To the Classmates of Bruce Bringgold “57

 

I was blessed to meet Bruce at Stanford when I was a senior and he was attending law school.  Some of you, perhaps even some of his close friends may not know that Bruce’s Christian faith formed in the Episcopal Church, was an important part of his life. It was.

 

I had attended church from time to time as I was growing up but was not a member of any church nor had I been baptized so, when we became engaged shortly after my graduation from Stanford, I decided to investigate the Episcopal Church. God led me to All Saints Episcopal Church in my hometown of Long Beach, California.  The priest, The Rev. James E. Carroll, not only helped me understand the Episcopal Church, but also introduced me to Jesus Christ.  When I was baptized and confirmed on Pentecost Sunday, 1961 I joyfully accepted Jesus as my savior and proclaimed him Lord.  The problem was, I did not know what it meant to make Jesus Lord.  I had been raised to be in control. Raised believing, “God helps those who help themselves”.

 

Bruce and I married and became active members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Ventura, California where we moved following Bruce’s graduation from Stanford Law School. Bruce was initially employed by the Ventura County District Attorney’s office handling criminal cases and advising the Planning Commission and the County Airport. After two years in the D.A.’s Office, Jim Loebl, Princeton ’47  invited him to join his practice which became Loebl & Bringgold and later become Loebl, Bringgold, Peck and Parker.  Bruce and I had three children; Scott, born in 1964, Mary, 1967 and Laura, 1970.  Bruce’s loves were his family, his friends, his law practice, flying, and hunting.

 

The Friday after Thanksgiving in 1975 our family, along with Jim and Virginia Dixon, flew to Mt. Shasta in Northern California to spend the weekend with friends. On our return flight on December 1, 1975 we encountered blowing fog and, in that fog, we crashed into Black Butte. Bruce saw the mountain shortly before our crash and, unable to avoid the mountain, made a crash landing.  He and our three children were killed instantly. Jim, Virginia, and I survived although each us was injured.

 

When I got out of the plane, I wished that I had died with my family.  I hid in the rocks hoping no one would find me.  As I was hiding in the rocks, a miracle happened.

A miracle I probably wouldn’t believe if it had not happened to me.  Jesus appeared to me on the mountain and told me it was not up to me to decide whether to live or die, that was His decision.  I knew he had come because it was not his will that I die but I did not want to live so I responded, “It’s easy for you to say that I shouldn’t die, but I can’t cope with the death of my family or with the pain of my injuries (I had third degree burns on my hands, face, and lower legs). He didn’t say anything further, so I kept talking and finally said, “If you want me to live, I will give you my pain, my grief and my loneliness, you will have to cope with them. I can’t.”  He still did not say anything but I knew that while nothing would ever be the same, with Him by my side, everything would be all right.  That afternoon I finally gave Jesus control of my life and he bestowed on me, the gift of faith, the ability to trust him completely.

 

With the skill of a wonderful medical team, God restored my body.  By surrounding me with loving friends, he showed me I was not alone. And, by enabling me to rejoice in the new life that Bruce, Scott, Laura, and Mary have with Him, he healed my grief.

 

In the ensuing years my story was featured in Guidepost Magazine. I wrote a book, Life Instead, which was published in 1979 and I have had opportunities to share this wonderful story of God’s love throughout the United States and in several foreign countries. I remarried in 1986.  My husband, Donald Brown and I now live in Alpine, Texas.  Y’all come see us sometime.

 

Bruce was a wonderful man. Once he was your friend, he was always your friend. His greatest gift to me was encouraging me to learn about his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Without faith in Jesus, I would not have survived our accident.  Without their faith in Jesus, I don’t know where Bruce and my children would be.

 

May you all have a wonderful 50th reunion. Remember, God does NOT help those who help themselves. He helps those who ASK his help!

 

Diane Bringgold Brown

Widow’57