Heather Vanboerum: Miracles in a Costco Parking Lot

Morgan Jones Pearson 0:00

Five days before Christmas last year, 51-year-old Heather Vanboerum was on the phone with her husband while walking to her car in a bustling Costco parking lot when she was hit by a car believed to have been an elderly man who accidentally hit the gas rather than the brake. Heather was pinned between two cars and one of her legs was immediately severed upon impact. What transpired in the moments following the accident can, in my opinion, only be described as miraculous, but I'll let Heather tell you the rest of the story. Heather Vanboerum and her husband Dan are residents of Holladay, Utah, they are the parents of five children. As the wife of a trauma surgeon, Heather has always been a light to everyone who knows her and that light gets to shine on more people these days as her daughter has documented her journey on an Instagram account called VB FlowerPower, coined after the nickname Heather's parents have called her all her life.

This is All In, an LDS Living podcast where we ask the question what does it really mean to be all in the gospel of Jesus Christ? I'm Morgan Pearson, and I am so honored to have Heather Vanboerum on the line with me today, Heather, welcome.

Heather Vanboerum 1:22

Thank you for having me.

Morgan Jones Pearson 1:24

This is so exciting. I told Heather before we started the recording that my mom is her biggest fan and is so excited that I'm doing this interview. So shout out to her. But I, I have been so impressed. I first heard about your story. A few months ago, I had a friend who was helping me address wedding invitations and she happened to know you, she'd actually just gone and given blood at one of the blood drives that your family had done. And so she was telling me all about your experience. And I just was blown away by first of all the goodness of God and preserving your life, but also in what a bright light you were sharing with the world in the wake of such a hard thing. And so I'm so honored to have the chance to talk with you today. I want to start if it's okay with you in a little bit of a unique place. I think when I searched for your story online, the first thing that came up was a story about your husband. And it was just a mention in the story about how this young mom's life had been saved. But it talked about your husband and how as a doctor, trauma doctor, he had played this role in saving this young woman's life. And I thought it was so interesting to think here is this man who has devoted his career to saving and preserving people's lives. But on December 20, he needed those life saving abilities for the person that he cared about most in the entire world. So tell me a little bit about you and your husband, how you met, and what it's been like for you to be the wife of a trauma doctor.

Heather Vanboerum 3:07

Okay, so my husband and I met are for our families lived nearby each other. And my older brother was my husband's very good friend in high school. So I always kind of knew him growing up, but then we started dating in college. And that's when we both shared a great love of the outdoors and activities. And so we dated for quite a while and then ended up getting married just the week before medical school started. So as we went through medical school and residency and internship and all of that together, I guess what I would want to say about being the wife of a trauma surgeon is that from day one, he was always very busy and gone a lot. However, when he was home, he was very involved in the family and our relationship and developing traditions and, and memories for our family. So it always felt like yes, he was gone a lot. But yeah, he was very much a part of everything that was going on in our home. And it was hard that you know, he wasn't there, especially when the kids were growing up. But I think it also helped them to be very independent and really be able to handle a lot of things on their own.

Morgan Jones Pearson 4:34

So like I said on on December 20, 2021, you were on the phone with your husband when something happened that would change your life forever. Something you never could have anticipated. Can you tell listeners a little bit about what you remember from the events of that day or what you've been told happened?

