This week we want to take the
opportunity to focus on some of the realizations that arise out of unique and
unexpected circumstances. Max and Katie Hutcheson took their three kids, his
parents, and father in law to Cabo last week for a relaxing getaway. His mom
just wanted to sit by the pool and enjoy an
umbrella drink!
After a half day of vacation,
Hurricane Odile came upon them. At the beginning, they were able to stay in
their rooms, and they were even able to go out to dinner. After the kids went
back to the room with Max’s parents, they went to the lobby bar. At that point,
they were told to go into the third floor conference room with the rest of the
guests for shelter. They got the kids and stayed in the conference room for
about 12 hours. Although it was very uncomfortable, the danger did not feel
extremely imminent. Several scary sounds occurred—namely a loud crash, which
was the tennis court from the neighboring hotel being uprooted and landing on
the roof of their hotel. Several people in other hotels were forced to wait out
the storm in bathrooms or stairwells.
After the storm, the challenge became
getting out of Cabo. With thousands of people being evacuated, the airport was
crazy. The Mexican government actually decided on evacuation plans—they sent
Katie, his mom, and the kids to Guadalajara on a military jet; they were then
able to connect to Houston. He, his dad, and father in law got
on a later flight to Mazatlán. From there, someone from the American Embassy
coordinated flights to the states. They took Alaska Air to San Diego, where
they were given complimentary hotel vouchers. Considering they were not even
originally booked on Alaska Air, this well-run company stood out immensely.
Finally, the family all reunited in
Denver on Thursday, and returned to Durango on Friday.
Max says throughout all of this
uncertainty, he is amazed at the care the Mexican people and hotel employees
showed to their family, especially the kids. Everyone was concerned about the
kids’ well-being, and making sure they were
evacuated first. The government made a point to evacuate the tourists,
knowing that the repair and devastation would remain to rebuild. Alaska
Airlines went so far above and beyond expectation to aid the weary travelers;
it was refreshing in the midst of this difficulty.
Our thoughts and Prayers are going out to the Baja locals
who were not given the opportunity to leave. They are still there trying to
restore the basic water and electrical services we enjoy every day. Max and his
Family look forward to heading back to Cabo soon, this is one way to help them
rebuild. Tourism is the lifeblood of the area and going back puts money back
into their pockets. Also, they look forward to thanking all of the people that
kept them safe, and helped them get home!
Anytime situations like this bring
unexpected circumstances, it causes us to reflect on the blessings of our lives
and the small details that make a difference in the outcome. In this situation
the people who helped Max’s family made the best of these awful circumstances.
Max and his family returned to Durango with a greater appreciation for each
other, and a gratefulness for all the people who worked together to overcome
these difficulties. What a great reminder of what we hold close to us, and to
look at the bigger picture of life. Welcome back, Max and family!
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