“Our first thought was that nobody would come out alive,” said Martha Young of the bus she was following and her daughter, Iris, a sophomore volleyball player, was riding on.

The St. Joseph High School girls’ volleyball team was going by bus from Victoria to Austin on Saturday morning, October 13, to play against Austin Hyde Park, but never made it, due to their bus going off the side of the road, flipping in the air and then rolling another time on the ground.

Mothers, Martha Young and Pam Malik, as well as many parents, were driving behind the bus when the bus crashed. 

“We just watched it happen and were so helpless,” said Mrs. Malik.  “We just prayerfully called out, ‘Oh my God, oh my God’ over and over.”

“You’re calling your child’s name at the bus, hoping that she’ll answer you, and when she does, it’s the sweetest sound,” Mrs. Malik said.  Her daughter, Danielle, also a sophomore player was not badly injured; she left with a bruised shoulder blade and sore low back.

None of the 32 people on board the bus were severely injured, although most went to area hospitals to be checked. There were no broken bones and only four required stitches. Only the bus driver, 67-year-old Mr. Clint Parks, remained overnight at Gonzales Memorial Hospital for observation.

Mrs. Young and Mrs. Malik were in St. Joseph’s gymnasium Tuesday morning, October 16, with other family members, students, and faculty members for a Mass of Thanksgiving and Celebration of Life.

Prior to the Mass, Mr. Bill McArdle, president and principal of the school, spoke to the Mass participants, saying, “Life is so precious; we truly face the reality of it when something like this happens.  We often go through life thinking we’re prepared for that final day, but we never think that day may come so soon.”

“It is so important to remember how precious life is,” he continued. “And in this case, a tremendous tragedy was narrowly averted; I feel we truly had a miracle take place. The Lord obviously has some wonderful things in mind for these young ladies.”

He then praised the football team, who on their own initiative, purchased pink roses and went to the three different emergency rooms and delivered them personally to each of the volleyball players; they even remembered the parents, bringing them donuts.  In the early evening the St. Joseph students organized an evening prayer candlelight service at the school’s football practice field.

“What took place in the school and community since the wreck may have been the norm 50 years ago,” Mr. McArdle said, “but not in today’s world.” 

“But it is the norm here and that’s what’s special about the St. Joseph family,” he continued.  He also thanked the larger community for their caring and support during this difficult time. 

The Mass opened with volleyball co-head coach Alvin Mumphord singing “Amazing Grace” a cappella.  He experienced the bus crash and even held out his arm to stop someone from being violently tossed in the bus, before he, himself, lost control of his own position.

In his homily, Father Bob Knippenberg, pastor of Holy Family in Victoria, spoke of how precious and fragile life is and that God can bring goodness out of any tragedy.

“In the tragedy of the suffering and death of our Lord, God brought out goodness with the resurrection,” Father Bob said and continued, “God can bring any kind of goodness out of tragedy – if you let him.”

Father Bob concluded, “Let God’s amazing grace continue to be active in your lives. Perhaps we’ve been given the reminder that our lives must not be wasted. Give back to God the gift of your life (the wonderful gifts that he’s entrusted to us) and rededicate your lives to live for him, then this can have a positive outcome.”

Following the Mass, Mr. McArdle introduced Betsy Westerman, volleyball coach of Texas Military Institute in San Antonio and a district opponent, who came to the school to deliver goody bags and teddy bears from her players for the Victoria team.

“When we’re on the field, we’re fierce competitors,” she said in an unprepared talk, “but off court, we’re a bigger family in Christ.”

While going across the gymnasium floor to get their goody bags, they saw Mr. Parks. Immediately, the girls formed a circle around him, and with tears in their eyes, each gave him a hug.  While co-head coach Allyson Griffin waited for the girls, I asked how she was doing, she replied, “Battered and bruised, but blessed to be alive.”

In an e-mail to the diocesan school principals, Superintendent Mr. John Quary stated, “We are all very blessed at the remarkable outcome of the accident, given the “totaling of the bus” and what could have happened. The coaches, driver, families, and young ladies are to be commended for their handling of the situation.

The following week, Oct. 20, The Lady Flyers won the TAPPS District 3-4A tournament, and the district championship. The next level of competition has been determined as of Oct. 22.