Today's, August 13, 2009 Oprah Winfrey Show featured the amazing story of two young women involved in a horrible car accident. Laura Van Ryn and Whitney resembled one another and on that fateful day at the scene of the accident their identities were mistakenly switched.
While the Cerak family buried their deceased daughter Whitney, the Van Ryn's stood watch over their seriously injured daughter Laura who narrowly escaped death and was recovering slowly in the hospital.
While the Cerak family buried their deceased daughter Whitney, the Van Ryn's stood watch over their seriously injured daughter Laura who narrowly escaped death and was recovering slowly in the hospital.
It took five weeks before Whitney Cerak would be well enough to let hospital staff know that she was not Laura Van Ryn. Family and friends fo Laura Van Ryn couldn't believe that they did not know that Laura was actually Whitney all along. Laura Van Ryn had died in the car accident five weeks earlier.
The Van Ryn's and Cerak's have co-written the book "Mistaken Identity: Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope" which shares their unique story.
The Van Ryn's and Cerak's have co-written the book "Mistaken Identity: Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope" which shares their unique story.
To find out more about this story you can watch the Cerak's and Van Ryn's Today Show appearance video clips on WritersReviews.com.
I only caught the end of the show on mistaken identity, how was Taylor University involved? Is that the Taylor University in Upland, Indiana?
Posted by: Jill Epler | August 14, 2009 at 10:12 AM
Hi Jill,
Whitney Cerak and Laura Van Ryn were both students at Taylor University in Indiana at the time of the accident, the night of the accident they were returning to the school.
Whitney has since graduated from Taylor University.
Posted by: Administrator | August 14, 2009 at 11:41 AM