The 5 W’s of Mistaken Identity
Mistaken Identity, by Don and Susie Van Ryn and Newell, Colleen and Whitney Cerak with Mark Tabb is the story of two families whose daughters were involved in a terrible car accident. The Van Ryns, Don and Susie, whose daughter was Laura, also had another daughter named Lisa. The Ceraks, Newell and Colleen’s daughter was Whitney, who had a sister also, Carly. There were nine people involved in the crash while only four survived, including the Van Ryn’s daughter, Laura.
The horrific crash happened on the evening of April 26, 2006. Both Laura and Whitney were students at Taylor University, a Christian college in Upland, Indiana. Laura Van Ryn was coming back from the Fort Wayne campus of Taylor to the one in Upland. She was in a Taylor van when it was hit by a truck. Laura was coming back from working at a banquet that was honoring Taylor’s new president. There had been two different Taylor vans. Whitney was also in one of them after coming from working at the special dinner. The truck had crossed over the center median and crashed into the two vans. Laura was taken to Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne, in critical condition.
Once Susie, Don, and Lisa had been informed of the …show more content…
At first, they didn’t. In the prologue of the book they describe themselves as “very private families, and to have our lives thrown open before the world caused us discomfort.” (Tabb viii) Also, Whitney wanted to live a “normal life”. But after the accident, many people were contacting the families and telling them how God used their stories. They described that “Our hearts became open to sharing this story as a way to encourage others.” (Tabb viii) Also, on the one-year anniversary of the accident, Whitney “was beginning to see how God could use this story for greater good.” (Tabb viii) The Ceraks and Van Ryns knew that the book would help people to see God through this
Mistaken Identity, by Don and Susie Van Ryn and Newell, Colleen and Whitney Cerak with Mark Tabb is the story of two families whose daughters were involved in a terrible car accident. The Van Ryns, Don and Susie, whose daughter was Laura, also had another daughter named Lisa. The Ceraks, Newell and Colleen’s daughter was Whitney, who had a sister also, Carly. There were nine people involved in the crash while only four survived, including the Van Ryn’s daughter, Laura.
The horrific crash happened on the evening of April 26, 2006. Both Laura and Whitney were students at Taylor University, a Christian college in Upland, Indiana. Laura Van Ryn was coming back from the Fort Wayne campus of Taylor to the one in Upland. She was in a Taylor van when it was hit by a truck. Laura was coming back from working at a banquet that was honoring Taylor’s new president. There had been two different Taylor vans. Whitney was also in one of them after coming from working at the special dinner. The truck had crossed over the center median and crashed into the two vans. Laura was taken to Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne, in critical condition.
Once Susie, Don, and Lisa had been informed of the …show more content…
At first, they didn’t. In the prologue of the book they describe themselves as “very private families, and to have our lives thrown open before the world caused us discomfort.” (Tabb viii) Also, Whitney wanted to live a “normal life”. But after the accident, many people were contacting the families and telling them how God used their stories. They described that “Our hearts became open to sharing this story as a way to encourage others.” (Tabb viii) Also, on the one-year anniversary of the accident, Whitney “was beginning to see how God could use this story for greater good.” (Tabb viii) The Ceraks and Van Ryns knew that the book would help people to see God through this