaps one of the sweetest things I saw that day was Miranda, ministering and loving all of us. I told her I thought she had a new mission in life - to testify to others of modern day miracles!

A week prior we were strangers; now we are forever friends!

Outside of the B&B was this most beautiful rose - it served for all of us as a reminder of the beauty found amidst the storms of life. Even in adversity and trial, God is there; He is in the details of the details, and He loves all His children.

So many miracles happened that facilitated Miranda and her family's return home. We know they were accompanied by angels! We felt angels present in all of our interactions with this beautiful family.

When Miranda was in the hospital in Salerno, the members of the Church in that area were so concerned and wanted to help. Our amazing YSA (GANS) Noemi enlisted the help of the members and they made a video for Miranda. We took clips of each segment, so you could feel the love offered to her through their beautiful messages. This video has been a treasure for Miranda.

Miranda is so lucky to be alive. She has gone back and forth from Utah to Texas and has had many mouth and eye surgeries and is now recovering at home with her beautiful family. We love them so much and know it was not a coincidence that we were here in their time of need. Miranda told our daughter on the phone that if we came on our mission just to be there for them in their desperate time of need, it was worth our sacrifice.

We feel blessed to wear many hats on our mission and are grateful for all opportunities to serve - whichever way we are able. Who would have ever thought that medical imaging would be a part of our mission or that I of all people, would be cooking lasagna for an entire zone. The Lord gives us skills, talents, blessings, resources, opportunities and even trials throughout our lives that are preparing us to serve. The Savior asked Peter "Will thou lay down thy life for my sake?"(John 13:38). We ask our selves that question each day and do our best to answer His call by serving to the best of our abilities and putting our lives in His hands - to do with us as He needs at this time, even when it feels a little out of our comfort zone.

With all our love and gratitude,

La Coppia Montagnoli

Cliff & Martha