Eagle with a Broken Wing

By Sybil Clark Barefoot

Eagle with a Broken Wing is a story of incredible strength of two people, Ronald and Barbara Gullett! Following an accident when forty-six thousand volts of electricity surged through Ronald's body, resulting in loss of limbs, their love for each other and their deep faith in God were tested. But they decided to live life to the fullest for the next twenty-five years.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9781645593782

Book preview

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Eagle with a Broken Wing

Sybil Clark Barefoot

Interviews Conducted and Cover Design by Billie Louise Hall Campbell

ISBN 978-1-64559-377-5 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64559-590-8 (Hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-64559-378-2 (Digital)

Copyright © 2019 Sybil Clark Barefoot

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books, Inc.

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

About the Author

As I sat with Barb with tears flowing as she shared her story, I chose to write the beginning portion of the book in the first person. This was to better emphasize the faith, strength and courage of this incredible woman.

Chapter 1

Nestled in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky was a small mining town. These mountains in Wheelwright were rich in coal. In 1916, Elk Horn Mining Company started mining these rich seams. The town was named after the president of Elk Horn, J. Wheelwright.

In later years, Inland Steel Company bought the rights. Jack Price was hired as the president of the company. He had the foresight to know that to entice people (miners) to come, he would have to provide incentives. He knew that suitable and affordable housing must be built. An Olympic-sized swimming pool and golf course were added. Men came from all over the world into this new community. Mining was the mainstay of the majority who lived there. Inland Steel Company owned most of the town. It was awarded the distinction of being one of the most modern coal mining towns in the world.

The brick buildings were patterned after Colonial Williamsburg.

They included a modern clubhouse, a large community center, everything one needed. This was the town where Ronald and I grew up and never wanted to leave. The town supported our basketball team, the Wheelwright High School Maroons. In 1949, another sport was organized. My father, Everett Hall, had just become the assistant coach of the Wheelwright Junior League baseball team. Ron had played baseball for years and was so happy that an official team was organized.

I loved tagging along with my dad to the games. The players would spend long hours at my house. Mom and Dad would have cookouts for them and they would talk baseball. I was younger by two years or so than the players, but I loved hanging out with them. We didn’t have a large field, so the bleachers were right behind the team. I was fourteen, but I admit, I thought the third baseman with his piercing blue eyes was very cute. But he being two years older, I knew he would never give me the time of day.

I continued to dream. Then the magic day happened! I was sitting in the bleachers and had turned to the side to speak to someone. I felt a cup of water going down my back. Turning, there I was, facing him! He said he was taking a break and thought I might need a nice cold shower! Being the feisty one that I was, when he went down to join the team, I quietly slipped down behind him, picked up a bucket of water, and got even. I drenched him. Little did I know at that moment that we would fall in love, marry, and be inseparable for almost sixty years. With Ron Gullett, I would, over the coming years, learn the true meaning to the vow: In sickness or in health, rich or poor. And this is our story! It is meant to give others hope to know what two people can endure when the Lord is their strength and their love for each other is beyond measure.

My older brother, Bob, and Ron were close friends. They played on the baseball team together, and he spent a lot of time at our house. They would practice their pitching in our front yard. And of course, I didn’t mind. I could watch from the swing on the porch. One day, he came up and sat down beside me. This became a habit but not without a constant companion, my mother. She sat in the chair beside us until he had to go home. I wasn’t sure which one she distrusted, Ron or me. He eventually got up the nerve to reach out and touch my hand. These moments would last for many months until one day, Mom, Ron, and I were in the kitchen. He was helping me with the dishes. Dad called for Mom to come outside for a minute.

Ron quietly said, It’s time.

Time for what? I innocently asked.

I’m going to kiss you!

What should I do?

Stand still and put your arms around my neck.

At that moment, I felt the earth move under my feet. And in an instant, there was Mom. She had missed the kiss, thank goodness, but from then on, Ron