Florida teen's Bible survives car fire unscathed: 'completely dry and spared'
FORT MYERS, Fla. – What started as a typical day became a lesson in survival and the power of "God’s word," according to two teenage sisters from southwestern Florida.
Joelle and Sevyn Shock were driving June 27 when their 2000 Jeep Liberty made a loud noise and suddenly locked up.
“We had just passed Walmart in Labelle. We were on 80 and the car just stopped,” said Joelle, 19. “Like, it just went, ‘Boom boom’ and just stopped.”
Joelle, who was driving, pulled over into a turning lane before the car began heavily smoking. The sisters got out of the car safely before it burst into flames, Joelle said, taking only their cellphones.
With the help of a passerby and firefighters, the flames were eventually put out, but their car was destroyed. As firefighters were dousing the flames, one of them asked the sisters if there was anything they needed in the car. Joelle and Sevyn realized Joelle’s Bible was still inside.
“That’s the first thing he got out of the car, and he’s walking towards us, and he was just looking heroic,” Joelle said. “He just brought the Bible to us, and that meant so much.”
The sisters’ mom, Julia Sutherland, had given each of her children a Bible when they turn 18, she said.
“It was really important to (Joelle), and that the fireman took the time to get back in there and grab that for her, showed that he cared,” Sutherland said.
Joelle had left her Bible in the car after having taken it to church the previous Sunday, she said.
In New Jersey: 300-year-old Bible is known for a typo
Opinion: New push for public school Bible studies classes is an excuse to spread Christian gospel
After putting out the flames, the firefighters opened the door and water came pouring out. Joelle had expected the Bible to be damaged.
“It was in a Bible case and the case was completely soaked and it had melted plastic on it, and I opened it up and there were some papers inside (the case) that were completely soaked and completely ruined,” Joelle said. "I was like, shoot man, I'm going to have to dry out my Bible."
But when Joelle opened the case, she was surprised to find that its contents were dry.
“It was clean, there was no plastic melted pieces on it,” she said. “It was just crazy because through the water and the fire, the Bible was completely dry and spared.”
Although the family is not sure what caused the fire, they agreed that God must have guided the entire situation.
“The Bible is God’s word, and it’s important to him,” Joelle said. “I definitely think that was a sign he’s watching over us. And all the people he sent to help us and as fast as he did, I think that was his way of telling us, you know, 'I’m with you and I’m helping you through this and keeping you safe.'”
Follow Jocelyn Grzezczak on Twiitter: @jocgrz.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Florida teen's Bible survives car fire unscathed: 'completely dry and spared'
