‘It was a miracle from God above’

When cheerleader is hurt, ‘angels’
swoop in, community offers prayers

March 11, 2006

By VIC MacDONALD
Index-Journal regional editor

Lying on the ground — with a gashed-open right leg, tourniqueted to stop the red flow — with angels around her and a helicopter flying in low, she never panicked.
She thought the leg might be a goner. But she was calm.
As if God himself had laid his hand on her slight shoulder and whispered, “Fear not, my child.”
Fourteen-year-old Amber Allen recovers today in a Greenville hospital from a severe leg wound, buoyed by her faith, by visits of her friends and by the love of her family.
Out of danger, after her March 4 four-wheeler wreck, in which the vehicle apparently rolled over on her, ripping open her leg below the knee, Amber and her family can reflect on their worst day, with a slight smile.
The first thing injured Amber said to mom Toula after the wreck was, “They had to cut my $80 sweater off.”
Amber and a friend, 18-year-old Tori Swofford, were hurt at Amber’s grandmother’s house on U.S. 25. Toula Allen said the first call from 911 dispatch said there was one injury and it was “minor.”
Then, a later call that got a medivac helicopter into the air was for a partial amputation of the leg and head trauma. Medivac personnel told Toula they were told to expect to treat someone who was near death.
Once doctors got to examine her, Amber and her family went from no head trauma and, just before surgery, a 75-80 percent chance that she would lose her leg to a surgical diagnosis that she would not lose her leg and, once the repair was done, some cosmetic work would be done on the injured limb.
“Thankfully, she will keep her leg,” Toula said.
Amber underwent surgery on Wednesday. The five pre-surgery days were an outpouring of concern and prayers from Amber’s family and friends, schoolmates and perfect strangers.
“Her spirits are so lifted,” Toula Allen said. “We’ve had people from California, Florida, Myrtle Beach and New York (contact them). We don’t even know how they have connections to us, praying for us.”
Greenwood Christian School, where Amber has been a student since K-4, produced an overwhelming outpouring of spirit-lifting messages. “It’s one big family,” Toula said. “On the walls of her room, we have cards from kids in all grades. It’s one big school Christian family — awesome, awesome.”
Toula Allen said it was a lazy Saturday. Amber, her sisters and friend went for pizza and then for ice cream.
Her mom saw Amber with the four-wheeler, but Amber said, “I’m not riding today.” She was dressed too well.
Sometime after Toula left, Amber and Tori decided to ride the four-wheeler to get helmets. Toula said she doesn’t know how fast Amber was going, but it couldn’t have been very fast because there are trees in the yard and the ground is rutted. Amber’s sisters called to say “Amber’s hurt” and, at first, Toula thought they were “cutting up.”
“I told my husband, ‘Run the red light, but if they’re playing a joke ... . I wish they had been cutting up,” she said. “I have to commend my own daughter.
“I don’t know how my child dragged her own body (an estimated 30-40 feet) with a wound that was called a partial amputation to the leg — that’s how it was called in to the chopper — it was a miracle from God above. Not only was it cut, the bone was open and exposed, but there was no infection.”
An off-duty paramedic stopped, provided first aid and wrapped a belt around the leg. Three women — “three angels,” Toula says — stopped at the wreck scene. The rest was a blur of paramedics and chopper doctors — “They were angels with wings,” Toula says — rushing to the far-off hospital, fearing the worst.
“The ride to Greenville felt like eternity,” Toula said.
Toula’s sister lives in Anderson but, thankfully, on the Greenville side of I-85. She beat the chopper to the hospital. “I told her, ‘Be Amber’s mom till I get there.’”
They waited — that interminable waiting game of injury versus medicine — until doctors performed the second miracle on Amber’s leg. They even got a chance to talk to the helicopter crew who brought their daughter to a life-saving place. Crew members said they would be willing to come to Amber’s school, to put on a demonstration of the medivac equipment and fly kids in the chopper. Toula said it will be a way to stress to the students that this is what Amber went through and to keep yourself safe.
“Four-wheelers are very, very dangerous,” Toula said, adding that Amber said she’ll never ride one again. “We got it for Christmas after she begged and begged for it. Four-wheelers are very dangerous. They do not need to be taken lightly.”
Toula said she doesn’t know why the vehicle flipped.
Safety issues related to use of four-wheeler and three-wheeler vehicles are receiving national attention because of the sheer numbers of people getting hurt. From 1995-2003, 404,249 youths under 20 years old were injured in all-terrain vehicle wrecks and treated for non-fatal injuries, according to The Children’s Safety Network.
This is “the worst thing that has happened to us,” Toula said. “But, at the same time, so many testimonies have come into our lives. Greenwood has been unbelievable.”
“When I first heard that Amber was seriously hurt, I cried,” said Stirling Rentz, a friend. “My sister Jordan and I knew we needed to pray for her. We called other friends and met at North Side Baptist Church and had special prayer for her. We asked God for a miracle.”
At a youth event later that night, hundreds of young people broke into small groups to pray for Amber, Stirling said.
“There is not a bigger, brighter smile in the whole school,” Jordan said. “Amber is special. We all love her and will pray her through this.”
A popular, vibrant student, cheerleader since sixth grade and a dancer for 10 years, Amber might be hard to hold down after her leg heals. She had just started soccer training when the four-wheeler wreck changed everything.
“She was doing good, too. She was hustling,” said close friend and GCS girls varsity teammate Rebecca Wilson, as the team gathered on a cloudy Friday morning at the Greenwood Family YMCA for practice. “I’ve known her since I was born. Our parents are friends — our moms were pregnant together.”
Wilson was supposed to be with Amber riding the four-wheeler, but Saturday was Rebecca’s 15th birthday so her mom said she should stay home to greet people coming over. Wilson said she talked to Amber an hour before the wreck, then got a call right after it happened. She and the Allens were the first people to see Amber last Saturday night after her initial surgery to see how bad the leg wound was.
“She’s awesome,” Rebecca said of Amber. “She has a positive attitude.
“There’s not a time when there’s not a smile on her face. She’s being strong, telling us not to worry, telling us to pray for her.”
Wilson said she talked to Toula Allen Friday morning, and Amber was doing “really well, better than expected” after her leg reconstruction surgery. Wilson planned to go Friday afternoon to Greenville to see her friend and stay in a hotel room there to be close by, probably until Monday.
“They said at the beginning she would have to have (the leg) amputated but they were able to save it,” Wilson said. “She’s doing great. She’s still part of the team. We’re keeping her warm-ups for her. ”
Starting recovery, her mom says Amber, whose 15th birthday is April 2, is being practical. Her view on soccer: “I guess I’ll have to be their water girl.”