Heather Vanboerum 4:56

Yes, yes. So I was awake. The entire time from the beginning of the accident until I was in the ER. So I was at Costco in the parking lot. And it was, of course, busy, five days before Christmas. And I remember a lot of people walking through the parking lot and cars lined up and I was on the phone with my husband, we were planning a pizza party for my son and his friends, I thought it might be nice for us to have the kids over and then give parents a little extra time to do what they need to for Christmas. And I was walking through the parking lot. And all sudden I heard some commotion and some noise and some people kind of screaming and I looked behind me and there was a car backing up quickly, I could see it coming. And all of a sudden, I tried to jump out of the way and the car pinned me between another car. And I just dropped to the ground. And I remember it being very cold. And it was starting to get dark. It was probably about four o'clock. And it had just started to get that you know, dusky fill. And so I was lying in the parking lot, I don't know where my phone had gone. And somebody came and asked me if I needed a blanket and I just blinked my eyes kind of said yes. And one of the angels on earth was there to go and get me a blanket and she held my hand. While other people were kind of bustling around trying to figure out what to do. And I kind of just laid there I didn't really want to look up too much. I was just in excruciating pain, the worst pain I've ever felt. And then I looked down and I happened to see all the blood that was down below, I didn't see that I had lost my right foot. But I saw a lot of blood. And I remember just saying I'm going to die. And my husband happened to hear that on the other end, somebody had picked up my phone and had started talking to my husband. So at that point, I'm laying there, somebody's holding my hand, and a man puts on a tourniquet, a temporary tourniquet on my legs. And that man actually saved my life by doing that. So the man who was on the phone, who was the Costco manager, let my husband know that we were in the parking lot. And my husband happened to be working and he was on the 11th floor of the hospital. And he ran down and ran across the street and happened to get to the place where I was laying right as the ambulance pulled up. And at that point, they put me in the ambulance. So I think one of the most incredible parts about the story, for those that have never been to the Murray, Utah Costco, is that it basically shares a parking lot with the hospital where your husband was, correct?

Correct. Correct.

Morgan Jones Pearson 8:16

Which I just think, you know, what are the odds of that? But how does it make you feel when you think about you know, that this, something like that could have happened anywhere. And instead it happened in the Costco where your husband was able to get to you quickly, where somebody knew how to put a tourniquet on. I just think there are so many elements of this in which it's like, difficult to deny the existence of a higher power.

Heather Vanboerum 8:45

Absolutely. I think, especially these days, we dismiss things so easily as "Oh, it's just happenstance," but there's no denying that these were little miracles and tender mercies. My husband has said many times had I not been that close to the hospital, there is no way I would have survived. When I got into the ambulance, my blood pressure was so low and I had lost so much blood. So that was a tender mercy. Also that the man who was instructed to do the tourniquets, he was on the phone with the Murray Fire Department and they instructed him how to use these tourniquets or do a tourniquet that was just a temporary one. But the fact that he did that and that he was able to be so calm and and do it correctly is a miracle in itself. And just just the fact that there is a trauma one center at IMC, that was huge. Had they had to send me off to another hospital that would have been more time and definitely something that would have not allowed me to live.

Morgan Jones Pearson 10:03

It's amazing to me. You've mentioned a few of these everyday heroes, you said earthly angels, people who were just shopping at Costco before Christmas, when I feel like they were called upon simply by virtue of being there to help save your life. What do you know about those people? What have you learned about them in the days since? What kind of gratitude Do you feel toward them?

Heather Vanboerum 10:30

Well, I'll start with what I know about them. I have had the privilege of meeting with these earthly angels, some of them in person. One in particular, the woman who was holding my hand, I have just become so close with and the day she came to my house after the accident, and we met, of course, I didn't know what she looked like. I probably saw her face that day. But I didn't remember what she looked like. But we held hands. And as she came to my door that day, I held her hand and it was like it was home to me. I felt I knew her hand. And I couldn't let go of her hand, it just was the best thing in the world to me. She really stayed with me and kept me with her and gave me peace during that time. What I will tell you about, I want to share that she shared with me is that she didn't know why she was there. She had never been to that Costco. Her father had died the week before. And she had gone over to the mall, she walked around the mall left without buying anything. She just really did not even know what why she was there. And then she went over to Costco really didn't buy much and was just leaving when she saw the accident. And she actually had pulled away and thought "I don't have anything to offer whatever that person is going through" and something made her go back. And I truly believe she was put there to comfort me and to be my mother at that time. She has said because she felt and she didn't know at the time but I had lost my father as well. And I felt his presence there. And she said she felt like she was there to be a mother figure to me. Also, we did have a conversation with the man who put the tourniquets on. My husband and I had a conversation with him on the phone, and just so grateful to him for his calmness and his willingness to do something that had to be really hard. And I'm sure it hasn't been easy for him since. So my gratitude to both of them and to the manager from Costco is so deep, I think about them. Often I think about what we shared in that parking lot together. And I love them so much for what they gave me at that time, both physically and spiritually. And I'm also very grateful to Murray Fire Department that was there and I know they comforted the people that helped me after and tried to give them comfort and strength after I had been taken away. So yeah, I'm very grateful.

