Grace and a Frozen Turkey

A different sort of New York story:

In an incredible act of forgiveness, the Long Island woman whose face was shattered when a 20-pound turkey was thrown through her windshield came face-to-face yesterday with the prankster who did it — and hugged him tightly as they both broke down in sobs.

Minutes earlier, Ryan Cushing, 18, had pleaded guilty to the Nov. 13 nightmare stunt that left Victoria Ruvolo, 44, critically injured. His plea was part of a deal that the big-hearted Ruvolo engineered, sparing the teen a possible 25 years in prison and instead landing the boy only six months in a local jail.

As the lanky teen started to leave the court- room, he hesitantly stepped toward Ruvolo, who was sitting in the second row, and tearfully apologized.

"I'm so sorry for what I did to you," he whispered, weeping. "I'm so happy you're doing well."

His emotional mea culpa prompted Ruvolo to get to her feet and wrap her arms around him, softly assuring him, "It's OK. It's OK."

The NYtimes editorializes, admitting that this is a good thing, but:

Many have assumed that Ms. Ruvolo's motivation is religious. But while we can estimate the size of her heart, we can't peer into it. Her impulse may have been entirely secular.

A letter writer is astonished...at the Times

Has the concept that a civic act could possibly spring from a "religious motivation" become so déclassé or so politically incorrect that your readers need to be protected from drawing their own conclusions about it?

Well, whatever the Times thinks of it...God bless her. And pray that those of us hurt in far less dramatic and searing ways can hold onto the grace God offers us, and offer forgiveness in turn, as well.

Comments

[Donna]

When you remember that we live in a country where "Let's sue!" has become the national sport, this story is truly amazing. In America, you see, everyone is guaranteed a pain-free, accident-free life, so most of us would not forgive an human error which hurt us, much less an act of deliberate evil.

May God bless Ms. Ruvolo. And the boy too, so he will never dream of doing such a cruel, senseless act again in his life.

[Whitcomb]

This woman does indeed deserve our praise. I am not so forgiving. I see that the New York Post calls the young man a "prankster"--as if he had merely dropped a water balloon.

This was criminal assault, even if it was done out of sheer stupidity. Six months in jail doesn't seem enough, given the nature of the act and what this woman faces over the next several years.

[Anon]

"as if he had merely dropped a water balloon."

Please don't -- a water balloon dropped from an expressway overpass has shattered a windshield before this. It has lethal potentilal and is no more a "prank" than this act.

[Ken]

When you remember that we live in a country where "Let's sue!" has become the national sport...

More like "Get Rich Quick!" and "Instant Millionare! Money for Free!". Out her in CA they call big-bucks lawsuits "Winning the Lottery".

[Whitcomb]

Yes, anon, not from an overpass. I should have come up with a different prank.

[Donald R. McClarey]

All convicted criminals, other than the truly stupid or those few who are innocent, are repentant come sentencing day. Let's hope he is truly repentant and that the courts won't see him again.