Lady Vikings knock off Greenwood

March 11, 2006

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

One half is all it took for the Emerald High School girls soccer team.
The Lady Vikings got all their scoring in the first half to down crosstown rival Greenwood, 3-1, Friday night at Frank Hill Stadium.
With the win, Emerald moves to 4-0 on the year.
The Lady Vikings scored the first three goals of the night , taking a 3-1 lead at halftime.
Then, Emerald staved off the Lady Eagles in the second half. It was a solid display of defense for Emerald throughout the game, particularly in the second half.
“We knew coming in that we were going to be facing a quality club in Greenwood,” Emerald assistant coach Gary Winchester said. “They’ve got class players. We were fortunate to get the win.”
Emerald’s Erika Bishop led her team with two goals. Kasie Sears added a goal and an assist for the Lady Vikings, while teammate Alex Bishop collected an assist. Emerald keeper Rachel Baggett had two saves.
Greenwood got a goal from Katy Hoover, with keeper Shannon Lomnick adding a pair of saves.
“The Greenwood game is always a big game for us,” Erika Bishop said. “But coach (Paul) Dodd always tells us that the next game is the biggest game. We just need to keep working hard and treating each game like its the biggest.”
After a defensive opening to the contest, Emerald found the back of the net first.
Controlling the ball along the left side, Sears spotted Bishop darting toward the goal. Sears whistled a crossing pass to Bishop, who hooked the ball with her left foot, sending it into the back right corner of the goal. The score came with 27:30 remaining in the half and put Emerald up 1-0.
“That was a great cross,” Bishop said of Sears’ pass. “I just wanted to make a run at it. We’ve been working on that, so I just did what we practice.”
Despite Bishop’s acknowledgment to team practice and coaching, Winchester insisted plays such as the one Bishop executed can be attributed to pure talent, as well.
“Things like that happen when you have gifted players,” Winchester said. “It doesn’t necessarily come from coaching.”
Alex Bishop set up the Lady Vikings’ second goal on a corner kick, firing a pass across the pitch towards Sears.
Sears made a leap at the ball, scooting a textbook header into the back of the net and putting the Lady Vikings up 2-0 with 18:30 remaining.
Emerald got its final goal with 13:23 left in the first half.
With the ball slowly rolling out in front of Greenwood’s goal, Lomnick charged out to retrieve it, as Erika Bishop charged towards it also. Lomnick was a step late getting to the ball, as Bishop poked it free and the calmly poked the ball into the goal, giving Emerald the 3-0 advantage. Refusing to go quietly, Greenwood got a goal before halftime.
Hoover swooped in from the left side of the pitch, charging towards the Emerald net. As Emerald keeper Baggett charged out, Hoover looped a shot over her head and into the back right corner of the net.

