The Burning Brush Experience

By Dan T. Cathy

“Yea, though I walk through the valleyof the shadow of death, I will fear noevil; for youyou withwith me…”

Psalm 23:4 (NKJV)

Dan T. CathyPresident and Chief Operating Officer

Chick-fil-A, Inc.5200 Buffington RoadAtlanta, Georgia 30349-2998Telephone 404 765-8008Fax 404 765-8012E-mail [email protected]

November 2005

Dear family and friends,

As many of you know, on Monday afternoon April 29,2002, I was involved in a brush fire accident thatrequired a ten day stay at Atlanta’s Grady MemorialHospital. My family and I were overwhelmed withexpressions of concern, love and prayers. I thank everyone of you for the role you may have played in makingthis one of the most meaningful experiences of my life.How can something so physically traumatic be so nurturing to the soul?

Please take a few minutes to read this story thatattempts to capture the experience from the patient’sview. I have also included several pictures and aninterview from my wife Rhonda and my son Ross,who ministered to me in my hour of need.

While I would have never brought myself to schedulethis experience on my calendar, I would not have tradedit for the world. Perhaps the Lord can minister to youas you read the account of the consequences of mypoor judgment.

Blessings to you,

onePain

ON MONDAY AFTERNOON, APRIL 29, 2002, I LEFT THE OFFICE TO MEET MY SON

Ross at some property that we were working on near Woolsey, Georgia.I had been underway on this project for about six weeks, using a front-end loader and a Bobcat to push up brush, trees, old fence lines andother debris into piles six or seven feet high to burn. Although I couldhave hired out this work, working outside and getting hot, dirty andsweaty is a wonderful escape from the “corporate” role that occupiesmost of my time. I was burning the piles because burying the debrismakes sinkholes in a pasture when the material decomposes. For threeweeks, we had been burning brush piles, knowing that a ban on burningin metro Atlanta would begin May 1, just two days later.

It was about 7:30 p.m. and we had only four piles left to burn. While Iwas enroute to the property, I asked my son Ross to pour some diesel fuelon the piles, but he called back on his cell phone to say that we had run outof diesel. So I told him to put some gasoline on the piles.

“You want to use the gas?” he responded.

“Yes,” I said, “but don’t light it. We’ll let the gas soak into the wood andthen light it when I get there.”

When I arrived, I pulled out some matches and lit the first two or threepiles. They slowly caught fire because the gas had soaked in for 30 minutesand most of the fumes had evaporated.

When we reached the fourth pile, I put my hands together to give Rossa boost as he climbed to the top to pour on the five gallons of gasoline.When he finished pouring the gas on top, he immediately jumped down.I lit the match. I was about an arm’s length from the pile. As I lit thematch, the whole thing went “whvooom.” In a split second, I saw theflames erupt and felt this incredible wall of heat push me backward.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Ross running in retreat. I knew instantlythat something traumatic had taken place — I could feel a strange sensation

2 | Cathy

on my face and arms. I immediately turned and dove into the lush green fescuegrass, pushing my body forward with my feet and trying to rub off anyflames that might have ignited my clothes. I shouted, “Ross, am I on fire?”By that time, he was right beside me, and he said, “No, Dad. You just staystill. Just stay still. You’re okay. I’ve got to go get help.”

Having left our cell phones in our vehicles, Ross jumped on the littleJohn Deere Gator to drive back to the pickup truck near the road. Abouthalfway there, he figured he could run faster than the Gator was going, sohe jumped off and ran to the truck.

In the meantime, I was justspread eagle in the grass, and Icould hear the fire behind meburning. All the time, I was realizingmore and more that somethingreally traumatic had happened.This is not your burned finger kindof thing. I just lay there with my face in the grass. I couldn’t even close mymouth because of the dirt and tightness around my lips. The sensations inmy arms and face were quickly turning to searing pain. At one point, Ilooked over at my left hand, and I could see rolled up, melted skin hangingunderneath my wrist.

Ross came back with the pickup truck and helped me in. He hadalready called 911 and told me that help was on the way. He drove out tothe intersection of Peeples Road and Highway 92 where paramedics fromthe fire department met us. They got me out of the truck and on my back.Then they told me that when the ambulance arrived, they would take meto Fayette Community Hospital or Southern Regional Hospital, or theycould call a helicopter and Life Flight me to Grady Memorial Hospital. I knew Grady had a good reputation for its burn unit, and I knew that ahelicopter would be a lot faster than the ambulance. So, they radioed forthe helicopter and, fortunately, it was only four minutes away. When Ioccasionally opened my eyes and looked around, I saw a crowd had gatheredaround me — neighbors, people who had seen the emergency vehicles,and rescue workers. I don’t know how many people were there, but I doremember seeing the Fayette County fire chief. I appreciate so much howhe and his department quickly and compassionately cared for me.

The Burning Brush Experience | 3

When I occasionally opened myeyes and looked around, I saw acrowd had gathered around me

— neighbors, people who hadseen the emergency vehicles,

and rescue workers.

As I lay there, the emergency crew asked my name and age; I think theywere just trying to get me to talk and to keep me conscious. At the sametime, they were checking my vital signs — blood pressure, heart rate andtemperature. They were concerned that I might have inhaled flames orextreme heat and damaged my lungs. I was very fortunate; I did not have anyinternal damage, not even the inside of my mouth, although the outsideof my nose and lips were badly scorched.

