Mistaken Identity, Don  Susie Van Ryn
Mistaken Identity, Don  Susie Van Ryn
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Mistaken Identity
Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope

Author: Don & Susie Van Ryn, Newell, Colleen & Whitney Cerak, Mark Tabb

Narrator: Lillian Thayer

Unabridged: 6 hr 39 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/01/2008


Synopsis

A grief reversed. A hope deferred. Mistaken Identity tells the unprecedented story of Laura Van Ryn and Whitney Cerak: one buried under the wrong name, and the other in a coma being cared for by the wrong family.

Five lives were lost in a tragic car accident, and the sole survivor was rushed to the hospital, where she remained in a coma for five weeks. Everyone believed that Laura Van Ryn was in a coma, and that Whitney Cerak had died in the crash—until Whitney woke up.

This shocking case of mistaken identity stunned the country and made national news. Would it destroy a family? Shatter their faith? Push two families into bitterness, resentment, and guilt? In Mistaken Identity, the Van Ryn family and the Cerek family describe their ordeal and explore the bond sustaining and uniting them as they deal with their bizarre reversal of life lost and life found.

Mistaken Identity weaves a complex tale of honesty, vulnerability, loss, hope, faith, and love in the face of one of the strangest twists of circumstances imaginable.

About Don & Susie Van Ryn

The Van Ryn family -- Don, Susie, Lisa, Kenny, and Mark -- of Grand Rapids, Michigan shares an avid interest in outdoor recreation. Don and Susie, married for thirty years, are leaving their chosen professions to dedicate themselves full time to an outdoor camping experience for youth in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Lisa is pursuing a career in physical therapy, and Kenny lives and works in Southern California. Mark is recently married and resides in the Detroit area. Despite the sorrow surrounding the passing of their daughter Laura,the family continues to be involved in the work of their local church and community.

About Newell, Colleen & Whitney Cerak

The Cerak family -- Newell, Colleen, Carly, Whitney and Sandra Sepulveda -- lives in northern Michigan, where Newell is a youth pastor and Colleen is a PE teacher and coach. Carly graduated from Taylor University and has lived in Africa for the last six months starting a new ministry to street kids. Sandra took a year from Grand Valley State University and joined with Invisible Children to bring awareness of the plight of children in Uganda. She is currently back at GVSU finishing her nursing degree. Whitney is now a junior at Taylor University majoring in psychology. She is confident in God's healing and the revelation of the Holy Spirit in her life.

About Mark Tabb

Mark Tabb has authored and co-authored over twenty books, including Living with Less, the Upside of Downsizing Your Life (B&H), and the 2004 Gold Medallion finalist, Out of the Whirlwind (B&H). He also collaborated with Stephen Baldwin on the New York Times bestseller, The Unusual Suspect (FaithWords). Mark is currently working with Alec Baldwin on his book, A Promise to Ourselves (St. Martin’s Press).


Reviews

I made the mistake of reading some of the other reviews before writing my own. I am shocked by the insensitiviy and callousness of some people. It's one thing to not like the book, it's another to criticize and condemn people who have suffered through this. It seems to be a recurring theme for me la......more

Goodreads review by Tara

Not what I expected at all. I was really excited to read this book- I love true stories, and what a crazy chain of events that led one family to believe that they were caring for this girl who is their daughter, sister, friend.. only to find out after 5 weeks that their daughter died in the car acci......more

Goodreads review by Natalie

This book was definitely worth reading but left me with a strange feeling afterwards. A group of teens are in a serious car accident. One girl survives and ends up in a critical condition in hospital. Another of the girls dies. Somehow there is a mix-up and the wrong family is notified that their da......more

Goodreads review by Bree

The story itself is fascinating - I remember it from the news when it happened, and as soon as I saw there was a book about it, I knew I had to read about it from the families' views. But, but, but. Ugh. I would have LOVED the book if it hadn't been so preachy. I'm a religious person, but I don't bel......more