Opinion

Observations ... and other reflections

March 11, 2006

Now that a Dubai company has decided to pull out and end the controversy over operating six major U.S. ports, some Americans are saying it’s a result of other Americans bashing Arabs and Muslims.
A few may be, but most, no doubt, still are bothered by the memories of a number of attacks on the U. S. by radical Muslims. The World Trade Tower tragedy alone killed between 2,000 and 3,000 persons.
American concern has nothing to do with prejudice against anyone. Security was and is the primary focus. Under the same set of circumstances, you have to wonder what would have occurred if the shoe had been on the other foot.

* * * * *

The Knight-Ridder newspaper chain, which owns “The State” in Columbia, the Myrtle Beach “Sun-News” and “The Charlotte Observer” is for sale. Top bidder, it is reported, is the McClatchy newspaper chain. McClatchy already owns the papers in Rock Hill, Beaufort, Hilton Head and Raleigh, N. C. If McClatchy buys Knight-Ridder, it will have a powerful standing in both Carolinas. Chains already are dominant in the Carolinas’ media. South Carolinians, known for their independence, have to wonder what an enhanced media dominance would mean to that independence.

* * * * *

More and more, some teachers from around the country are coming under fire, charged with subjecting their classes to personal agendas. Actually, that kind of “brainwashing” has been going on for some time, including, no doubt, some in the Palmetto State. But it’s the few that do it, not the majority.
When it’s done, though, it should draw complaints. The majority of teachers take their responsibilities seriously. They strive to teach their students “how” to think, not “what” to think. Teachers who stick to this should not be lumped in with those who take advantage of a captive audience and impressionable minds to espouse their own political and social biases.

* * * * *

It’s tax time, a time when stress is in the air. More than a few South Carolinians get just a little uptight while preparing their income tax returns. But, what if you knew a neighbor was cheating. Would you turn him in?
More than three out of every five Americans surveyed by the IRS Oversight Board say you should.
That ought to be a no-brainer, especially if you’re following the rules and paying your fair share, while somebody else cheats ..... which ultimately costs you money.
After all, if all cheaters paid what they owe the IRS, your tax bill may not be as high.

Editorial expression in this feature represents our own views.
Opinions are limited to this page.

Obituaries

Thomas Beckett

Thomas Beckett, 81, of 132 Limerick Road, widower of Bertha Emma Stevenson Beckett, died Thursday, March 9, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Services will be announced by Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services.