A few minutes later the helicopter landed in a neighbor’s yard aboutfifty yards away. They placed me on a stretcher and carried me over, and asthey did they said, “Now, Mr. Cathy, you’re going to hear a helicopter, andit’s going to be kind of noisy.” But I didn’t mind that at all. A little noisewas the last thing I was worried about!

Although I only felt light-headed for abrief moment, the helicopter took off, andthey continued the conversation to keepme conscious. After starting an intravenous

(IV), they began to administer morphine to suppress the pain. I rememberedfrom treatments I received two years ago following a motorcycle accidentthat morphine acts very quickly. One of God’s most wonderful blessings toinjured victims is morphine. I don’t know exactly all that it does physically,but it is a God-sent blessing when you are hurting.

There were only three of us on the helicopter: the pilot; Marcus, themedical attendant; and me. I was trying to joke with Marcus and the pilot byasking if I could get frequent flier points for this trip and doing everythingI could just to keep the conversation going.

My feet were toward the front of the helicopter and my head toward the back.I said, “I don’t want to miss this whole flight. Could you prop me up a little?”

“Sure,” Marcus said, and he used some sheets or a blanket to prop up myhead as we flew around the busy Hartsfield International Airport toward thedowntown skyscrapers at sunset. Frankly, it was an exciting feeling at thatpoint to be rescued in such a dramatic manner. We landed on top ofGrady Hospital, and they quickly took me down to the emergency room.All of my personal information and vital signs had been transmitted fromthe helicopter, so they didn’t have to re-document anything. The wholeprocess was very efficient.

4 | Cathy

It was an exciting feeling atthat point to be rescued insuch a dramatic manner.

They had already removed my blue jeans and boots. Regrettably, they hadto cut off my coveted 2001 Peachtree Road Race T-shirt. I sat on the table in theemergency room as the doctors examined me from head to toe, checkingmy back and legs to make sure there were no other injuries. In view of thefact that my hair was singed on the sides, I remember joking during theinitial examination that I used to have a full head of hair! Morphine andintravenous (IV) fluids were being generously applied, blocking most of thepain. There’s no telling how many IV bags of fluid I went through. The bigconcern with burns is to avoid infection, so they caked my arms and facein Silverdine, an antiseptic cream, and lightly wrapped my arms. My face,with first and light second-degree burns, was left unwrapped. I had arrivedin a hospital room around 9:30 p.m., just two hours after the accident. Itwas all very fast and very efficient. By that time, I had not seen any of myfamily or friends. Ross, I learned later, was calling the rest of the family, andthey were calling others. Word of my accident traveled fast.

Soon after I was wheeled into the hospital room, my wife Rhonda andher sister Pam, a registered nurse, arrived. Shortly thereafter, other friendsand family slipped past the nurses’ station for a visit. I don’t remember

who came into the room that night, but I know it was a steady stream of folks. Ilater found out there were two or threetimes more people who came to thehospital and were asked to stay in thewaiting room. A reporter from TheAtlanta Journal-Constitution overheard the emergency radio transmission andcalled the Chick-fil-A Public RelationsDepartment for information on whathad happened. Of course, when youhear someone is “being Life-Flighted

to Grady Hospital,” that sounds pretty traumatic. I didn’t realize at thattime how frightening this was for my family and so many of my dearfriends.

I didn’t sleep that first night. Nurses continued giving me morphine,checking my blood pressure and temperature throughout the night and allof Tuesday.


On Wednesday, though, the treatments of daily skin removal began. Anoccupational therapist took me into what is known as a hydrotherapy room,although I’m sure those who have participated in that experience can thinkof more creative names for that room. The primary treatment for burn victimsis to remove the burned skin so that bacteria does not build up underneathand cause infections. The therapist began by taking off all the bandagesand cleaning the burns — rubbing them with a sponge, then taking scissorsand scraping any dead skin that my body was sloughing off. On my face,there were all first-degree burns, and those on my arms were first and second-degree burns, with some deep second-degree burns. Fortunately for me, Ihad no third-degree burns, which typically require skin grafts and take

much longer to heal. The therapistpicked and peeled on both handsand arms. Exposed raw nerves wereextremely sensitive. Every day therewere more layers of skin sloughingoff, which the therapist had to scrapeaway. I was given morphine duringthat procedure, which typically lastedfor about an hour.

Thursday we went through thewhole thing again. I had to put my arms in big pans of salt water that Ifound soothing. On this day, the pain from the rubbing and scraping was

five times worse than it had been the day before.Despite the morphine, the process was excruci-ating. Rhonda was there with me, rubbing myshoulders to help me deal with the pain, but shehad to leave the room several times because myarms became so bloody. My entire body wouldjust start shaking. My occupational therapist,Lori Goldstein, said after Thursday’s session,“We’ve got to do this differently tomorrow.”

During Friday and Saturday’s hydrotherapysession, I was placed on a steel table covered inplastic. In addition to giving me morphine, theyalso gave me Versed, which causes temporary

6 | Cathy

amnesia. I had to remain partially conscious so I could move around whenasked. I have no memory of the treatmenton Friday or Saturday. Rhonda said laterthat my body felt the pain because Loriwould have to stop and let me rest for awhile when my body started shaking. Iremember walking into the room for therapy, and I remember going back to my room afterward. That’s it. Again, that’sanother marvelous drug that is used in this treatment.

