Irmi Knoblauch - Bad Luck Comes in Threes

It had snowed in the night. Just perfect for skiing.  Irmi Knoblauch, her husband Franz, and their daughter Martina were set to enjoy a day on the slopes.  Skiing was their passion.  And so, with great expectations, they went to the top of the mountain.  

Irmi was first off the chairlift.  But, instead of gracefully sking to the start of the slope, Irmi tumbled and fell.  It was nothing serious. Irmi was just a little bit shaken and felt wobbly and weak at the knees. This was, after all, the first time that tumbling off a chairlift had happened to her.  

Sking down the slope, Martina went first.  Everything was going just fine.  But, what was Martina doing?  Irmi saw it but was helpless.  Martina had gone off of the slope and was now skiing in deep snow!  Then came the worst.

Martina was dug out of the snow.  She taken by stretcher down to the valley.  The mountain rescue did a wonderful job.  Irmi and Franz followed on in their tracks.  However, it took much longer than expected for Irmi and Franz to get down to the valley.

For some unknown reason, one of Franz's skis managed to break free from its bindings.  Then, being free, this now liberated ski shot off with full speed and into the forest.  Left with only one ski, all Franz could do was to walk. 

That evening, Franz and Irmi picked Martina up from the hospital. She had twisted her knee, nothing more.  Martina was going to be fine.  They were happy.

Irmi, Franz, and Martina stayed on in the mountains for the rest of the week. They made the most of things as they were.  But, sadly, in the following years, Martina never went skiing again.  

Bad luck comes in threes.  Irmi tumbled and fell whilst getting off a chairlift,  Martina was dug out of the snow and was taken down to the valley, and Franz lost a ski.  And, all in one day!  Nothing too bad, but, bad enough to cause very big changes. 

Bad luck comes in threes.  Irmi, Franz, and Martina.

 By Nigel A.  JAMES

 

A Life Behind Bars - Jan de Cock

 

A Life Behind Bars - Jan de Cock

Jan de Cock of Belgium has spent a lot of his life behind bars   Jan runs an NGO which helps prisoners in all kinds of ways. And, in the course of his work, Jan has travelled the world. And, Jan has had an interesting life. He has experienced much and heard many stories.

But, the story Jan discovered in a jail in Brazil was simply amazing.

Diego was serving  a very long sentence.  He had murdered a taxi driver. And each week, and this was amazing, Diego was visited by his victim's family. And, they had become very good friends. And all for a very good reason.

It turned out that Diego's victim's sister had been diagnosed with a serious kidney disease. A kidney transplant was all she could hope for. And, Diego got to know about this.

Diego offered to help. He would, if he could, donate one of his kidneys.   Diego underwent tests and did all that had to be done. And, then came the results. A miracle.

Diego's kidney was perfect. Totally compatible.

The operation took place. A total success. Diego's victim's young sister was given one of Diego's kidneys.  Diego  had saved the life of his victim's young sister.

But, this story has an irony, too.

If Diego had not had murdered his victim, he would not have been able to save the life of his victim's young sister.  A twist of fate beyond understanding.

Of course, Jan de Cock had many other experiences, too. But, Diego's story was without any doubt the most incredible and touching of all.

Diego murdered a taxi driver then saved the life of his victim's young sister. 

 A story Jan heard in a jail in Brazil.

Jan de Cock and his life behind bars.