A Heroic Father

My brother-in-law sent this moving story to me tonight about a Nokesville, Va., man who saved his son from drowning in a septic tank but ended up drowning himself. The son, Joseph, has Down syndrome and could not make his way out of the high water level after he fell through the cover to the tank, so Thomas Vander Woude jumped in and held up his son until help arrived. By the time rescue workers pulled both of them out, the father was unconscious and was declared dead at the hospital. The son is in critical condition.

My sister Christine and her husband, Mark, who just moved to Colorado from nearby Gainesville, Va., last month, attended the same parish and often saw the son, Joseph, serving Mass on Sundays. Mark mentioned to me that Arlington Bishop Thomas Loverde is celebrating the funeral Mass with 13 priests, one of which is Thomas' eldest son. This story is picking up attention from the national media.

Should anyone feel moved to do so, notes of condolence can be sent to:

Holy Trinity Parish

C/O VanderWoude Family

8213 Linton Hall Road

Gainesville, VA 20155