On Sunday, they typically don’t do extensive work in the burn unit; theyjust change the bandages and that was thefirst day that I was able to shower andshave. After that, each day was better, but I still needed morphine for the pain. Theywere giving me anywhere from 10 to 40milligrams a day. They sometimes give burnvictims as much as 80 or 100 milliliters ormore, so my injuries were not nearly asextensive as what some people experience.

Dr. Ferrell, who was assigned to my case, as well as several other internists, waspleased with the progress that I was making.My face was clearing up remarkably fast.When I went into Grady, it was swollenand burned looking, but every visitor that I had from Saturday on wasamazed at how quickly it was clearing up. By the end of the second week, I still had chapped lips, a chapped nose, and light red streaks down theside of my face. My arms were still wrapped from above my elbows to myfingertips to protect them as they healed. I was ready to go home.


twoGratitude

LYING IN A HOSPITAL BED IS A WONDERFUL TIME FOR REFLECTION. I’M THANKFUL

for the incredible resources that we have in our public servants who cometo our aid when we are in need of being rescued. If there’s anythingI’ve learned from September 11 — and I think most people would agree— it’s that we woefully underappreciate our civil servants. Out of atotal humanitarian motive, these heroes are out there risking their livesto save others every day. I’m talking about everybody from politiciansto firefighters, rescue workers to police, and all the other people whokeep our society operating.

I was the beneficiary of heroic efforts by the fire department in littleWoolsey, Georgia, the medic on the helicopter and the Life Flight trans-

portation. I’m grateful to theadmissions personnel at GradyHospital, the emergency technicianswho examined me, and all the otherhospital personnel and medicalattendants. I’m thankful for thenurses and the care they provided.The hospital dieticians stayed righton top of what I was eating to make

sure I was taking in enough calories and protein. They said the healingprocess for burns of my extent is the equivalent of running 10 miles a day asmy body repairs and replaces cells that have been damaged. But despite thethousands of calories I consumed while there, I still lost 10 pounds.

Grady Hospital is a terrific place — not just the doctors, nurses andtherapists — but even the housekeeping people who work so hard to keepeverything clean and neat. I could not have been in better care. The peoplewere warm, congenial, considerate, respectful and compassionate. Theywere just outstanding.

8 | Cathy

I am a native of Atlanta, born on Peachtree Street at Crawford LongHospital, and I have lived here all my life. I don’t know that I’ve been toGrady Hospital more than two or three times to visit friends who were thereas patients. Over the years, whenever I was riding through the downtownconnector, I got into the habit of looking over at Grady and thanking Godthat I was out there on the expressway and not a patient lying in one ofthose hospital rooms. I thanked God for my good health and prayed forthose that were there. I know my prayer now is going to be, “Thank You,God that I was at Grady. Thank You for my ‘Burning Brush Experience.’”

threeCommunity

IT WAS A RICH EXPERIENCE BEING AT GRADY, REALIZING THAT WHILE IT HAS A GREAT

reputation for its trauma center, it is also one of the major indigent-carefacilities in the city of Atlanta, state of Georgia and the Southeastregion. As each day progressed, I regained more mobility and was ableto walk around with the help of my wife Rhonda. I stepped outsidemy hospital room and began to walk down the halls. Making a littleloop down the hall from my room was a sure sign of recovery. Eventually,I was able to go downstairs to the lobby and back up again. As I exploredmore of the hospital, I began to realize the kind of community that


exists at Grady and the scope of people who are treated there — thescope of injury and the scope of social conditions in which people areliving. Just being with the regular folks, and not in some swanky five-star hospital, I had a sense that I was right where Jesus would havebeen.

From my hospital room, I could hear helicopters overhead — otherpatients being Life-Flighted just three floors above me. Just below me, people were arriving in ambulances. They would typically turn off their sirens

about a block away from the hospital sothey didn’t disturb all the patients.

I tried to get a good fix on exactly wheremy room was located on the north side of thehospital. I knew that in the future, wheneverI passed by Grady Memorial Hospital, I

would want to remember my experience. Monday evening, I ventureddown to the emergency entrance to see the ambulances bringing in brokenbodies. As I walked around in a hospital gown with an IV tube in tow, asecurity guard came over and asked me, “Are you a patient in the hospital?”

I said, “I am,” and she said, “Well, you really need to stay closer or, better yet, inside the hospital. You shouldn’t be out in this area at night.”Evidently, it’s a rather dangerous area around Grady, and she did not wantme to venture out too far.

As I was walking back inside, I met a lady who was on the GradyHospital staff. I asked, “What’s your job?”

“I’m a social worker,” she said.

She introduced herself as Mrs. White. I asked what she did specifically,and she said, “When an ambulance arrives, my job is to help identify thevictim if they don’t already know who the person is. Many times these peopledon’t have any identification on them. I have to go back and find out wherethe ambulance picked up the individual, call the sheriff’s department andsee what was reported. Then we can try to contact relatives or friends. We tryto meet the immediate needs of the family.” You can imagine the scope ofcases she must deal with — from tragic deaths to amputations, paralysisand other life-threatening injuries.