Morgan Jones Pearson 13:37

So sweet. Heather, you were in the hospital at Christmas time, which I don't think anybody wants to be in the hospital at Christmas time. There's no good time to be in the hospital. But especially I think that time of the year, it's super hard. But your Instagram account that your daughter runs for you recounts the kindness of so many people including hospital staff that decorated your room so that you could all spend Christmas together your kids posted that you loved lower lights. And those singers came and sang to you in your hospital room your Relief Society sisters decorated your home and later put ribbons around your whole neighborhood. Talk to me about how much those acts of kindness meant to you especially during the holidays and how you feel like they epitomize the true spirit of Christmas which I felt almost a little bit weird asking this question because I'm like this episode is not going to air at Christmas time but then I was like, the spirit of Christmas should be with us all the time. So here we go Christmas in probably July.

Heather Vanboerum 14:44

Yes Christmas in July. We should have Christmas with us always. My kids have said about the accident. It it really meant so much to us the timing of it that it was during the holidays and Christmas time for reasons that were very logistical. My kids were all finished with their finals and out of school and had finished big work projects. And so it was a very quiet and peaceful time for them to be involved in what was going on in the hospital. But for me personally, it meant so much that it was Christmas time. I felt Jesus Christ's spirit there. And I felt that everybody else was kind of focused on that right then and the spirit of giving and the spirit of wanting people to feel good and feel peace and happiness. And I became the recipient of everyone's well wishes. Like you said, the nurses decorated the room. It was just beautiful. They put these twinkling lights and when I would come back from my surgeries, I would see these beautiful twinkling lights. And then my darling friend helps my kids decorate the room and she brought a pink Christmas tree. I had asked my husband if we could have a pink Christmas tree that year. And he said no way. We had always done a live tree. And he said no way are we having a big Christmas tree. Well, I got my Christmas tree, my cute friend brought this Christmas tree, the pink Christmas tree with ornaments that reminded us of a trip we've just been on and so I would look at all these things, and it would bring me joy, but they also bought brought me pictures of Christ to hang in my room that I could look at. And you know, we don't often think about the Atonement and what the gift that Christ gave us and when he suffered on the cross, but that was very much a big part of my thoughts in the hospital. One thing, you know, and this is just when I wasn't quite coherent. And I had a breathing tube in and I couldn't talk. I could hear Christmas music, primary Christmas music and playing and I was convinced there was an organ next in the next room over. But it wasn't it was just me and the spirit was just comforting me with his music and the words from the songs.

Morgan Jones Pearson 17:26

It's so beautiful. I love that. I think that it's interesting. I was just listening yesterday to a BYU devotional that was just given this past week. I think it's Richard Osguthorpe, but he told the story about how at a pivotal point in his mission when he was considering going home, he heard his mom's voice singing in his head and bearing testimony through song and he said that he knew that. That was the answer to his prayer. And anyway, I just thought I think it's amazing how powerful music can be and how it can be called to our memory in the times when we need it the most. And your example is such a beautiful, beautiful example of that. On December 28, just eight days after your accident, you had a pretty incredible experience you were able to watch your daughter give birth to your first grandchild, who was even named after you. She was originally supposed to deliver at the University of Utah but it was arranged that she would deliver at IHC. You were switched over to a bed gurney and wheeled down to labor and delivery. And I like visualize this all in my mind. And it makes me emotional that you held your daughter's hand as she delivered your granddaughter. Can you tell us how that kind of came to be and what it meant to you to be there when your life had just been preserved days earlier?

