(Larry and Linda Smiley are part of the Team RFC staff. They minister primarily to NHRA drag racers on the national and division 4 level and to the drag boat community across the country. One of the boat racers, upon learning that Larry and Linda were involved after the fatal crash of NHRA Top Fuel competitor Darrell Russell sent them an e-mail. Below, in part, is Linda’s reply to that e-mail) Editor
Hi Garry,
Thank you for your e-mail. Yes, we were there in Madison, IL through it all. We just got back home last night (Friday) about midnight from doing the funeral. There were thousands of hurting people there. It's one of the saddest things we've encountered in our ministry with Racers For Christ.
Darrell was one of the genuinely, nicest people you could ever meet. He was the same with his professional peers as he was with the clerks at McDonalds. We are all feeling a HUGE sense of loss, BUT, according to his conversation with his neighbors after seeing "The Passion of The Christ," he believed the Lord Jesus Christ was his Savior.
Darrell’s in heaven having a party. Jokes have been made that Darrell and Blaine Johnson are having match races with Fuzzy Carter crew chiefing and Buster Couch is their official starter. It has provided a release of tension to laugh about that. (Truthfully, what Darrell's experiencing right now goes way beyond the thrill of racing! He's with the Creator of the Universe!)
There is no greater comfort than to know Jesus Christ and that we will see him again someday when it's our turn to go. The part that's so sad and hurts my heart even more than it already hurts, is all the hundreds of people that we have visited with at the viewing at the funeral home, and at the services the next day, who have no hope. They are very bitter and angry and all they can do is ask, "WHY?"
I'm talking about those who don't have eyes to see how much God cares for the pain they are feeling...and furthermore, don't care to see. The ones who will shove under the rug this "huge wake-up call" from God and go back to racing trying not to think about it.
That's more tragic than the pain of losing Darrell, who just a month or so, before his death, confessed to a neighbor that he had eyes to see that Jesus did what He did for him.
We all ask "why?" But if we stay there, we'll throw away the legacy of purpose God gave to Darrell. Darrell fulfilled his purpose, and still is fulfilling it.
You boat racers are so dear to us and to our heavenly Father. I’ve been thinking about how open and receptive most of you seem to be to the unconditional love of the Lord Jesus Christ. We all have a choice to receive that love into our hearts and lives. Larry's and my ministry is to encourage that to happen, never to force it, but to encourage it.
You, our boat family, please love each other and be there for each other (as I know you are! You're such fine examples of that!!) Nothing would make Larry and me happier than to know that our boat family is seeking God with all your hearts in all things! WE LOVE YOU!
Thank you for letting me spill out my heart. We're experiencing a lot of pain and emotional exhaustion, but we know where (and mostly WHO) our strength is, and HE (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit) is faithful to send friends like YOU to help up through it.