10 | Cathy

I knew that in the future,whenever I passed byGrady Memorial Hospital,I would want to remembermy experience.

Then as she observed my burns, Mrs. White said, “Oh, I know whatburns are all about.” I said, “Well, tell me about it.”

She told me: “About 15 years ago, my husband was a heavy equipmentoperator in Augusta, Georgia, and he was involved in some type of incidentwhere there was an explosion. He had burns over 80 percent of his body. Theyhad him in the hospital there in Augusta, and because I worked at Grady, Iwas able to make arrangements to have him transferred to Grady, where hestayed for eight months. He not only survived but is now back at work again!”

I was really encouraged to learn that people with much more extensiveburns than mine usually make a full recovery. I was amazed to learn somuch about burns and burn treatment. For example, while there have notbeen a lot of improvements in burn treatment, there have been manyadvances in pain management. Doctors have found that relieving the bodyof the pain sensation aids in the healing process.

fourReflection

Ross was terror-stricken when the brush ignited. He was horrified atseeing what was happening to his father. While I remained consciousof what was going on throughout this whole thing, I never felt fearful.At the same time, I never felt particularly courageous either. Through-out the entire experience, I felt I was being totally cared for. There wasnot one thing for me to worry about. It never crossed my mind to beconcerned with long-lasting injuries, although they could have beensubstantial.

From the outset, I felt God’s presence with me the whole way. But it’shard to separate the physical, emotional and spiritual experiences. Maybethis will help explain my feelings: Somebody said to me in the hospital,“Dan, this is just a little detour in life.”

Well, that’s not true. This isn’t a detour in my life. This is part of theagenda that God has for me as He deals in my life. This was not a tragic


experience in my life. Just the opposite; this is a marvelous experience forme. I don’t mean to belittle the suffering of someone who may go througha similar, if not worse, experience than mine. There were so many wonderfuldimensions for me that I cannot consider this a detour and certainly not atragedy.

From Rhonda’s perspective, she would not describe it as a marvelousexperience. Neither Ross nor Andrew, my two sons, would describe it thatway. I’m the only one who would describe this as a marvelous experience.

For example, there were the incredible expressions of love and supportfrom far and wide. Within 24 hours, Kay Shoaf, my assistant, was responding

to e-mails and so were other corporatestaff who immediately jumped in tohelp manage the communications.They kept friends, extended family, themedia, Operators, corporate suppliersand other associates up to date withnews. E-mail and voicemail allowed usto communicate accurately and imme-diately as events unfolded — even thevery night of the accident. Rhonda

even left a daily update on our answering machine at home. By the thirdday, I was able to send a personal voicemail message to all the Operatorsand corporate staff to communicate my progress. I thought that they wantedto hear from me and needed to hear my voice. It was important that theyknew how I really felt emotionally, as well as how I was doing from amedical standpoint.

My upbeat attitude about the experience was not a “positive mentalattitude.” There was never the thought to psyche myself up to feel goodabout a bad situation. Not the first thought of worry came to my mind. I honestly never felt it was a bad situation. From the beginning, I had total confidence in the doctors and total confidence in the care I was beinggiven. Most of all, I knew God’s presence was there and that I had nothingabout which to worry or to be concerned. Our Heavenly Father is nevercaught by surprise even in our foolish mistakes.

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fiveEnlarging My Territory

ONE OF THE BIG TAKE-AWAYS FROM THIS EXPERIENCE FOR ME IS THAT MY TERRITORY

has been expanded. We talk about the Prayer of Jabez in which Jabez asksthe Lord to expand or enlarge his territory. I now have a connectionwith people who have experienced burns and who have a moreextended stay than just an overnight quick check-up at an emergencyroom. Until now, I had never spent the night in a hospital as a patient.I’ve never had what I would call an extended stay in a hospital, but Ican understand that experience now.

Another big take-away is the overwhelming, compassionate response ofpeople through letters, messages and prayers. Of course, my family wasthere with me on Monday night when the event happened — Mom andDad, Rhonda and our boys. Dad came back several times throughout mystay. He is, as people who know him will tell you, very compassionate andhas a very tender heart. I knew he was hurting more than he would sayeach time he came by the hospital for a visit. We would visit for a littlewhile and, before he left, he would tear up as he said goodbye.

Even though the family and the doctors requested that other visitorsnot come to the hospital, a number of them did, and I was honored to seeevery one of them. Just to be able to have a conversation helped me takemy mind off other things and just enjoy their presence. To feel their lovefor me was wonderful.

A third big take away is knowing that youdon’t have to go through an experience like thisin a state of fear. I experienced comfort through-out the whole process. I had total peace, God’speace, even out in that field with the fire burning behind me. I knew eventhen that there’s never a place I’m going to go that God is not alreadythere. Psalm 139 talks about going in the deepest part of the sea or thehighest mountain tops and never escaping God’s presence. Where can I fleeHis presence? Nowhere. You can never go anywhere that God’s presenceisn’t already there. Even when we do something stupid like I did!


I had total peace,God’s peace, even out

in that field with thefire burning behind me.

