A parent’s love for their child can be a fierce and fearful thing. It can give the ability to act heroically, even supernaturally, if faced with something that threatens the beloved child’s life or safety.
On September 8, 2008, Thomas S. Vander Woude was working on his family farm with his 20-year-old son, Joseph, when Joseph fell through the cover of a septic tank, plunging into the sewage below. Without any thought for his own safety, Tom dove into the tank and held his son’s head above the foul sewage until he could be rescued.
While Joseph survived the incident, Tom drowned in the stinking darkness. The family lost their beloved husband and father, friends lost a devoted and faithful companion, Christendom College lost their athletics director, and the world gained a hero whose inspiring story of selfless love should never be forgotten.
Augmenting the poignant beauty of his…
