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It was early morning. It had rained heavily during the night, followed by a frost. As dawn broke, the roads were like sheets of ice. Waldemar Beitler set off for work as usual. He worked as a concrete mixer driver and had to deliver concrete to the construction site that day. It was November 7, 2011. The day remains vivid in his memory. Even today, he can recall what happened as if it were yesterday.
The accident
"After my cement mixer was loaded, I set off. Because I was driving slowly due to the road conditions, several vehicles overtook me. I decided to accelerate a bit so as not to be an obstacle. No sooner had I pressed the accelerator than the rear of my cement mixer fishtailed and it skidded to the right. I managed to regain control of the vehicle, but the next moment it skidded again, and my efforts to regain control were in vain."
I saw my cement mixer tip over and I cried out: Jesus, help! Then everything went black. Shortly after, I came to and saw that my vehicle was rolling over. I clutched my head with both hands and lost consciousness again. When I opened my eyes again, the vehicle had finally come to a stop,” Waldemar recounts.
When the wreckage came to a stop, it stood right at the edge of the road, in front of the snow-covered ditch. The cement mixer had broken free and lay a considerable distance from the vehicle. The driver's cab was badly crushed, so it was a miracle that Waldemar hadn't been trapped inside.
“My left leg was trapped in the driver’s door, and the impact threw my body forward onto the steering wheel. My head was on the dashboard, and the roof of the cab was so badly crushed that I could just barely squeeze a hand between my head and the roof,” he recalls. Waldemar was trapped between the seat and the driver’s door. “I had severe cramps in my left leg and shouted loudly for help.”
Someone called the fire department. "When the fire department arrived, it took quite a while before they freed my leg from the door and got me out of the wreckage through the windshield. I was still in a lot of pain on the way to the hospital. The doctors gave me painkillers, and from that point on, I can't remember much," Waldemar continued, recounting the accident.
Beitler family
In uncertainty
When Waldemar was taken to the hospital, he had to go straight into the operating room – his leg was very badly injured. The operation lasted several hours. During this time, Waldemar's wife, Anna, sat in the waiting room and prayed to God for mercy for her husband. Relatives also prayed for him at home. Anna had to wait a very long time in uncertainty until the operation was over and she could receive information about his condition.
When the surgeon came to her after the operation, he had a very somber expression. "I haven't seen such a complicated fracture in over twenty years. His pelvis is broken in several places, partially shattered," he said. "When my wife asked if I would be able to walk again, the doctor just shrugged sadly," Waldemar continued.
The battle and victory of God
Now began the fight for Waldemar's life, but also a spiritual battle. God tested the faith of Waldemar and his wife. It was a difficult, but very blessed time. God strengthened them again and again and taught them to trust Him. "For many weeks I lay flat on my back. The slightest movement caused excruciating pain. Within the first few weeks, I underwent several operations. Screws and metal plates held me together from the outside and the inside," Waldemar says of this time.
“I was almost completely unconscious. Several people who came to visit me doubted whether I would survive. Often it really looked like the end was near. Once I had an internal hemorrhage and almost died. But God heard the prayers of my friends and congregation. Slowly I got better. When they helped me sit up and I managed to sit for two minutes, everyone was overjoyed. My wife came every day and helped the nurses with my care.”
“Every day they helped me sit up, and each time I was able to sit a little longer. Then they brought me a wheelchair. It was a mix of joy and sorrow. Now I could go out into the hospital corridor, but when I thought that I would be dependent on a wheelchair for the rest of my life, I became sad,” Waldemar recalls of that moment.
God helped him there too, strengthening his hope and faith. After countless operations and weeks of medical procedures, Waldemar had recovered enough to be sent to the rehabilitation ward. There, they worked with him on various gymnastic exercises to strengthen his legs again. "After three and a half months, I was finally able to leave the hospital, albeit only with a walking aid."
Just in time for the birth of our daughter. For several months I used a wheelchair and walking aid and received physiotherapy. My leg grew stronger and soon I could walk again without assistance,” Waldemar says happily. “Today I have recovered to the point that I can not only walk, but also climb stairs and ladders, and even ski in the winter. It is all thanks to God’s grace and answered prayers.”
Waldemar Beitler
Lorette Municipality (Canada)
Waldemar Beitler in a wheelchair