Now, please don’t misunderstand me. I never would have put this onmy schedule. I never would have put this in my Daytimer. God loves us somuch that He, as our spiritual academic dean, knows just what our waywardheart needs. My prayer has been, “Lord, help me to be a good student. Idon’t want to fail this class and have to relearn the valuable lessons youwant me to learn.”

This is not to say that God had anything to do with the foolish thing I did. I lit that pile of brush with fresh gasoline when the fumes were allaround me. It could have been not only permanently tragic for me, butalso for my son, Ross. But, God used this experience to take me into watersjust deep enough to receive a rich blessing from the experience, but not sodeep that I was of no use to others.

sixThe Least of These

THOSE WHO KNOW ME WILL NOT BE SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT THIS WAS NOT A

“come-back-to-Jesus” experience at all for me. I’ve been disciplined andvery regular in my prayer life, in my personal Bible study life, and Ihave seen God working in my life on many occasions.

While I was at Grady, someone sent me aseries of CDs of the gospels (Matthew, Mark,Luke and John) narrated by a talented actorwith backup music behind him. Since I couldn’tflip pages and didn’t feel like reading, I lovedlistening to those gospel CDs. I realized howmuch I needed to go back and refresh myself

with the stories of Jesus and the things that He did. Since this experience, it seems like the Scripture leaps off the paper with fresh meaning.

Sometimes when visitors came to my hospital room, I would say, “I’vegot to play something for you.” Then I would hit the play button on theCD, and they would just have to sit there and listen. It might take 10 or 15

14 | Cathy

I realized how much Ineeded to go back andrefresh myself with thestories of Jesus and thethings that He did.

minutes, but they would listen with me to achapter from the Bible. We would take thatmoment to hear what God had to say. It didn’tnecessarily have any direct application tothe situation I was in, but it was just theexperience of listening to hear who Jesus is,what He did and how He had compassionfor people. I think it’s dynamic to relivehow Jesus ministered to people, and then to venture down to the lobby of Grady, thelargest indigent care hospital in the southernUnited States, and to walk around and visitwith the people that He spent most of His time with: the down-and-outs,the outcasts, the people who many others didn’t have time for, people whowere shrugged aside or pushed off to the side. The juxtaposition of thoseexperiences made me want to go back to Grady Hospital for future visits— but not necessarily as a patient!

God had prepared me for that aspect of my experience through ourinvolvement with a homeless ministry right across the downtown connectorfrom Grady Hospital. It’s called Blood-N-Fire, and it’s been a great experienceto have friendships with people who are jobless, who have broken livesand who are alcoholics. A friend of mine who is a dentist, Abner Moore,took Rhonda and me to visit Blood-N-Fire a few years ago. I was takenaback by the whole experience. Until then, the ministries with which I hadbeen involved were limited to teaching a Sunday School class, serving on adeacon board, and playing my trumpet during worship services. Directministry to people who are really destitute and broken was “not in myportfolio,” if you will forgive my use of a business term in this instance.Blood-N-Fire had allowed me to get out there with people who, hereto-fore, were not part of my normal circle of contacts. Within the last six toeight months we’ve been able to employ people from Blood-N-Fire to helpus at different projects at the Chick-fil-A home office and at Berry Collegewhere they are helping us with construction of our marriage conferencecenter. The opportunity I had to meet people at Grady further enlarged myterritory.


sevenPrayer

WE HAD A LOT OF PRAYER TIME AT GRADY. EVERY VISITOR WHO CAME IN WANTED

to have prayer, and I was all for it. We would hold hands or maybewe’d just kneel around the bed. Of course, my church family at NewHope was so supportive. The New Hope church family from both thesouth campus and the north campus and all the ministry staff supportedme tremendously with their prayers and encouragement.

The Christian community really rallied in this situation with prayerchains and prayer letters signed by dozens of people. The prayer networkswere fully mobilized. I had some very well-known people, who I’m surprised

even remembered that I ever shooktheir hand, remember me in prayer.That was a wonderful part of the entireexperience.

At the same time, we prayed for theother patients who were in the hospitalwith us. As I was able to move outfrom my room, we were able to learn

the stories of some of the other people who were in neighboring rooms.That quickly put a lot of things in perspective; I had nothing more than asplinter in my finger compared to what some of the other patients wereconfronting.

There was a young boy of 14 or 15 who had been out with some friendsand had kicked an exploding can of gasoline. He had injuries over his faceand the side of his body. And there was a lady right next door to me whowas 94 years old and had Alzheimer’s. Her daughter had lit some candlesfor her, and somehow one of the candles had fallen over into her lap andcaught her clothes on fire. Every patient in the burn unit had a story, andthey all needed our prayers.

I made sure that whenever we were ready to have prayer time that ifanyone from the Grady staff was in the room or about to come in theroom, we asked them to join us in prayer. There was a wide range of faiths

16 | Cathy

That quickly put a lot ofthings in perspective; I hadnothing more than a splinterin my finger compared towhat some of the otherpatients were confronting.

represented among the medical staff. My occupational therapist was of theJewish faith. One of the male nurses at night, an African-American, said heand his family were Jehovah’s Witnesses. I had wonderful opportunities totalk to him about the Christian faith. I had prayer with my burn doctor.He was in his early 60s and kept incredibly long hours. I prayed with himseveral times asking God to give him strong health as he continued tominister to the needs of the many burn patients who sought aid at Grady.