Heather Vanboerum 18:56

Yes, that was such such a gift and something I will never forget it. Yeah, it came to be I think just [by] people hearing word of mouth what had happened. And knowing that Annika my daughter was ready to deliver soon, and how important it was to me that I was going to be there. And I think some people from one hospital talked to people from the other hospital and got together and they were able to organize this and make it happen. I was just shocked that they were going to do it because I had not been moved at all yet. And I really didn't know how it was going to work with all my tubes and everything that was in me and everything that would have to come with us and so they ended up putting me on a gurney which was very tricky. You have to remember I'd had many surgeries, my hips were healing, my legs were healing and they very very carefully got me on a gurney. And we got all the things that came with me, all the tubes and they wrapped them up. And we went downstairs with a very special nurse that had really gotten to know our family. And we all went down and we got to go in. And when I saw Spencer and Annika, in the labor and delivery room, my heart was just full of joy. And so they wheeled me in and put me right next to her. And we held hands as this little baby came to Earth. And that meant so much to me, because days earlier, as they were wheeling me down for one of what would be my longest surgeries, and one that I was really worried about how I was going to make it through, I spoke or I prayed and spoke to Heavenly Father and I, I said to him, that I felt very weak, and that I didn't know if I was going to be able to make it through this one if I could keep going. And I said to him, I will give it all I've got, if you will meet me where I can't go any further and if Christ will make up my difference. And with the thought in mind that I wanted to see my granddaughter born on this earth and hoping that could be so when I was actually wheeled down and put right next to my daughter hands held and saw that precious little baby come into this earth. It just meant the world to me.

Morgan Jones Pearson 21:37

It gives me chills. It's such a such a sweet, sweet experience and so glad that you were able to have that. But Heather, it is estimated that you burned 3500 calories a day in rehab, that's a lot of calories, and you are not a large lady. So what was your biggest source of motivation as you powered through those days of rehab and continue to?

Heather Vanboerum 22:06

Yes, I had so much motivation. First of all the doctors and nurses there and the physical therapists and even the people who would come in and clean the rooms, they were all cheering for me constantly and I loved talking to them and getting to know them. And the fact that they were always cheering for me, and then my family would come and they would do physical therapy with me. And the physical therapists were amazing. And then everybody who was in the unit working towards different things, some, some were paralyzed from different things, or you know, had different accidents, but we were all cheering for each other as well. And so there were all these kind of cheerleaders constantly making you feel like, okay, I want to do better, and I want to be better and then I had kind of told myself, I was going to look at rehab, like, this is a sport, and I'm going to get to know everything I can know, and I'm going to do everything well that I can do. And I'm going to learn how to get stronger and feel better. I wanted to get ready and dressed for rehab. And I learned it meant that I had to get up at 4:30 in order to be ready and eat what I had to eat so that I could go in and do physical therapy and and so I was just really championed on by everybody around me.

Morgan Jones Pearson 23:41

Well, it seems like to me, I obviously cannot imagine the experience that that is ongoing for you. But I look at you and the things that you're already doing. I don't know in terms of you know how fast the development is supposed to be and adapting to these prosthetic legs, but you seem like you're doing an incredible job.

Heather Vanboerum 24:09

Thank you. Thanks. It feels like it's coming along really well. They had told me initially that I'd probably have my first leg around now, my right leg which that was the one that was cut off immediately at the accident and they said I would maybe have that right leg to work with this summer and then the last leg that needed so much work and we actually had to choose to amputate that leg. They had estimated that I would probably get that leg in November or October and then I'd would start walking from there. And I've just been so blessed to be able to have both legs at this point. My daughter was married last week in San Diego and my prayer was it I'd be able to dance with her father at her wedding and I did. And so I just I had a lot of that goal that was running through me the whole time and wanting to make that come to fruition.

Morgan Jones Pearson 25:14

So cool. One thing, I just wanted to make sure I have this right. The reason that you chose to amputate the other leg is because they they said that you would probably have to continue to have surgeries. Is that right? And it could lead to some other health problems?

Heather Vanboerum 25:33

Yes, well, the left leg it was still attached to the foot and that was hard. I had my little toes painted for Christmas red and I saw it and they came to me Christmas Eve and told me that probably we may be needed to amputate it or I could keep it but it would never function fully as a foot and a leg. And after talking to my doctors, one who is my brother in law that I trust so much. You know, I received all the facts. And then another tender mercy happened. One of my cute nurses that I had become close with said "I have a friend who is a nurse upstairs on one of the other floors, and she had her leg amputated. And would you like to talk to her?" So she came down to talk to me on Christmas Eve in the hospital, and told me how she had chosen to keep her leg, but that she was not able to do hardly anything. And so after about two years, she ended up amputating the leg. And then she was able to run and do all the things she loved to do. And that was, to me, that was a gift from God saying, here is what is going to be best for you. And I can honestly say that I made the decision. And we all felt so good about it. And I've never looked back. I know, this is giving me a life of activity and being able to do the things I'm gonna want to do.

