Severely burned 9/11 Pentagon survivor Lt. Col. (Ret.) Brian Birdwell, and wife Mel, share their remarkable story of hope in Refined by Fire
In a true story that is unbelievably horrifying in its scope of human suffering, yet hauntingly encouraging and ultimately triumphant in its outcome, Refined by Fire (Tyndale House Publishers, July 4, 2004) is the unforgettable tale of Lt. Col. (Ret.) Brian Birdwell and his wife Mel. In stories no one has ever told, Refined by Fire is filled with page after page of gripping behind-the-scenes heroics and heart-wrenching personal observations by both Brian and Mel Birdwell as they recount the events on and after that horrible September day.
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Brian Birdwell was standing about 20 yards away from the spot where American Airlines Flight 77 was deliberately crashed through the outer wall of the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. He was instantly on fire and thrown to the floor amid the horror and destruction. The inferno around him and the searing pain of the flames that engulfed his body forced him to acknowledge that these were his last moments on earth.
God, Brian says, had other plans.
He was rescued from the ruins of the Pentagon and rushed to the hospital where Mel would finally learn the extent of her husband's injuries. She said that even after lengthy, painstaking preparation by the doctor, she was completely unprepared to see the massively swollen, horribly burned remnant of her husband. The weeks and months that followed were filled with excruciating pain, more than 30 operations, endless therapy sessions and the fear and overwhelming stress and sadness burn patient families must endure. Yet, amid the agony and the distressing circumstances surrounding them, the Birdwells discovered life-sustaining hope and meaning in events that were out of their control. They learned about the ultimate miracle of grace.
Brian and Mel recount these days and much more in the beautifully written Refined by Fire. They open their hearts and share the power God gave them to endure the trials they have been given and emerge even stronger and more confident than before the tragedy.
Refined by Fire
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Brian Birdwell and Mel Birdwell
Tyndale House Publishers July 4, 2004
ISBN 0-8423-8603-3 / 220 pgs/ Softcover/ 5 ½ x 8 ¼ / $12.99
In a true story that is unbelievably horrifying in its scope of human suffering, yet hauntingly encouraging and ultimately triumphant in its outcome, Refined by Fire (Tyndale House Publishers, July 4, 2004) is the unforgettable tale of Lt. Col. (Ret.) Brian Birdwell and his wife Mel. In stories no one has ever told, Refined by Fire is filled with page after page of gripping behind-the-scenes heroics and heart-wrenching personal observations by both Brian and Mel Birdwell as they recount the events on and after that horrible September day.