Insights & Information

Gearheart celebrates special Thanksgiving after accident

Amanda Gearheart can still see the moment clearly in her mind—first, a loud crashing sound Oct. 20 as a car ran a red light nearby, and then the sight of the broadsided pickup flying straight toward where she and her son, Austin, stood raising money for his Kernersville Raiders Cadet football team.

“When I saw the truck coming towards us, I grabbed Austin and pushed him down on the ground and threw myself on top of him,” Gearheart told the Winston-Salem Journal.

Amanda Gearheart and her son Austin

Gearheart and Austin

The feared impact never happened. The truck sailed right over the median where they lay just off of South Main Street leading up to Target and other stores.

Neither saw the truck pass over them. Once they realized they were safe, they jumped up and ran to other parents and onlookers who told them just how close they'd come to death.

“I had no idea the truck had passed over us until one of the other moms nearby told me,” Amanda said. “It actually broke the sign we were standing next to, and I just had a scrape on my elbow.

“Austin wasn't as upset as I was,” added Amanda, who joined Triad in 2006 and greets visitors at the Welcome Center from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. each Sunday. “He actually comforted me right after and kept hugging me. I don't think he understood the seriousness of it.”

Making the moment all the more surreal was that it came on the eighth anniversary of the death of Austin’s dad, Jeremy Marsh, from a car wreck.

“When he passed away, Austin was only 2,” Amanda recalled. “Obviously, at that age, it was hard to explain where his daddy was. As he got older (around 3 or 4), I decided I wanted to get Austin into church.

“I wanted him to understand what I meant by ‘his daddy is in heaven’ and how he got there by accepting the Lord as his savior. Austin was invited by a friend of mine to attend Vacation Bible School at Triad and, after the second night, I knew that would be the church we’d start attending. It’s been absolutely amazing.”

Amanda, who accepted Christ one evening in 2007 after speaking with Pastor Rob Decker following her First Step Class, said the near-death experience makes this Thanksgiving an even more special time of reflection, thankfulness and praises to God. (See other stories in the special Thanksgiving series.)

“I feel like we were blessed with more time on this earth for a special reason—to be together, to be with family and to love one another,” she said. “It certainly has made my faith stronger. It's very obvious not only because of this accident but from the losses we have experienced so far that we’re not promised another day. We need to make the most of the time we have here. I’m extremely thankful to have the opportunity to be with Austin, watch him grow and experience all the exciting adventures to come.

“I look forward to this great plan God has in store for Austin and me.”

Editor’s note: Austin’s Cadet division team used part of the money raised Oct. 20 to travel to Virginia Beach for the Atlantic Regionals where they beat the Dulles Patriots from Virginia 19-7 and the P.G. Chargers from Maryland 32-7 to become Atlantic Region Cadet Champions. Next up: the nationals Dec. 7-13 in Kissimmee, Fla., where the team Austin plays offensive right tackle for will need to win three games for the national title. Learn more about the team and how you can support Austin and his teammates in their title run.

Phase 2 Shot of TBC B&W 17

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