Several of my nurses were wonderful Christians. Whenever they camein the room, we had a good time talking about God’s goodness andmercy. We prayed that one of the nurses would not be fearful as her sonstayed away from home for the first time with school friends. Just as Ineeded prayers, I became more sensitive to the prayer needs of others.

eightArmchair Conversations

I NEVER SPENT ONE NIGHT ALONE DURING MY HOSPITAL STAY. OUR SON ANDREW

stayed with me five nights, my brother Bubba stayed some, and WoodyFaulk spent a couple of nights with me, as well. I really enjoyed theircompany. In fact, one of the richest aspects of the whole experiencewas being able to have extended conversations with people withoutlooking at my watch or wondering what’s next on my calendar. We justsat around and talked. As time went by, I was able to sit in a chair andvisit. We assembled aboutnine chairs from all theother rooms that weren’tbeing utilized. People camein and sat and visited, andit was like sitting on theback porch in the old days— just talking and chattingon many subjects.


What a novel idea to break up our twenty-first century routine! I wouldlike to go back to the office now and just sit and visit with people, anyonewho might like to visit. I would like for them to drop by my office andjust talk on whatever subject they’d like to discuss. We wouldn’t even haveto talk about business topics. From my experience, there is ministry in justbeing able to have conversation.

My life was enriched by having those good meaningful conversationswith people without having to worry about lists of bullet points andsound bites. I guess the Lord knew what I needed. I hope that’s going toadd to my leadership skill set. I know God is working on me — teachingme how to minister to people.

Realizing that we have other people at Chick-fil-A who are better strategicthinkers and planners with great business insights, my role with the companyis to be a guardian of the corporate culture. Part of that corporate culture isthe ministry of family and caring for one another and being concerned aboutthe needs of the total person. So my ministry and effectiveness have beenenhanced by this experience.

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Rhonda Cathy’s Experienceone

Mustard Seeds

IT WAS RIGHT AFTER DARK AS THE DOGS AND I WERE WALKING FROM THE WOODS

toward the house when I saw my sister Pam. She called, “Rhonda!”

Sometimes you can hear in a voice, in just a word, that there has been aboo-boo, especially when your husband and sons all ride motorcycles andall have been in wrecks. I said, “Uh-oh. Which one?”

“Ross called,” she said.

“Oh, gosh,” I said. “Where is he? Is he in the ditch?”

“No,” she said. “He called to say Dan’s been burned, and I don’t knowhow bad it is.”

“Okay,” I said, “Let’s go up to the house, and I’ll change clothes. We needto get the dogs in the kennel to get them settled down, so if we’re nothome for two or three days, they’re going to be all right.”

A year-and-a-half-ago, our pastor told a story during his sermon abouta baby who had been deathly ill in the hospital. Our pastor’s brother wasthe baby’s doctor, and no matter what he did, the baby wasn’t getting anybetter. There was no response to medicines that should have worked. Thedoctor was puzzled, and he was praying over this baby when a voice toldhim, “Take the IV out.”

He thought, “Now, that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. That’s thelife support. We can’t take the IV out.”

But the voice was strong, and it said, “Take the IV out now.”

He did, and then he saw that it was infected. That had been the problemall along.

And at the same moment, the child’s father and grandfather had goneoff to another room to pray and, as they did, they smelled the sweetestsmell they had ever smelled, both of them, a smell so sweet they couldn’tbreathe in enough of it.


They looked up and, at the door, a big man in scrubs was standing whosaid, “I’ve come to tell you the baby is fine,” and he left.

They went running down the hall and the doctor told them the babywas, indeed, going to be fine now. Then he asked, “How did you know hewas okay? We’ve just done it.”

Then they told him about the man in scrubs. But their description didn’tmatch anybody working in the hospital. They knew then that it had beenan angel with the message.

A few months later I was in the barn behindour house and a sweet, sweet smell filled theplace, reminding me of that story. And Ithought, “Uh-oh.” Then I prayed, “Lord, if theseare guardian angels and one of us needs them,just keep them close.”

The next day Ross had a bad motorcycle wreck going out to repair afence and, in the ambulance going to the hospital, he was not talkingright. His speech was slurred badly.

“Ross,” I said, “I don’t know what’s ahead of us, but I know God is herewith us. Just rest in that; God is here. We’ve got guardian angels controllingthis right now. We don’t know how well you’re going to do, but God ishere right now.”

When you walk each day with Christ, your spiritual awareness grows.We’re told that if we have the faith of a grain of mustard seed, we canmove mountains. Have you seen anybody move mountains? Well, that’sthe faith I want.

twoPrayer

FOR A WEEK BEFORE DAN’S ACCIDENT, I HAD BEEN AWARE OF SOMETHING. THE

only way I can describe it is a darkness in my periphery. I had rebuked

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Lord, if these areguardian angels andone of us needs them,just keep them close.

Satan, thinking thiswas a satanic attack,and I was asking forguardian angels to bearound us in a specialway because I just didn’t know whatwas happening.

Then Pam stood inthe driveway and said,“Rhonda,” and I knew.

Pam drove to Grady, and I could see that she was nervous. “Let’s justkeep calm,” I said. But she wasn’t. On the way to the hospital, I startedcalling people on the cell phone telling them that Dan had been burnedand Life Flighted to Grady, and I asked them to pray.

