By JULIE KEANE, Globe staff reporter
March 4, 2004

The Dow family, parishioners of Sacred Heart in Sioux City, have had to look towards their faith in the Lord many times after their son Troy's life threatening car accident on May 19, 1990.

Troy was 22 years old and a student at Briar Cliff University the night he became a victim of a hit-and-run on Tri-View Avenue in Sioux City. Troy was rushed to Mercy Hospital (then known as Marian Health Center) where he was put into surgery in hopes of saving his life.

"At two in the morning, the phone rang and I knew it was something with Troy," Bev Dow, Troy's mother, said. "The woman at the hospital told me to come down and identify Troy because he had been hurt. In that split second in my mind, I thought he was dead."

Bev recalled that while driving to the hospital that night the rain was coming down so hard that the windshield wipers could not get the rain off of the window. When the Dows arrived at the hospital, the first person they saw was Father Robert Schimmer.

"That is when we knew it was really bad," Bev said. "He told us that he had given Troy his last rites."

Bev said that the doctor came out and told them that he didn't believe in putting a family up at a high level to let them fall and that Troy would not live through the night.

"I went down to the chapel and I did something that I always thought was a terrible thing for people to do - I bargained," Bev said. "I prayed to God and said that I would be a better person. I found out I was just like all those other people, and I bargained with God. I now realize that you don't bargain with God. You have to try and be the best person you can be."

Troy lived throughout the night and was in a coma for 11 days.

"When he was in the coma, the doctors didn't think he was going to live and if he did he would be a vegetable for the rest of his life," Larry said. "He proved them wrong."

Troy has went through years of rehabilitation starting at Mercy Medical. He stayed in Sioux City until he was sent to Lincoln, Neb. He lived there for a little over a year when he was sent to Kansas. Troy was on Title 19 of Nebraska and they pulled all of their patients out of Kansas because of budget cuts. He then went to a nursing home in South Sioux City until Opportunities Unlimited in Sioux City opened and he has lived there since.

"He has made me a better person by all the things that he is went through," Bev said. "He has done things I know that I couldn't do. I don't think I could be as patient as him and I couldn't keep the humor that he has."

Bev's faith was also put to a test when Laura, Troy's sister was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis two years ago.

"After Laura was diagnosed with MS I wondered why both my children had to be handicap," Bev said. "God must have faith in me and Larry, knowing that we will take care of them."

The Dows faith has helped Troy through many years of rehab. He is now able to walk and talk, however, he has a hard time speaking and must take deep breaths in order to speak for a short period of time.

Although Troy has very little short term memory, he remembers his faith in God very strongly.

"I always have gone to Sacred Heart in Riverside, in both of my lives," Troy said.

Troy refers to his life before the accident as his first life and his life after the accident as his second life. Troy said he has had two lives and he met his angels after his car accident.

Bev and Larry's faith in God has also grown from Troy's car accident.

"Before Troy's accident I thought I was a good Catholic, but as I found out there is always room for improvement - you are not as good as you think you are," Bev said. "It has made my faith a lot stronger than it used to be. God is the source of everything. I say my morning prayer, night prayer and I pray at work to myself and I go to church every Saturday night. I also pray a lot to St. Jude who is the patron saint of hopeless cases."

The Dows pick Troy up from Opportunities Unlimited every weekend to attend Mass together at Sacred Heart. Troy also eat fish with his family every Friday.

"We eat fish on Fridays together at Gus's," Bev said. "Troy will ask me or the waitress each Friday if it is Lent. It could be the middle of summer and sure enough he will ask 'is it Lent?'"

Troy also spends Sunday with his family. Troy is allowed to stay overnight at his parents house 36 days out of the year. Bev said that during these days together they like to watch television and spend time with one another. Larry said he has to tape their favorite show, "Who's Line is it Anyways," so that Laura, Bev and Troy can watch the show together and rewind to the re-watch the funny parts.

"I enjoy him coming home to watch television," Laura said. "There is no reason why Troy was hurt and why I got sick. We are just lucky because we have each other."

One of Troy's favorite pastimes is washing dishes at Opportunities Unlimited.

"That is my room in there, the kitchen." Troy said. "I like to keep to myself, that's why I like my kitchen because there is no one else in there."

Troy is continues to improve with each.

"I hope for my children as much as God can give them," Bev said. "Your faith in God is a fragile thing - it can be easily broken. It is something you have to work at."