Having a child oftentimes changes your entire perception on life. Suddenly you are responsible for the care, protection and nurturing of a helpless little soul. The foundation you help establish in your child’s life is what they will build their future on. As a parent you naturally want what’s best for them. Glenda felt this way and when her son Chad was only 6 months old, she gave her life over to God. She promised to raise him the best she could and instruct him according to God’s word. As her little boy grew she was true to her word and spent a great deal of time with him. They played games that were not only fun but would also help prepare him for life. Over the years and watchful eyes of his parents Chad grew into quite the gentleman. Being self-confident and genuine he made friends quite easily and touched many lives. His whole persona was one of sincerity and compassion with a healthy respect for life and nature. Armed with impeccable values and a close relationship to God there was no doubt their son was destined to have a happy and fulfilled life.
Chad was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to study overseas in London. Although Glenda and Larry were very proud and excited for him they still felt a little apprehensive about him being so far from home, much less out of the country. Nevertheless they saw him off with love, praise and lots of hugs. And just as any parent would do they reminded him to be careful out there on his own. And so off to London he went. Phone calls home were filled with excitement as he recounted his adventures overseas. He was so happy and upbeat his enthusiasm was contagious. The loving bond Glenda and her husband shared with Chad was evident as they rejoiced in his happiness. But all that was soon to change.
Larry was closest to the phone when it rang that fateful evening. The tone in her husband’s voice caught Glenda’s attention almost instantly. She was terrified as she watched Larry’s knees buckle underneath him. The long distance call brought news of their son Chad’s death. Tragically, he had been struck by a car and did not survive his injuries. All Glenda knew was that it felt as if all the air had been sucked from the room. Realizing this was not some bad dream she would wake from, Glenda felt her heart crumble into a million pieces. Once the shock began to slowly release her from its grasp all she could think was, “Why God, why Chad? I’m not supposed to outlive my son.” The harsh reality felt as if it had physically beaten her up. That one phone call changed their lives forever. That night as Glenda lay balled up in the bed with tears streaming down her face she tried desperately to get some rest. It seemed to be a futile attempt, when all of a sudden she saw Chad in a cloud looking at her. He looked so real. She heard his voice as he said, “Mom, please don’t cry. I didn’t want to leave you and Dad, but Grandpa and the others convinced me that I wouldn’t be the same if I stayed, so I left with them. I am here and I am safe and I will always be with you.” With the words replaying in her mind Glenda drifted off to sleep.
For twenty-one years it had been the three of them. Larry and Glenda enjoyed a special bond with their son that parent’s feel so blessed to have. Because of their closeness, Glenda realized her son was getting pretty serious in his relationship with his girlfriend, Jennifer. Although she wasn’t in any hurry, Glenda had prepared herself somewhat to release her son with her blessings. But this, this was something completely different. How was she going to handle never seeing Chad again? It was a horrifying prospect she struggled with daily. In an effort to combat the sadness and feeling of emptiness, Larry and Glenda spent time doing things together. Somehow that made everything a little more bearable. They went grocery shopping and to the movies, but her favorite activity was taking long drives together. It provided the perfect opportunity to shed tears without anyone else noticing her.
One evening she and Larry had gone to a movie. Excusing herself to go to the restroom she walked in and immediately surveyed her surroundings. It was relatively small but looking at the counter and sink she felt as if it were fairly clean. After taking care of business she exited the stall and walked over to the sink to wash her hands. There on the counter lay a diamond ring. No one else had entered the bathroom while she was there and it certainly wasn’t there when she came in. Picking it up she realized it was identical to the ring Chad had given his girlfriend before the tragic accident. Glenda immediately went to the management at the theater to see if anyone had reported losing a ring. They all replied no so she took it with her. She felt it only appropriate to give it to Chad’s girlfriend. In her heart she believed this was her son’s way of telling Jennifer, “I love you.”
It helped Larry and Glenda to maintain their relationship with Jennifer. In some small way it made them feel closer to their son. Four and a half years after Chad had passed they truly wanted the best for her and wanted to see her happy again. In fact, they had introduced her to another young man that she seemed to be getting along with quite well. Glenda was thrilled when she stopped by one night just to talk about the possibilities of her getting married. As they were sitting there chatting, the most amazing thing happened. The first time Jen uttered the word “marry” the back massager chair pad, which no one was sitting in, turned on by itself. After a few seconds it turned off. Subsequently, every time she mentioned getting married it came on and about 20 seconds later it would shut off. It frightened her to death every time but Glenda just smiled and told her to say hello to Chad. With a shocked expression she said, “Is he really here?” Glenda replied, “He sure is and he’s using electricity to show us.” The chair turned on and off a total of four times but once Jen said hello to Chad it stopped. By that point she was totally amazed. Glenda believed Chad was showing his approval of the possible marriage.
Another thing her son loved to do was mess with the dog. Glenda would indulge their dog in friendly games of fetch. Throwing the ball down the long hallway he would run like crazy to get it and bring it back anxiously anticipating another throw. Occasionally on his return trip the dog, with the ball safely tucked in his mouth, would just stop and sit, staring at the hall closet. No matter what Glenda did she could not distract him from the door. He refused to come to her. Finally, she would acknowledge Chad’s presence and tell him to leave the dog alone. Immediately the dog would return ready to play again. She knew this was crazy and didn’t share these encounters with many people because of fear of what they might think, but she was definitely not imagining things.
Sometimes when others are present to witness a sign it helps to validate the experience. One day Glenda’s friend Kay came by to watch a training video. Chad picked that moment to show up again. The remote was sitting on the table in front of Kay when the TV suddenly turned off. Kay looked at Glenda and asked her why she turned it off. Glenda began to smile and reminded her that the remote was sitting on the table. Then the TV came back on. After a few minutes it did the same thing over again. This time Glenda said, “Chad, quit, you’re scaring Kay.” Kay looked at her with a strange expression on her face then continued to watch the video. Then as if on cue the set went off again. Glenda casually told her friend to say hello to Chad. He was there and just showing off for Kay. After she quickly said hello to him the TV came back on and didn’t go off the rest of the day.
Glenda has had many different experiences like the ones mentioned above. Growing up her religious beliefs had never allowed for these types of encounters but she never felt afraid of them. In her heart she knew it was her precious son Chad just reminding her that he was near. It was comforting to know she had not lost him completely. Many times on special occasions like her birthday or Chad’s birthday she would receive phone calls seemingly out of the blue. People that knew her son felt compelled to call and share a personal story of how he had touched their life. They had no idea how much it truly meant for her to hear such heartwarming stories about Chad. They served as a gentle reminder of how wonderful his time on earth had been and how he had made the most out of every moment. She now pursues ways to help other parents cope with the pain and grief of losing a child. As Glenda sees it, we are eternal beings created to be eternal and our spirit self is never lost. When it’s time we will see them again but until then if we will remain open and willing we can receive messages. Love is the only thing we take with us when we pass and it continues through eternity.
--Submitted by Glenda Pearson
Keywords: Son, Physical Phenomena, Electronics