Jack Bourne

GREENWOOD — Jack Castile Bourne, 71, resident of 911 Sunset Drive, husband of Sally Marshall Bourne, died March 10, 2006 at Hospice House.
Born in Greenwood County, January 6, 1935, he was a son of the late Robert Spears and Gladys Castile Bourne. He was a graduate of Greenwood High School and attended Clemson College and the University of South Carolina. Mr. Bourne formally owned and operated Bourne Auto Parts and was formerly employed by Chandler Utilities.
He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and a former member of the Greenwood Jaycees.
Surviving in addition to his wife of the home are two daughters, Patricia B. and husband, Charles C. Mayers of Augusta, GA and Jacqueline Bourne of Charlotte, NC; two grandchildren, Charles Marshall Mayers and Virginia Chaplin Mayers, both of Augusta, GA.
Graveside services will be conducted at 3:30 pm Monday in Greenwood Memorial Gardens with Rev. David Mayo officiating.
Pallbearers will be Pat Marshall, Robert Marshall, Ted Jones, Ed Pfeiffer, Sonny Hines, Bob Barmore, Dick Edmunds, Pierce Stockman and Buck Smith.
The body is at Blyth Funeral Home where the family will receive friends from 2 to 3 Monday afternoon.
The family is at the home on Sunset Drive.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice Care of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Avenue, Greenwood, SC 29646 or to the Greenwood Humane Society, PO Box 242, Greenwood, SC 29648.
For online condolences please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com.
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is assisting the Bourne family.
PAID OBITUARY

Bill Chalmers

GREENWOOD ­Joseph W. “Bill” Chalmers, 82, resident of 114 Sheldon Avenue, husband of Martha Jean Sligh Chalmers, died March 9, 2006 at Hospice House.
Born in Greenwood, January 18, 1924, he was a son of the late Joseph F. “Joe” and Clarise Bowie Chalmers. He was a graduate of Greenwood High School and Clemson College and was a US Navy Pilot during WW II. Mr. Chalmers spent his entire career in the textile industry retiring from Greenwood Mills as a Plant Manager. He was the last member of his immediate family.
Mr. Chalmers was a member of Main Street United Methodist Church.
Surviving in addition to his wife of the home are two daughters, Claire C. and husband, David Ash of St. Charles, IL and Joanne C. and husband, Barry Campbell of Greenwood; a son, Tommy and wife, Cathy Chalmers of Greenwood; grandchildren, Will Ash, Cara Ash, Alyson Campbell Taber, Will Campbell, Morgan Chalmers and Paige Chalmers.
Graveside services will be conducted at 2 pm Sunday in Greenwood Memorial Gardens with Rev. James D. Dennis, Jr. officiating.
The body is at Blyth Funeral Home.
The family is at the home in Belle Meade and will receive friends at the funeral home from 5 to 7 Saturday evening.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Main Street United Methodist Church, 211 N. Main Street, Greenwood, SC 29646 or to Hospice Care of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Avenue, Greenwood, SC 29646.
For online condolences please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com.
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is assisting the Chalmers family.
PAID OBITUARY

Gary H. Chappell

PICKENS — Gary Hampton Chappell, 55, died Thursday, March 9, 2006.
A son of Geneva Chappell and the late Ralph Chappell, he was a member of Keowee Masonic Lodge No. 79, Hejaz Shriners of Greenville and Northside Baptist Church.
Survivors include his mother of Pickens; his wife, Pam Chappell; two daughters, Amy Myers of Easley and Jill Lewis of Pickens; five grandchildren; a brother, Wayne Chappell of Pickens; a sister, Sheila Gibson of Pickens.
Services are 2 p.m. Sunday at Dillard Funeral Home. Burial is in Hillcrest Memorial Park and Gardens.
Visitation is 5-7 tonight at the funeral home.
The family is at the home.
Flowers are accepted or memorials may be made to the Shriners Hospital.
Dillard Funeral Home is in charge.

Ruby P. Culbertson

LAURENS — Ruby Pitts Culbertson, formerly of Hickory Tavern, widow of Robert Lee Culbertson, died Friday, March 10, 2006 at Martha Franks Baptist Retirement Center in Laurens.
Services will be announced by Parker-White Funeral Home, Ware Shoals.

