Joni Eareckson Tada celebrated her sister Kathy's birthday by revealing the extraordinary-and almost unbelievable-detail that may have saved her life nearly 60 years ago.
The beloved Christian author and disability advocate honored Kathy in a heartfelt social media post, thanking her for decades of love, encouragement and practical support. But buried within the birthday tribute was a remarkable story about the 1967 diving accident that changed Tada's life forever.
Tada was only 17 when she recklessly dove into shallow water, fractured her cervical vertebrae and became paralyzed from the shoulders down. As she lay facedown in the water, unable to move, it was Kathy who noticed the danger and pulled her sister from the water.
Yet Kathy reportedly might never have seen her without one perfectly timed-and highly unusual-interruption.
According to Tada, a crab bit Kathy's toe at the precise moment she needed to be alerted to her sister's motionless body. Kathy has remained convinced that the bizarre incident was no coincidence but a miracle of God.
"What are the odds," Tada asked, "of a crab biting her toe at the very instant she needed to be alerted that I was face-down in the water?"
The accident left Tada with quadriplegia, but it also began a spiritual journey that eventually transformed her into one of the world's best-known Christian voices on suffering, disability and hope. She later founded Joni and Friends, a global ministry serving people affected by disability.
Kathy's support did not end with the dramatic rescue. Decades later, she flew from Maryland and stayed for several weeks while Tada underwent cancer treatment. She assisted Tada's husband, Ken, during the hospital stay and helped meet her sister's personal needs after she returned home.
"Through so many seasons, she has loved me and encouraged me," Tada wrote, describing Kathy as a precious gift in her life.
For Tada, the birthday message was more than a nostalgic family tribute. It was a testimony to God's providence-and to the sister who was present at two of the most frightening moments of her life.
A crab bite may sound like a tiny, random event. For Kathy and Joni Eareckson Tada, however, its timing remains evidence that God can use even the smallest detail to accomplish something far greater.
