On July 1, 2016, trucker Tony Weekly slammed his semi-truck into a Dodge minivan, killing a couple and their three young children. One would naturally expect the deceased couple’s parents to be enraged and request a long sentence for a driver who has admitted that, at the time of the accident, he was distracted with his jumbo soda and a hands-free phone.
However, just the opposite occurred at a court hearing a couple of weeks back. The parents of both the husband and wife are devoted Christians who have forgiven the man who killed their family members. They asked the judge for a lenient sentence, telling the court they believe the knowledge of what Mr. Weekly did that day is punishment enough.
Cedric and Kathy Pals both addressed the court at Tony Weekly’s hearing. They spoke of their son Jamison who together with his wife Kathryne and three children perished in the crash. They told the court about how Jamison and Kathryne were receiving missionary training with the end goal of becoming missionaries to Japan. In fact, they had been traveling back from a training center in Denver when the crash occurred.
The Pals told of their ongoing sorrow over the loss of their son, daughter in law and three grandchildren. At the same time, they also told the court of their faith and decision to forgive Mr. Weekly for his careless mistake.
They also told the court how their faith in God and the afterlife gave them hope, stating that while their grief was real it was temporary because they would see their family again in Heaven and spend eternity together there.
The Pals’ testimony moved many in the court to tears, including inmates who were awaiting sentencing in a separate case. Kathryne’s parents Gordy and Nancy Engel echoed the Pals’ sentiments, asking the judge to be lenient when sentencing Mr. Weekly.
The plea for mercy from the family members of those who lost loved ones in the horrific crash touched the heart of the judge presiding over the case. Citing the families’ wishes, he sentenced Tony Weekly to 180 days in jail with credit for time already served. Mr. Weekly will also serve two years of probation for each victim of the crash.
The prosecutor, who admitted that he didn’t feel as forgiving as the bereaved family members, had been asking for a prison sentence of up to nine years.
Cedric and Kathy Pals also spent a great deal of time before the sentencing hearing talking to Tony Weekly and his wife in the hotel where both families were staying. As Kathy Pals later noted, she discovered that it was easier to forgive Mr. Weekly than she had originally feared. While it was difficult for them to hear that Mr. Weekly didn’t really know what happened that day as he was temporarily distracted while driving, both parents state that being able to talk to Mr. and Mrs. Weekly directly was a healing experience.
After the hearing, Cedric Pals and Tony Weekly hugged outside of the courtroom. Mr. Weekly subsequently began his jail sentence on August 3.
At the same time, Jamison and Kathryne’s vision to serve in Japan has inspired others to consider a life of service to Christ. The Christ Bible Institute in Nagoya, Japan, dedicated their new church planting center to the Pals family. The new center is named Joy of Japan after Jamison and Kathryne’s blog. The fact that Jamison and Kathryne’s mission is being carried out by other dedicated Christians is a comfort to their parents.
It’s never easy to obey the Bible’s call to forgive. Human nature calls for revenge. Popular culture even glorifies the idea of “making things right” on one’s own. It is for this reason that the Pals and Engel families stand out like a light in the darkness. Their call for forgiveness for the man who hurt them so badly shows Christ’s love in a real, practical way.
As the case makes news both in the United States and abroad, the testimony of two families who choose faith and forgiveness over bitterness and rage is sure to touch the hearts of all who hear of it. By God’s grace, it will not only motivate believers to follow in these families’ footsteps but also show non-believers the beauty, joy and peace that can be found in Jesus and his message of unconditional love for all.
~ Christian Patriot Daily