Toni Early

Antonie “Toni” Lunde Early, 78, of 120-A Abbey Drive, widow of Hufham Watson Early, Jr., died March 9, 2006 at her residence.
Born October 7, 1927 in Westby, Wisconsin, she was a daughter of the late Arnold Orlando and Olga Marie Galstad Lunde. She was crowned Miss Wisconsin in 1946 and was a contestant of the Miss America Pageant. A homemaker, she was of the Lutheran faith. She was preceded in death by her first husband, William C. Kunz and stepson James Early.
Survivors include sons, John Kunz, and James and wife Karen Kunz of McDonough, Ga.; daughter, Wendy K. and husband Richard Whiting of Greenwood; stepdaughter, Chris and husband Jim Wiggs of Rocky Mount, N.C.; grandchildren, Andy Wiggs of Wrightsville Beach, N.C., Amanda Kunz and Brandon Kunz, both of McDonough, Ga., and Shelley Whiting and Katie Whiting, both of Greenwood; sisters, Audrey Myer of Spring Grove, Minn., Ann Haney of Waukon, Iowa and Janice Treffinger of Dubuque, Iowa; brothers, Larry Lunde of Reserve, Mont., and Roger Lunde of Spring Grove, Minn.
Memorial services will be conducted Sunday at 2:00 PM at Westminster Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Chris Leonard officiating. Private burial will be conducted later in the Early Family Cemetery in Aulander, N.C.
The family is at the home of her daughter, Wendy Whiting, 106 Wendover Road, Greenwood, and will receive friends following the service Sunday at the church.
Those desiring may make memorials to Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2330 Cokesbury Road, Greenwood, SC, 29649 in memory of Mrs. Early.
For additional information and online condolences please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is serving the Early family.
PAID OBITUARY

Artincie M. Jacobs

McCORMICK — Artincie M. Jacobs, 93, died Thursday, March 9, 2006 at McCormick Healthcare Center.
Born in Greenwood, she was a daughter of the late Tillman and Emma Smiley Martin. She was a member of Old Mount Zion Baptist Church.
She was the last surviving member of her immediate family.
The family is at the home of a niece, Mary Gary, 501 Baptist Ave., Greenwood.
Services will be announced by Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home, Greenwood.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at pertompfh1@earthlink.net

Doris Lott

NINETY SIX — Doris Cooper Lott, 79, of 11 Roxanna Drive, widow of William J. “Bill” Lott, died Friday, March 10, 2006 at her home.
Services will be announced by Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services.

Telitha ‘Etoide’ Morgan

HODGES — Services for Telitha “Etoide” Morgan are 2 p.m. Sunday at Good Hope Baptist Church, Hodges, conducted by the Rev. Stanley Haltiwanger. The body will be placed in the church at 1. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers are church deacons.
Flower bearers are church deaconesses.
The family is at the home, 4316 Cokesbury Road.
Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home, Greenwood, is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at pertompfh1@earthlink.net

Timothy Morgan Sr.

Timothy Morgan Sr., 69, of 665 Kirksey Drive, died Wednesday, March 8, 2006 at Hospice Care of the Piedmont.
Born in Hodges, Cokesbury Community, he was a son of the late Oscar N. Tolbert and Coralee Lagroon. He retired from Parke-Davis and was a member of Cokesbury Baptist Church and the Trustee Ministry and former member of Mount Pisgah Lodge No. 419.
Survivors include his former wife, Effie Morgan of Greenwood; a daughter, Angela Morgan of Greenwood; a stepdaughter, Doris Key of McCormick; a son, Timothy Morgan Jr. of Greenwood; a stepson, Jerry Satchell of Columbia; two brothers, Wilbert Tolbert of Greenwood and James Tolbert of Hodges; a sister, Edna Baylor of Queens, N.Y.
Services are 2 p.m. Sunday at Cokesbury Baptist Church, Hodges, conducted by the Rev. J.L. Robinson. The body will be placed in the church at 1. Burial is in The Evening Star cemetery.
Pallbearers are Ricky Kennedy, Rozmeski Tolbert, Pete Morgan, Donald Watson, Sloan McGrier, Shawn Morgan and L.D. Parks.
Flower bearers are Tory Patterson, Barbara Henderson, Yvette Hart, Lee Ann Pope, Trosha Holloway, Tracy McKee, Helen Williams and Risa Tolbert.
Honorary escorts are church deacons.
Viewing begins 1 p.m. today at Parks Funeral Home.
Visitation is 7-8 tonight at the funeral home.
The family is at the home.
Parks Funeral Home is in charge.

CORRECTION

For the obituary of Nancy Simpson Roach in Friday’s paper, there was an error and an omission in the information provided to The Index-Journal.
A surviving brother is William Alex Simpson of Cross Hill. An additional survivor is a grandchild, Mary Nan Ollis of Waynesboro, Va.