Seconds from Death: an excerpt from the memoir I’m writing, final part 4

Linda Lee Adams/Lady Quixote

If you missed the first three parts of this, you should probably read them first, beginning with part one: Seconds from Death, an excerpt from the memoir I’m writing.

Seconds From Death: My Escape

Fight or Flight, this was the situation I was in. But flight was not a viable option, because my attacker had me backed into a very tight space with no place for me to run. Fighting did not seem like a wise choice either because I was greatly out matched. I needed to get Carolina out of my room. It was the only way for me to survive.

I didn’t even think about it, I just did it. There wasn’t any time to think. At this point, I seemed to be moving on automatic pilot, when I did something that I would have thought was impossible: I picked Carolina up and threw her out of my room.

How did I do that? I was an underweight teenage girl. Carolina was a very large woman. She probably weighed at least three times as much as I weighed. And yet, I picked her up. With one hand. With my left, non-dominant hand. I grabbed the front of her dress somewhere near her neck, I lifted her high up off the floor and I threw her.

Carolina went flying through the air, all the way out of my room, all the way across the hall, and then she slammed into the wall. How many feet away was the wall? I don’t know, but I am guessing it was at least fifteen feet at the minimum, from where I was standing. Although my room was little more than a cubby hole, the hall was wide enough that there were high-backed wooden rocking chairs lined up along both sides, with a fairly spacious walkway down the center between the chairs.

When Carolina slammed into the wall, she hit the wall above the chairs that were lined up on the far side of the hall. Then she slid down, falling between two of the rocking chairs. Part of her body hit one of the chair arms as she came crashing down, which caused that chair to tip over as she landed on the floor. Luckily, no one was sitting in any of those chairs at the moment. The other patients tended to congregate around the television during the day, which was quite a distance from where we were when this happened.

I will never forget the look of shocked disbelief on Carolina’s face as she was flying through the air and sliding down the wall. Several people called out from down the hall: “Hey! What happened?”, as they apparently saw Carolina come flying out of my room. But she just picked herself up off the floor and limped away without saying a word to anyone.

How did I do that? How was it even possible? It shouldn’t have been possible, right? It was like something you see in a wild dream or in a fantasy movie. But it was real. I know it was real. It was as real as anything I have ever experienced in my entire life.

For many years, I never told anyone about this. I was too stunned to talk about it, when it happened. As far as I know, Carolina did not talk about it, either. But she also never came near me again.

Have you ever heard a story like this, or maybe seen reports in the news of a person singlehandedly lifting a wrecked car or a large tractor or a massive boulder off of someone to save their life? I have heard it said that a tremendous surge of adrenaline can give a person super human strength, in the case of a life or death emergency. If this is true, then I assume that’s what happened to me. But in reality, only God knows.

I have to admit something right now: I am really scared to post this on my blog, and I am also having second thoughts about including this episode in my memoir. I’m afraid people may read this and either think that I am lying, or else they may believe that I really was very crazy and hallucinated this weird experience. I’m tempted to leave this out of my memoir, and to delete the parts of this story that I have already posted on my blog.

But I want to be bigger than my fear about ‘what will people think’. I want to tell my truth, all of my truth, and hopefully by not holding anything important back, I will encourage others who may have had weird things happen in their lives, things they’ve been afraid to tell anyone about, for fear of being called a liar or crazy.

Not only that: I keep thinking that someone may read this and later be in a situation where they are attacked by a person who is bigger and stronger. And maybe my story of how I escaped from almost being strangled to death, will give them the courage to fight to stay alive.

Seven people are alive today who would never have been born if I had been killed when I was fifteen years old: my two sons, my daughter, my two granddaughters, my grandson, and my eight-year-old great-grandson. How awesome is that?

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving my life and saving my soul!

PS: I want my readers to know that I am not going to take offense if some of you have doubts about the veracity of my story. I won’t blame anyone for feeling that way, and I would probably feel the same if I were you. This is one of those things you almost have to see and experience yourself, to fully believe.

The fact that I was in a mental institution at the time is a huge strike against me, I know. Although I have had numerous doctors and therapists over the years tell me that I am not crazy and I never should have been put in a psychiatric hospital at the age of fourteen, it is still a really big stigma to live down.

Anyway — believe it or not, this is my true story. But we can still be friends, even if you don’t believe this happened the way I remember it. Just please be courteous in your comments. šŸ˜€

Thank you for stopping by. I love my blogger friends. God bless! ā¤ā¤ā¤

Copyright 2021 by Linda Lee Adams @LadyQuixote

41 thoughts on “Seconds from Death: an excerpt from the memoir I’m writing, final part 4”

  2. Dora March 10, 2021 / 6:44 am

    Remarkable story and totally believable. Your strength, whether it was adrenaline-driven or not, came from the Father of heavenly lights. As it still does, praise God! Thank you for sharing a story so difficult to tell. You are an amazing daughter of an amazing God of grace who is able to save us, body and soul.

