Cory's Big Adventure
Sitting on the video call in my home office, I hear someone close the door. I don't think much of it and focus on the call. A few minutes later, I hear the garage door and think, "Kellen must have forgotten something." My call wrapped up about fifteen minutes later, and I walked into the living room to check on Cory, who had been lying on the couch watching a movie. He has been sick for a couple of days and has just been lying around. He's not on the couch. His behaviors have been erratic during this illness, so I figure he's just gone somewhere else to rest. I check the main bedroom and bath – no Cory. I run downstairs to check his room – no Cory. I checked the guest room where Kellen has been staying, and there is! no! Cory! I run upstairs and check the garage, and the third stall door is up. His bike is missing, and mine is on its side. I run in, grab my coat, and hop on my bike—no sign of him.
I call Mike in a panic and then call the police. As I'm speaking to a very kind dispatcher who collects much information, I walk my bike back home. By the time I get there, Officer Jackson is in my driveway. He collects more information, and I share that Cory is in his pajamas and does not have his winter coat. The temperature is in the 40s, which is nice for a December day but still cold when riding a bike without a coat. Officer Jackson then explains what will happen next – the logistics of how they will search and who will be notified. We discuss all the places Cory might have gone, and he leaves. I call Kellen, who is with friends, and say, "You are not going to believe this, but Cory is missing." He bolts out of his gathering with friends and heads to the car. We discuss a plan, and he starts looking. Mike leaves work and heads home. He scours the streets when he gets off the phone with me. Once home, he hops on his bike and starts searching the area.
I stay home in case Cory comes back. I am pacing, praying, and crying. I hit my knees and cry out to God. "PLEASE PROTECT CORY. KEEP HIM SAFE AND BRING HIM HOME." As I'm praying, I see angels surrounding Cory and moving with him wherever he is. It brings me comfort but not much peace. I know from experience that God is Cory's protector. While he's never done anything like this, he has been in situations where he has needed protection, and God has always come through. We notify our friends and prayer warriors, and the search continues.
Friends from our church's prayer team share words of knowledge (a spiritual gift that allows the believer to know something about a situation or person supernaturally*). We pursue them all, and none pan out, but one is encouraging. Our leader receives the following.
"I see him wherever he is, wrapped up like God's got him in bubble wrap. In my mind, that means he's protected. I see a lot of sunlight around him, so I don't think he's in a dark place, but he might be in an unfamiliar place."
After about 2 hours, when all the possibilities have been exhausted, friends gather at our home. The plan is to make a grid within a radius of 3 miles from our house and comb every street. Before everyone leaves, I pray, "Dear God, you know where Cory is. Guide our steps and lead one of these beautiful people directly to him. In the meantime, keep him safe. Because you know I like to tell you what to do, it would be ideal if you could do it in the next 30 minutes. AMEN," Our friends echo a resounding AMEN, and everyone starts to depart.
Outside, Kellen gives people directions, but few have left yet. It's only been about 3 minutes and the phone rings. It is Officer Jackson. I run outside and hold my hand up to have them wait. He shares that there are reports of seeing Cory. It is well outside the 3-mile radius we were about to start combing. I misunderstand and think he says it is on city streets. I share the good news. While still on the phone, I ask Kellen to lead everyone in the Doxology. With the help of our friend Jane, they sing, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below. Praise Him above ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen!" Some friends linger for a bit, but we all agree we cannot make this a party, so eventually, they depart to get on with their day.
We eventually learn that Cory is on the interstate. The Urbandale police department, a neighboring town, has started getting phone calls about a bike on the interstate. Officer Jackson asks if Cory has a neon yellow bike helmet and if we have a pillow missing. Yes, and yes. He says the Urbandale police are on their way to get him and that he will meet up with them. He asks how big his bike is, and I tell him it will not fit in the back of a police car – it's a three-wheel recumbent. I share that we do not care about the bike. We want Cory home.
I don't know how they navigate getting him off the interstate, but it takes about 30 minutes before we receive another call that they have him. Officer Jackson says he wants to verify it's Cory, who I can hear in the background. Cory says rather loudly, "I don't want to talk to her." We all laugh, and I tell him, "Yes. That's Cory. Will you please tell him he's not in trouble?" He says he's bringing him home, and a police officer will stay with the bike at a restaurant in Urbandale until someone can pick it up. We call a friend to get it for us because none of us want to leave until we've seen Cory with our own eyes.
We stand in the driveway waiting. The police car finally pulls up. Officer Jackson has to open the door, so we wait for him to come around and let Cory out. When the door opens, we realize that he also has a backpack and his pillow (where did he even put it when he was on his bike?). Mike gives him a big hug while I collect his stuff. Cory says, "Thanks, Cole." They are now on a first-name basis. Officer Jackson laughs and tells us what he can about Cory's adventure. He believes Cory got on the interstate by our house, meaning he had to navigate a mix-master. None of us can comprehend how that would have worked, and we are surprised it took 2 hours and over seven miles for people to start calling the police about a bike on the interstate. The thing about Cory is that he will choose the second option you give him when asking him questions, and he will do his best to be agreeable. So if you ask him, "When you got to this road, did you take a right or left?" he will say left even if it was right because that was the second choice. This is only not true if he feels strongly about the answer, which is rare. His answers to his route will depend on how he is asked. When Mike asks, his answers indicate he took city streets for most of the trip. We will never know.
I'm sure by now you're asking yourself, "Where was he going?" That's a good question. A few days ago, Cory started talking about going to ChildServe, where he had gone for many years for therapy, respite, and day hab services. He has not attended anything at ChildServe in over eight years… He mentioned wanting to go there for a sleepover, which he had never done before, to connect with a friend he last saw ten years ago. We didn't think much of it because he will do that occasionally - talk about wanting to do something from well in his past, but it seems he was determined on this one. This was thoroughly thought out. In addition to taking his pillow, he put his toothbrush and retainer in his backpack, along with the iPad and stand he uses to listen to audiobooks. He did not take his phone or wallet. It could not have been comfortable riding his bike wearing a backpack with a metal stand poking him in the back for 7.5 MILES!! This was the longest bike ride of his life.
At the end of the day, I am grateful—for Cory, who keeps life interesting; for Kellen, who is a rock when life gets hard; for Mike, who is full of grace and the best dad on the planet; for friends who rally and pray; for first responders (especially the Waukee dispatcher who took my call, Officer Jackson and the many we will never know), who show us firsthand how they serve and protect; for Jesus, who walks with us through the good and the hard; and for God, who is for us and keeps Cory safe. I am praying for God's blessings over you this Christmas and that you may see how Jesus is with you and God is for you.
Cory is thirsty after his big adventure