Death Came Knocking and Church Bells Rang

I've started this post a couple of times and not been able to get through it. It's a pretty hard thing to write about but I'll try. I will tell you now that it isn't one of my happy stories and, unfortunately, it is a true story.

On December 31st I had an upsetting dream. The dream was, basically, about a family tree. The tree had a broken branch and there were only eight branches left. Now, there was a lot more in the dream but I woke up from this dream just crying and I knew I had to write it down because I felt it was telling me about my family. In my dream, I was the broken branch and the number eight meant, to me, that me or one of my siblings would be "leaving" us. I thought it could be me because I had been pretty sick and, frankly, I have been feeling broken physically and mentally. I also thought it could be a sister who was the eighth born out of the nine of us. So, I wrote it down and after a couple of days wrote it off as just another one of my weird, vivid dreams.

On January 16th I had something happen that has never happened before in my life and I can't claim to know or understand why. I had just come up from putting some laundry in the washing machine in the basement and I got an uneasy feeling. Not good and not bad but just that I wasn't alone except I was. This in itself is not unusual for me or for some other people in my family as we've experienced these things throughout our lives. I had just fed the cats and was standing no more than two feet from the closed basement door when I heard three evenly spaced very loud and distinct knocks coming from the basement door. I was surprised and taken aback but I didn't want to be afraid so I opened the door. Sure enough, no one was there and I quickly closed the door. Right when I closed it, I heard two more evenly spaced loud and distinct knocks. Now, I wasn't so brave and ran into another room and called my sister just to feel like I wasn't alone. If it weren't so cold out then I probably would have gone outside. I told her what had happened and stayed on the phone with her for a little while. I didn't finish the laundry until my husband got home. I also tried to research what it might mean and the only thing I found was something known as "death knocks". I read that if you hear three knocks then it could mean someone close to you will die in three days, three weeks or three months. I heard five knocks not three so I thought that was a good thing.

That night/morning between midnight and 1 am, I was awakened by the sound of church bells. The were four loud single rings and also evenly spaced. Honestly, my only thought was what could've happened in our government. I guess that sounds silly but I had just been woken up out of a sound sleep. I laid back down and eventually fell back asleep.

This is the part that gets really hard. You see on January 21st my brother was killed in a hit and run accident by a driver under the influence. It was pretty bad. It was the coldest and windiest day we've had this season. My brother drives a tractor trailer and had pulled over onto the side of the road and was tightening the straps on his load when he was hit. He was always the safest driver and had done everything right. He called in, pulled over and put out flares...he always did everything right and safely. At least one person had been following the guy that hit him and continued following him even as he drove into the next state which wasn't far from where it happened. They also got photos. Many people did stop to help my brother as he lay in the road. They put blankets on him and prayed over him. People keep giving details which has been especially hard. They thought his name was Phil as he tried to tell someone his name through a broken face. His name was BIll. A couple of those people even came to the services. It is comforting to know that he was not alone and I want to believe that he felt no pain. I don't believe he was conscious long at all and was already on his way to Heaven.

My brother was more than a brother, he was a husband, father, grandfather, uncle, cousin, friend and a father figure to a couple of others who didn't have their own fathers around. He volunteered in the community and church. He was the person that would stop to help if your car was broken down on the side of the road. He was also funny and was always joking around. He did Elvis impersonations too. He will be missed by so many.

It wasn't till later in the night after getting the news that I realized it had been five days since I heard the knocking. I've talked to several people who say that it was just his time and I believe that too. I don't know if it is something I will experience again or if it has something to do with siblings. I do think what I experiened was just the other side saying prepare yourself. It won't be easy but it is time for him to come home. Our other home with God and loved ones that passed before us. It hasn't been easy and I guess it won't be for a while. I keep expecting him to call my name over my shoulder and I don't think I would be afraid at all. I've talked to him every day since and I know he can hear me. I love you Bill and I miss you. Say hello to mom and dad and I hope you get to meet Elvis. I know I'll see you again one day when it will be my time to join you. 💞

https://www.journal-news.net/journal-news/hit-and-run-suspect-was-allegedly-under-the-influence/article_d2d1c660-dfcb-5669-ae6a-72d0a0237724.html