Morgan Jones Pearson 27:08

And what a sweet thing, because I can imagine the fear that you feel in making a decision like that to have somebody that's gone through it. I think that definitely a tender mercy. Heather, you needed and I mentioned this earlier that your family did a few blood drives after your accident, you needed blood immediately following the accident and received a blood volume resuscitation. Over the first two weeks in the hospital, you use 54 units of blood and blood products. As a result, they decided in order to pay it back to show gratitude for the blood that was given to you to save your life your family wanted to host blood drives, why would you encourage people who are able to give blood?

Heather Vanboerum 27:58

Okay, so yeah, this has a special place in my heart, especially since my husband does work in the hospital. But I did use a lot of blood. And it was interesting because I would hear them talk about it and talk about the blood I was using and whether my body could handle it in the platelets. And so I became very interested. And knowing during that time that there was a blood shortage in all the hospitals due to COVID. And other reasons. Blood is a living tissue, and it has a lifespan of about 60 days, but it can be less and I don't think we realize that. I think we think we all give blood and then it's stored in the bank. But we do have a lot of things going on in Utah such as accidents, and even just cancer patients use blood or sometimes mothers in delivery need blood. So there's all these different reasons people need blood. And at given times, there's just not enough. The Red Cross does such a great job to try and keep our supplies full. But of course, like I explained before with COVID, and also not having as many people working right now. It's easy for them to run short. And so when you think of maybe your loved one going to the hospital, the last thing you would want them to hear is "I'm sorry, we don't have blood supply to give you what you need." And so I just encourage and urge everyone to keep giving blood, don't stop. We have to keep going in and giving blood and doing everything we can to keep those supplies up.

Morgan Jones Pearson 29:49

Such a good reminder. Thank you so much for that. How would you say and I would imagine that this is an experience that brings a family together in a way that most other things can't. How would you say that you feel toward your kids and toward your husband for the love and support that they have shown you throughout this experience?

Heather Vanboerum 30:13

I start with my kids, my kids, no reflection on me, as a mother, I can say this, they have been amazing. They have all had their different roles in this. And it's it was so interesting to watch, who played which role, but they were all such vital roles. And I watched them grow and develop in these roles. And I just want to point out a few of them. We've talked about my daughter giving birth, two of my daughters, their role was really to take care of me, they would dress me they would wash me and make sure I felt good and worked with the nurses. And then my cute 14-year-old son, he really had to grow up during this time and become more independent. And he handled everything so well. But I'd really like to mention my oldest son, he's 27 years old. And he played a vital role in my healing. He came to me very early on in the hospital before Christmas, and he asked me if I had thought about the man who hit me. And I told him I hadn't unfortunately, it just I only been there a couple of days and hadn't a lot of time to talk or think. And he asked me if it would be okay if he took the man a gift and wrote him a letter of wishing him peace in his heart. And so my son took the man who hit me, a Kristus, which is the statue of Christ, for those of you who don't know, and he wrote him the most beautiful letter of forgiveness. And, by doing that, he allowed me to not think about any of that in a negative way, but look at it as an opportunity to grow and to find peace. And I completely found forgiveness after that. And that helps me both heal spiritually. But it also helped me heal physically. I really, truly believe that. And then with my husband, we are just, I mean, it's just been wonderful. He spent so much time with me in the hospital, and we discussed things and talked about life. And I think we just have such a new perspective. He still is working and has to work a lot. But we cherish our time together. And we look forward to the future and all the things we're going to be able to do together. And he has been a huge support. Of course, physically, he's taken care of me so well. But also just as a companion, an eternal companion that I know is with me through it to the end.

Morgan Jones Pearson 33:09

Well, I would say that your family is very lucky to have you but it sounds like you're very lucky to have them as well. Heather, what would you say you've learned about the role of adversity and God's hand in our mortal experience.

