AUTHOR DISCUSSES LIFE and DEATH at SXU Crashed Into Two Other Cars
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RECEIVED MAR 13 vierite > crj X BYRNE wiEMORiALLiBR&P STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF SAINT XAVIER UNIVERSITY sumiMMk UJ Features Editorials Entertainment Sports Read an article Kevin Shannon What? Jessica Women's about the people discusses the plight Alba is naked in Basketball team who stop you from of the homeless. The Xavieritel?l wins the CCAC drinking in your Were you expecting (Actually, she is not, Tournament over dorm. a joke? You're evil. but what if...) ONU. Page 7 Page 4 Page ll Page 16 AUTHOR DISCUSSES LIFE AND DEATH AT SXU crashed into two other cars. Traffic was held By Girta Noffsinger up for miles and a Baptist preacher named Deputy Copy Editor Dick Onerecker stepped out of his car, Many people have had a life-or-death approached a police officer and asked, "Is experience, but very few can say that they there anyone here I can say a prayer for?" have actually expetienced death. Don Piper, The officer answered, "No." He then co-author of 90 Minutes in Heaven, is one of informed the man that both the driver of those people. the ttuck and the people in the other two Piper was pronounced dead after a cars he had hit were perfectly fine; however, gruesome collision with an 18-wheel truck. the man from the initial impact had died. Fifteen years after his accident, Piper found Instantly, Onetecker "heard the voice of the courage to tell his story in a critically God say to him, 'Pray for the man in the acclaimed book which has printed over red car.'" He told the officer this, who 600,000 copies and has been translated into desperately tried to dissuade him, however, 12 languages. Onerecker would not back down. He Sigma Tau Delta, the International finally was allowed to approach the barely English Honor Society of Saint Xavier recognizable form of a car and spend the University, brought Piper to the Butler next few minutes with the dead man in Reception Room on Monday, March 6* the front seat. He had to crawl through the at 7:30 p.m. to tell his story in the flesh trunk, then he sat in the back seat behind with their event, "Dead Man Talking: An the covered remains of Piper. He placed his Evening with Don Piper." hand on his shoulder and began to pray. Piper began his presentation by The officer had informed Onerecker of recalling moments he has shared with the severe damage that had occurred to the Jennifer Grisolano, Lynda Reuther, Sam Chapleau and Don Piper share 90 minutes, well-spent. readers from around the world. One of body, including brain damage (which was his touching experiences was shared with made obvious with excessive blood pouring Thousands of gorgeous melodies are "Don Piper is an sincere, genuine person. a woman from Sweden named Inga. She from the eyes, nose and ears), massive resonating at the same time and each can He is willing to do the little things, such as had lost her copy of 90 Minutes along with internal damage caused by the impalement be heard separately without the annoying speaking to the Saint Xavier community her husband from the devastating tsunami. of the steering wheel, a dislocated shouldet, clashing of tones. There is a brilliant light without any compensation, as well as the Thankfully, she found her husband, bars, and his leg and forearm no longer attached illuminating everything and the peak of the big things." She went on to tell a story alive and well, after much searching. Before to his body. Onerecker began to pray that light is focused around the "Mothet-of-Pearl about how her father's co-worker had been the storm, he was a non-believer, but aftet the dead man would live, and that he would gates" at the top of the hill. As he climbed run over by a garbage truck. She instantly his near-death experience, he decided to not suffer any kind of brain damage or toward the gates, he awoke on Eatth. thought of Piper and had sent him an e-mail give the book a chance. Inga went to a book- internal injuries. He then began to sing a It took years for Piper to be able to asking for his prayers. Within five minutes, signing to meet Piper and obtain anothet hymn entitled, "What a Friend We Have speak his story aloud, let alone develop Pipet, who receives thousands of e-mails, copy of his book, and after reading, Lars in Jesus," and as he reached the third verse, his words into a book. "I wrote this book had responded to hers and promised to believed. 