From the beginning, I never got panicky. I knew God is going to takecare of us. In fact, the first time I became uneasy was when we had to gothrough a metal detector, checking for guns and knives to get into the hos-pital. I initially felt very uncomfortable walking through the emergencyarea of Grady Hospital where so many gunshot victims and other traumavictims were being treated.

We went on up to the burn unit, and it wasn’t very long before the doctorcame out and told us Dan was stable. He was going to be all right. Thatwas the main thing we wanted to hear. Within minutes, a crowd of peoplesurrounded us in the waiting room. Everyone I had called had calledsomeone else, and they all were concerned for Dan. The associate pastorfrom our church led us in prayer, asking for Dan’s healing and in my heartthat prayer left me feeling uncomfortable. I felt like we needed God’s will,and if God’s will meant that he was going to take Dan, I could accept that.It’s all about God’s will, not our selfishness. If God’s will is for Dan to die,then if He is our Abba Father, He is going to fulfill our needs — all ofthem. And so, I sat there for a little while and I thought, “I just can’t leavethat prayer like that.”

People all around the room had been praying as well, so I said, “Weneed to pray for God’s will to be done in this hour. What is to come is to


come, and we are not to fear it. And so we need to pray for God’s will tobe done and that we have the grace and strength to endure and acceptwhat is God’s will.” And nobody prayed after that.

So that was my prayer: That we would totally trust God and know Hewould meet our needs. And whether it’s down a road where we don’t wantto go or whether Dan was to fully recover, my prayer was that we wouldaccept that in full trust. So it was just the filling of the Holy Spirit thatallowed me never to panic. The Spirit was there.

After we prayed, I wondered what the next stepwould be. We knew that Dan had these injuries,and the nurse was saying he was going to be fine.It didn’t matter to me, and I knew it didn’t matter

to him, in terms of how he looked or whether he would have scars. Whatare a few scars when you know he’s going to live?

threePain

DAN BEGAN HYDROTHERAPY ON WEDNESDAY, AND IT HURT SO MUCH TO SEE HIM

in such pain. The first day wasn’t so bad, but the second day there wasa lot more pain, and that’s when it was awful. There was nothing I coulddo but rub his shoulders and tell him to breathe deep and try to relax hismuscles. But every inch of him was as hard as the table — every musclewas tense with pain. That took a lot out of him. Then he would comeback to the room, and people would be waiting in line to visit with him.

The nurses were afraid he was going to be overloaded, so one of themput a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door. They said he needed to sleepand rest to keep his blood pressure down. Yet people would just walk in.One man came in and visited for 20 minutes. When he left I asked Dan,“Who was that person?”

“I don’t know,” Dan said. “I’ve never talked to him before, but I knowhis company does business with Chick-fil-A.”

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What are a few scarswhen you know he’sgoing to live?

Dan loved having the company — it was great to keep his mind off hispain. When people came in, he got excited and animated. But the medicalstaff was concerned that he was not getting enough rest because by Sundayhe really had not yet begun to heal. It wasn’t until Monday that they saidhe had actually made improvement. All the while a heart doctor kept comingin and listening to his heart. That’s probably the only time I was gettinganxious because healing from burns like that puts a lot of stress on theheart, and Dan’s blood pressure kept shooting up.

But after spending all day Sunday trying to be a gatekeeper, and seeing howmuch Dan enjoyed the visitors, I realized that it was not up to me to makehim pace himself. That was not my responsibility. It would have to be his.

So many people reached out to Dan, and yet their reaching out was tiringto those around Dan, too. One morning as I dressed to go to the hospitaland be with him, I took more than 20 phone calls in two hours, and I stillwasn’t completely dressed. I told Ross, “I will not answer the phone again.”It was impossible to do that and be with Dan to meet his needs, as well.Then at night, I would come home and the message machine would befull — 20 or 25 calls. We love people and were grateful for their outpouringof support, but we couldn’t keep up with them.

fourCommunity

EARLY IN THE WEEK, IT WAS LATE IN THE EVENING BEFORE I LEFT THE HOSPITAL TO

drive home and get some sleep, and whoever was spending the nightwith Dan would have to walk me to the car. Then I would drive himthrough the parking lot and drop him off at the front door. It brokemy heart when I looked at the people around Grady, and I thought,“Jesus would love every one of you. Hewould not fear you.” Then I thought, “Butyou could kill me.” We are so unprepared todeal with people who most need our help.


We are so unpreparedto deal with people who

most need our help.

We tried to reach out to the hospital staff. It seemed that the folkscleaning up rooms were the least appreciated, and yet they always smiledand always had a kind word. One of the “big wheels” from the hospitalcame in one day, and we told him what a good job the staff was doing tokeep the room clean. A little later, one of the ladies said in a staff meetingthat the man had recognized them for their good work. She said that in 15 years they had never received public recognition like that, and theyappreciated it so much.

“Well, let me tell you,” I said, “you are as important to us as any doctorin here. Because what good is a nasty hospital going to do a patient?”Then I hugged her and the other two ladies with her.

