Guest Author - Deborah Pipas

Mistaken Identity is the true story of two families whose lives were forever changed by a car accident on April 26, 2006. Written by Don and Susie Van Ryn and Newell, Colleen and Whitney Cerak with Mark Tabb.

Not only were the lives of these two families touched by this tragedy but those of several others who lost family members in the accident between a Taylor University van and a semi truck. To make this tragedy even worse the daughters of the Van Ryn family and the Cerak family were misidentified. The Van Ryn family was informed that their daughter Laura had survived the accident and had been hospitalized in very critical condition with a serious head injury among many other injuries. Five weeks later they were to learn that in reality their daughter Laura had died in the accident and the young lady they had been caring for was actually Whitney Cerak.

The Cerak family had been though the funeral and memorial service thinking they were laying Whitney to rest only to discover that it had actually been Laura. Of course they were overjoyed to learn that Whitney had survived but their hearts broke for the Van Ryn family knowing the devastation they were facing.

The lives of these two families were deeply touched forever. The book covers the struggles both families went through caring for the survivor and burying child thought to be their own. Only to be faced with changing roles. Through all the joys and sorrows both families became stronger in their Christian walk and today are still working with their churches and communities to do all that they can to teach others about the love of the heavenly father.

This book strongly points out that the power of prayer and the love of the heavenly father were the strength that carried them through this terrible time of loss, heartbreak, and confusion.

I recommend this book as an interesting and moving portrayal of the love of God for us and a very insightful view on how the Holy Spirit bears us up under dreadful circumstances.

I admire the strength and faith of these two families in the mist of such tragedy. I was also amazed at the determination of Whitney Cerak to work through the pain and suffering that she endured to return college and to learn to trust God like she never had trusted him before.

This book is insightful, encouraging and helpful for families and those disabled accidentally.