    Liked by 2 people

  3. Sue Cass March 10, 2021 / 7:03 am

    Because I have had a very similar experience, picking someone heavier than me up and throwing them across a room with one arm, I absolutely and totally believe you! Like you, I was stunned, in disbelief of being able to do such a thing, and still remember it vividly. And I wasn’t in a mental hospital. Truth is truth and regardless of whether others believe it or not, it is still our experiences. Don’t worry about what others may think, it’s your story and it needs to be heard.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. atimetoshare.me March 10, 2021 / 7:12 am

    I totally believe your story, my friend. When we’re confronted by the giants of the world, God is always available to help us. David was confident of that fact as he volunteered to fight Goliath. I find it interesting that he took five stones instead of the single one that God directed into the giant’s head. Maybe he lacked a little faith, but who wouldn’t, being faced with someone like that. God is our sure defense and He was there for you then as He is every day. Your story is nothing to be ashamed of, because you were merely defending your own life. You went through so much as a young impressionable teen. God wasn’t going to let you lose that battle and he continues to be there today. Shout it from the mountain tops. You are a survivor, thanks to a loving God.

    Liked by 3 people

  5. Pingback: Seconds from Death: an excerpt from the memoir Iā€™m writing, final part 4 – Talmidimblogging
  6. Bruce Cooper March 10, 2021 / 10:15 am

    I would definitely leave it in. You’re telling the truth and I have no problem believing you Linda Lee. Many of us have had God intervene in our lives, when seemingly, the impossible has happened, even before we turned to God. Romans 8:29 comes to mind. And these are only the instances that we are mindful of, I am sure that there have been many other times when God has intervened that we are not even aware of. You are a daughter of the King and greatly loved. Love in Christ – Bruce

    Liked by 2 people

  7. Blue Collar Theologian March 10, 2021 / 10:25 am

    SO PROUD OF YOU!!!!! Praise God for His working in your life! Praise God for ALL the lives that your life has blessed, including mine. You are loved!!!!!!

    Liked by 1 person

  8. The Son Of God March 10, 2021 / 4:57 pm

    Wow, what a powerful testimony nobody but God that gives you that strength! Don’t worry about what others might believe, tell it! šŸ‘šŸ‘āœŒ

    Liked by 1 person

  9. Rocky March 10, 2021 / 6:57 pm

    God created the body to do incredible feats when called upon. Yours is not the first time I have heard of someone momentarily developing incredible strength in the face of adversity.

    Liked by 1 person

  11. oneta hayes March 10, 2021 / 8:06 pm

    Amazing encounter. Of course, tell your story. The Bible is replete with stories of those with supernatural power in a crises. You need to confirm that the God of then is still the God of now. We are overcomers by the blood of the Lamb and the “word of our testimony.”

    Liked by 2 people

  12. mrsmariposa2014 March 10, 2021 / 8:56 pm

    Wow. Amazing! God is so faithful, our ever-present help in trouble. I have seen His hand in so many situations. I have no doubt He gave you the strength you needed in that moment. I know how hard it can be to go back to those painful places and share them with others, but so glad you did. It needs to be told to His glory. Blessings, dear friend! ā¤

    Liked by 2 people

  13. Amy Blount March 10, 2021 / 9:44 pm

    God gives strength in many different ways…this is what goes through my mind when reading this tonight. He will be giving me strength to face something soon. Emotional strength, that if you knew my story you would know there’s no way the strength I have is not from me but from Him. How is that any different than physical strength? And I just have to say…oh to be a fly on that hallway wall! You described this event too well to keep it out.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Lee/Lady Quixote March 10, 2021 / 9:56 pm

      Dear Amy, thank you so much. I am praying for the emotional strength you need and for an abundance of joy, because the joy of the Lord is our strength. You are right — there have been many times in my life when I needed emotional strength more than anything, and He gave me that strength.

      Like

  14. oldandblessed March 12, 2021 / 7:16 am

    In my humble opinion, art often struggles to offer the caliber of drama served up by life. I wanted to read all of your excerpts before offering comments. Chris watches a couple of soap operas. I told her not too long ago that the drama offered by them can’t hold a candle to what’s served up on the evening news. Thank for sharing!

    Liked by 1 person

  15. ibikenyc March 12, 2021 / 12:14 pm

    I absolutely believe you and am so glad you told this part of the story, but I also understand your trepidation very well.

    I am also SO happy that you are here now to tell this tale and all your others ā¤

    (PS: In case you don't already know about it, there's a book called "The Gift Of Fear" that you might find interesting.)

    Liked by 1 person

  16. Loved by the King of kings March 14, 2021 / 12:13 am

    Totally believable; thanks for publishing this part of your story. Praise God for rescuing you, whether through adrenaline or angelic intervention. He is wonderful, and His love for you is great!

    Liked by 2 people

  17. Beverley March 14, 2021 / 4:58 pm

    That is a great excerpt from your book, Linda. God gave you the strength to do the impossible. Don’t worry about what others think. It is your story and I know it will be a tremendous help to others.

    Liked by 1 person

  18. Paul Martin March 15, 2021 / 6:21 am

    Thank you for sharing your story, Linda!!! You are a light of hope to others that have experienced similar things! Please keep writing, my friend!

    Liked by 1 person

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