"The day Mary carried me in her arms"

It was late afternoon on a beautiful fall day, 25 years ago. I was riding my bike home from work. As I was approaching a hill, facing due west, I became blinded by the glare of the sun. I knew I was exposed to traffic (this was before dedicated bike lanes) and instinctively felt the danger.

Suddenly I was hit violently from behind, thrown about 10 meters in the air by a fast moving car whose driver, also blinded by the sun, did not see me. When I came back to my senses, I was lying on my back, with people leaning over me, frozen in fear, thinking that I was dead.

I slowly moved each part of my body…my head – I didn't have a helmet at that time –... my back... I finally got up, unhurt. I saw my bike, completely bent by the accident. Someone put me inside the driver's car, who drove me home then went on his way without leaving any information…

My wife met me at the door, shocked at seeing the shape of the bike and… a grin on my face! I felt an immense peace fill my soul. This feeling lasted just a few seconds but I was left with the certainty that "someone" had lifted me in his arms at the moment of the accident then gently put me down on the road. I am convinced that person was Mary!

It probably wasn’t my time. I still had much left to do, people to love and to serve according to the Gospel. For 25 years now, I have been singing the Magnificat in my heart with Mary!

Story shared by Francis, a reader of A Moment with Mary, from Pyla-sur-mer, France – July 1, 2021