One day, I heard them in the room next door talking about what a messit was, so when Dan checked out, I stripped the bed and started wipingdown the surfaces. One of the women from Dan’s office asked, “Rhonda,what are you doing? Are those your own sheets?” I said, “No, but some-

body has to do this, and we’re the ones whomessed them up.”

What could a hospital do without the cleaningcrew? And those people have to clean up somegross stuff. I wouldn’t want the job, but they’re

willing to do it. Getting to know them reminded me not to look throughpeople.

I think we can botch up God’s will at any point in life with the foolishdecisions we make, but we should take each opportunity to use it as a witness. We took the opportunity to love people at that hospital that normally aren’t loved. We acknowledged them and did not look throughthem. So I think at this point you say, “God, let me suffer the consequencesof Dan’s stupid decision.” This is what I’ve learned from this experience,and I’ve had a chance to love people.

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Getting to know themreminded me not tolook through people.

Ross Cathy’s ExperienceFaith

AS I WAS GETTING DOWN OFF THE PILE, I SAW DAD FIDDLE IN HIS POCKETS FOR

matches, and I said to myself, “Tell me he’s not about to light that pile.”We had started the first three piles with gas, but we had let the fumesget away first. When I saw him looking for matches in his pocket, Ithrew a pack to him. Then I took maybe three steps and I heard thiswhvooom!

Then I heard the worst scream I had ever heard someone yell in my life.And before I even turned around, I yelled, “Drop, Dad, drop!”

He was on the ground just shaking his arms and looking like he washaving a seizure, and I was telling him, “Stay down and smother it.”

When I was sure he was not burning, I had to call 911. I ran to the JohnDeere Gator, but it wasn’t fast enough, so I got off and ran to get a tele-phone. I called for an ambulance, but the property we were clearing didn’thave an address, so I told them to meet us at Peeples Road and Highway92, then I drove the pickup back to where Dad was. When I got there, hewasn’t moving, and I smelled the worst smell I had ever smelled in my life— burned flesh and hair. And all I could see was the back of his head; hisface was in the grass, and I knew it was going to be bad.

But when I got close to him, he was talking, so that was a good sign.Then he said he wanted me to drive him to the hospital instead of waitingfor the ambulance, so I called and cancelled the ambulance. I helped himget in the truck and started driving. He sat there with his eyes closed, theskin melted off his forearms, and his face burned and covered with dirt. Ihad to roll down the windows to keep from getting sick from the smell. Ihope I never smell that scent again.

All along the way I was trying to get in touch with Mom on the cellphone. I finally got Aunt Pam, who is a nurse. She said it was important toget some water on the burns, if I had any. So I poured water on his arms,and he screamed because it hurt him so badly, and his face cringed, and Icould see that it was badly burned, too.


As we came down the dirt road, we passed a fire truck and stopped.They took one glance at Dad and said, “We’ve got to get help. If his head’sburned, his lungs may be burned.” So they called for Life Flight. I stoppedthe truck near a grassy area, and they helped him out onto the ground towait for the helicopter.

I knew I didn’t have the patience at that point to drive through traffic tothe hospital, so I drove to the house and rode with someone else to Grady.

It took until about Thursdayfor the reality of everything to setin. I don’t think I shed a tearuntil then — everything wasautomatic. When you have anaccident like that, you knowwhat you have to do, and youdo it. If you’re hysterical, you’renot helping anybody get the job done.

Later in the week, though, I had to get out of the hospital — to take abreak. And when I went to bed, all I could do was smell that burnt fleshand hair. The smell wouldn’t come off my hands, and I told Mom, but shecouldn’t smell it. My hands smelled like soap to her. The smell was in mynose — in my head — and it wouldn’t go away.

In the last year, I have had to give up my favorite thing on earth: ridingmotocross. I have seen this happen to my dad. And I’ve carried my bestchildhood friend’s casket to the grave.

But I don’t sit here and look at death as something to be scared of.We’re all going to die someday; death is just kind of a time-out. If Daddies, I won’t see him for a little while, then I’ll get to hang out with himagain. If you have faith in God and Jesus as your Savior, why sit here andbe scared about dying? I mean, Earth’s the worst hell we’re ever going togo through if you’re a Christian.

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When you have an accident likethat, you know what you have

to do, and you do it. If you’rehysterical, you’re not helping

anybody get the job done.

Copyright 2005 CFA Properties, Inc.

A Note from Dan Cathy

It is my hope that your faith in God’sprovision, presence and protectionwill be strengthened as you read thisaccount. Our heavenly Father desperately desires tohave a personal, intimate relationship with each of us.As John 3:16 states, “God so loved the world that Hegave His only begotten Son.”

If you have not received this most precious gift, followthis simple A-B-C plan:

A — Admit that you are a sinner and will never be ableto live the life of joy, peace and comfort He wantsfor you (even when we go through the fires of life)apart from a relationship with Him.

B — Believe that the Creator of the universe wants tohave a genuinely personal relationship with you.We express that belief when we…

C — Confess our spirit of rebellion and commit ourlife to Him.

Dan T. Cathy is the president and chief operating officer of Chick-fil-A, Inc., a privately owned chain of fast food

restaurants specializing in “The Original Chicken Sandwich.”The company’s corporate purpose is “To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us. To have a positive

influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.”

The Burning Brush Experience

Education

Transcript of The Burning Brush Experience