The following story is filled with errors. We are including it here because of it's placement in one of the popular series of books "Chicken Soup for the Soul, No. 3." Being in such a big publication you can find this story and stories like it all over the web.
Story With Errors:
Perhaps you have heard the story of the MiracleBridge. In l883 a creative engineer, John Roebling was inspired to build the BrooklynBridge. Experts told him to forget it. He convinced his son Washington, an up and coming engineer to build the bridge. They hired a crew and began to build their dream bridge. The project was only a few months old when there was a tragic accident. John Roebling was killed and his son was severely brain damaged. He was unable to move or talk, but his mind was sharp as ever. He was able to move one finger and touched the arm of his wife. From that point on they learned how to communicate. For the next l3 years he tapped out instructions to the bridge builders who then completed the spectacular bridge.
Our ability to communicate is our greatest asset. The best way to be disciples is to be people who are understood and at the same time be folks who are willing to listen.
The Actual Events:
- John Roebling had his toes crushed by a barge incident and he chose to use a then popular method of dealing with it called Water Therapy, rather then go to the hospital. He died within a month due to infections.
- Washington Roebling, at a later time, got the bends while working within compression chambers under the river. It affected his health the rest of his life, but he was able to continue work. He never had a traumatic head injury.
- He did not communicate with his wife by tapping his finger. We're assuming that's what the story is implying, but it isn't true. What actually happened is that his wife, Emily Warren Roebling, took over the chief engineer's duties including day-to-day supervision and project management. She was a self taught engineer, no doubt by working on past projects with the father and son duo. She managed a lot of the daily affairs on the Brooklyn Bridge site and together, Washington and her, jointly planned and executed the construction. He, though, could no longer work on site due to his health.
Caution: Check before you Preach! If stories sound too dramatic there is probably some artistic license afoot.