90 minutes aftet having been pronounced in self-defense. I never intended to speak keep the man in his prayers. Sadly, the man He continued his presentation by giving dead, Don Piper began to sing along. of my experience, but I was convinced to had passed away; however, this goes on to details of the long process of completing his Miraculously, Piper did not suffer any write it down to benefit other people." And prove Chapleau's point, "Don Piper really book. Co-author Cecil Murphey, a writing sort of brain damage or internal injuries, his stoty has definitely made an impact on does care." teacher, was previously friends with Piper, which had definitely seemed certain, and thousands of people around the world. Through observation, staff of The and graciously gave his assistance in the after 34 major surgeries and 13 months in Piper was later informed that while he Xavierite concluded that Don Piper truly wtiting process. 90 Minutes in Heaven the hospital, he was able to walk again. was dead, the officer had called his church seemed an authentic petson after his death was published in September of 2004 and Anyone who hears his story gasps and and informed them of the accident, but experience. He ended his presentation with first ran 12,000 copies. Since then, the remarks at how lucky he is to be alive. Pipet left out the minor detail of his death. The the wotds, "I hope to see you again, but if rights have been reserved by a Hollywood responds that he would rather be in Heaven. church remained faithful and called local I don't, I'll pray to see you there." As stated company which hopes to potentially make At his death, he appeared in Heaven churches and asked for their prayers. At a previously, those Piper saw in Heaven were the story into a film in the years to come. instantly, "quicker than a snap of the book-signing, over a decade later, an Indiana the ones who affected him spiritually on The story itself is quite remarkable. fingers," and was greeted by people he had man approached Piper, whose church was Earth. Perhaps all who attended "Dead Man Piper was on his way to work as a minister known on Earth that had spiritually affected located in Texas, and told him that his Talking" have been positively influenced by- on a "cold, drizzly January morning," when him and helped bring him to heaven. He church had prayed for him that night. Don Piper and will be welcomed by him at a semi, driven by a state ptison inmate desctibes his experience as "a buffet rot After "Dead Man Talking," The the gates, one day, in Heaven. without permission to do so, "literally rolled the senses." There were magnificent colors Xavierite was able to speak with Samantha over" Piper's red Ford Escort, then gently that living humans cannot even imagine. Chapleau, President of Sigma Tau Delta. Photo: Christina Cucci SAINT XAVIER SPONSORS HEALTHY EATING WEEK By Kelly White SXU's Counseling and Career Services, hold a steady diet. Grabbing a quick snack campus. along with the Health Center, proudly before class does not substitute for all of the News Correspondent SXU would like to encourage students sponsored National Eating Disorders Au-areness nuttitions your body needs. to imptove their diets and help others with Society bases a lot of things simply off of Week. This event was held from February During this week, students wete able to more serious eating disorders. A nutritious th th looks today. Let's face it, you ate never going 26 through Match 4 . Although this may learn a lot about unhealthy eating habits by diet and exercise on a regular basis is much to look at thin as the ultra-skinny models in have sounded like an event only for people visiting the Information Table in the SXU more beneficial than starving yourself. You magazines. They are not the ideal way that a with severe eating disorders, Counseling diner. The Health Centet also provided a will also lose weight at a much faster rate, typical teenager or young adult should look. and Career Services made a point to reach wide variety of information. For students along with building body muscle. (This way, In fact, many are unhealthy. One also must out to all students with unhealthy eating just looking to catch a glance at possible you will both feel and look great). remember that a person's value should not habits. Between classes and practices, it is unhealthy eating habits, an Informational If students are curious about their own be detetmined by their shape ot size. almost impossible for college students to Bulletin Board was posted in the L Wing on "Body" continued on page 2 Page 2 The Xavierite Wednesday, March 8, 2006 «J* «J PRESIDENT DWYER ANSWERS QUESTIONS ON OPC By Nick Kerr Government Association Senate President the Executive Director of the Orland Park In reply to the third question, a Deputy News Editor Kyle Meadows.