Heather Vanboerum 33:28

Okay, about mortal adversity, I've learned a lot of things I will tell you that I feel like I was prepared for what I went through beforehand. I had known early on in my life that something was going to happen to me something big and that I was going to have to go through something very traumatic. And right before the accident two days before the accident, I had finished my courses from BYU Pathway. And although I did have math and English, they were also teaching me God's plan. They were teaching me the Atonement, they were teaching me what happens in the millennium, and being a disciple of Christ and all these things prepared me and helped me accept that this was God's plan for me, and that He didn't do this to me, but He was going to be the one who, who would get me through it. And I know that there were so many tender mercies but I also know something interesting as well. And this was made known to me in the hospital, that it really wasn't the miracle. The Miracle wasn't in the fact that I lived or, or died or that I lost my feet or kept my feet. The miracle was in having Jesus Christ there. And and that I knew no matter what happened from moment to moment or day to day I was going to be okay. And I was assured that my family was going to be okay. And that helped me to feel peace, that really whatever happened, Heavenly Father knew me. He knew what was going on in my life. And He would be there for me, come what may and that gave me so much peace.

Morgan Jones Pearson 35:21

I love that you said that the miracle was feeling that peace. And and I think that that is what Heavenly Father can bring into our lives when he gives us that comfort. Heather, before we get to our last question, is there anything that we haven't talked about that you'd like to touch on?

Heather Vanboerum 35:41

I was just thinking, one thing that touched me deeply in the hospital, when I was getting ready to go down to another surgery, I had just returned from surgery one day, and I learned that I had to go back. And I think I mentioned it a little earlier that I was really wondering, if I was going to make it. I also had a moment to talk to my husband. And we had such a tender, tender moment, talking and, and it was the first time I cried, I've only cried less than a handful of times since this accident happened. But this was one that just really hit me and I was crying quite a bit. And my husband said, it's gonna be okay, the surgery is gonna go well. And he said, Why are you sad? And I said, it makes me sad to think that my Savior and brother Jesus Christ had to feel what I was feeling. And I share this with you because I want to share that, that just really visceral feeling that Christ does know, everything we've gone through, He feels everything we feel. And He did that because he loves us. And because of that, we can return to our Heavenly Father someday. So I just I feel like that is such a tender moment of this story that sometimes I keep hidden in my heart. Because it is so personal. But yet, I just feel like it can really help people to know that Christ knows everything we're going through.

Morgan Jones Pearson 37:27

Well, thank you so much for sharing that I had this feeling. It's funny, I don't usually ask that question. If there's anything else that you want to say, and I had this feeling to ask, so I'm glad that I did so that we could we could hear about that sweet experience. My last question for you, Heather is what does it mean to you to be all in the gospel of Jesus Christ?

Heather Vanboerum 37:48

Okay, I love that question. Because it was something that I've wanted to be in my whole life, I've strived to be all in the gospel, but something hit me in the hospital. And it really confirmed to me that I need to really set aside my, some of my earthly things that I do, or, or some of the things that are keeping me were keeping me from being all in the gospel of Jesus Christ. And I decided in there I wanted to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, I wanted to be a follower and to really let people know that this is what I believe and and hopefully shine a light of something that can bring so much joy. And I know in this time of life, and and in these last days, people are really suffering, they're, you know, they're, they're looking for answers, and they're seeing so much hurt around them. And it's hard to watch, but I really have a testimony that Jesus Christ is our Savior, and that if we follow Him, and try to live as He lived in was we learn more about Him, we, our hearts are opened to the gospel and brings so much deeper happiness and joy into our lives. And so I have been determined ever since to be a disciple of Christ and I making all my decisions based on that fact. And being all in and wanting to learn more, which I think is a huge proponent of that constantly learning and constantly growing and devoting my self to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Morgan Jones Pearson 39:56

Well, Heather, you are such a delight, and I'm so good grateful for the goodness that you've shared with us today. I'm grateful for the goodness that you're sharing online by allowing people to be a part of this journey with you. And I just I am rooting for you and wishing you and your family all the very best.

Heather Vanboerum 40:19

Thank you so much, Morgan, thank you for letting me be part of this. You are you are very special I can tell. And I just appreciate this so much.

Morgan Jones Pearson 40:30

We are so grateful to Heather Vanboerum for joining us on today's episode. Big thanks to Derek Campbell of Mix at 6 Studios for his help. And thank you so much for taking the time to listen if you enjoy this podcast and have never done so before. Could you do me a big favor in the next week and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Reviews play a big role in how many people this podcast has the ability to reach so every little bit helps. We are also so grateful for all of those who have left us reviews in the past and to each and every person who spends time with us every week. It really means more to us than we can say. So thank you for listening. We'll look forward to being with you again next week.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai