Who Saved My Life and Why?

From: John G.F.Clement (jchorses@aol.Com)
Story Type: Angel
Location: London (Heathrow Airport)
Source: Form Submission

By March, 1979 I had been a Purser in the Merchant Navy for 8 years during which time I was flown many times by my company to join various ships, all over the world. I lived near Croydon, Surrey and, when the call came for me to join a new ship I would almost always fly from Heathrow Airport using a Taxi firm called JPH Car Hire who knew me very well indeed (as I used their cars when on leave as well) - I would ring them and book a Taxi to the Airport in my name and they would usually say "Off on your travels again Mr.Clement?"

This comment was passed when, on March 12th.1979, I booked a Taxi to Heathrow for the following morning - I was to fly to Amman/Jordan via Royal Jordanian Airlines flight RJ600.

The taxi arrived early next morning (I always allowed at least an hour extra on these trips in case of traffic problems) and we set off - The driver was, unusually, a coloured man and, in fact, I noted to myself that he appeared unusually black skinned (like ebony) - I had done the trip so many times that it was only after an hour's driving that I felt as though we were lost and I remarked on this to the driver, who reassured me that this was not the case - However, some 15 minutes later he then confessed that he WAS lost (The route is via motorway and it is virtually IMPOSSIBLE to miss Heathrow Airport!)

I was angry about this and, when we finally arrived at the Airport I paid him off and rushed in, only to find that I had missed the flight by about 5 minutes! - There was no other flight that day and, having sheepishly phoned my company, I was ordered to return home.

That evening, 13th.March 1979, reports came in that a Royal Jordanian Airlines flight had just crashed, during a thunderstorm, in Doha(Qatar)with all on board killed - I barely believed that it was the same flight I should have been on, but the next morning this proved to be the case - I immediately rang JPH Car Hire so that I could contact the driver who had probably saved my life - The converstion went like this:

JC: "It's Mr.Clement here...that booking I had yesterday morning you know, to Heathrow, can you put me in touch with the driver please, I want to thank him?"

JPH: (After checking the bookings) "Sorry Mr.Clement, we don't have a booking for you for yesterday!"

JC: "Don't be silly, it was to Heathrow, 8.30 am, you know, back on my travels"

JPH: "Well, I,ve double-checked - we do not have any record of a booking for you..."

JC(interrupting): "...Hold on, I can soon sort this out - The driver was a black man..."

JPH: "Mr.Clement, we don't have any black drivers!"

I put the phone down immediately those words were spoken and a felt a chill of horror flow over me.

This month (September 1997) I decided to finally check out all details in connection with this experience back in 1979 - The flight WAS the one I should have been on, my Mother's diary confirms the dates and I remember the Flight number - My company confirms the Airline booking, etc. etc....I have spent a lot of time asking WHY ME? Who was this mysterious driver? What had actually happened,why was I saved? etc. etc.

However, I do have one strange theory - Just over a year later, in August 1980 whilst at anchor in Japan (in my role as Ship's Doctor) I had insisted on having a crew member admitted to hospital with what I thought was suspected appendicitis - The surgeon told me, after the emergency operation, that my swift action and insistence had undoubtedly saved this man's life (his appendix had been about to burst).

The crew member was from Sierra Leone and was the blackest man I have ever seen (like ebony)!

Can anyone comment on this experience...PLEASE!

John Clement - 2nd.September, 1997 jchorses@aol.Com