Submitted by Lori Howard
OAKHURST – It isn’t often that life allows you a second chance.
We had the opportunity to host Miguel and Anna Perez-Spuch from Madrid, Spain this week. We see people from all over the world at our bed and breakfast near Yosemite National Park, but none with a story like Anna and Miguel’s.
Anna and Miguel are a fun young couple who were honeymooning in California in May 2014. On day six of their amazing (and exhausting) honeymoon, they drove from Big Sur to what would be their next stop: Coarsegold. Along their journey they enjoyed the scenery and observed the unique “Click It or Ticket” highway signs.
Anna and Miguel never made it to Coarsegold.
Miguel had fallen asleep at the wheel of their car on Highway 41, and the vehicle drifted into a tree. The airbags immediately deployed, causing facial cuts and bruising to Miguel. Anna, though, was wearing a seat belt improperly secured around her waist, and had also fallen asleep before the impact. She needed immediate medical attention.
Strangers stopped their cars to assist the young couple. 911 Emergency was also called to assist, and Anna was taken by ambulance to Community Regional Medical Center (CRMC) in Fresno, where the newlywed received surgery to repair internal bleeding and a broken clavicle. Miguel spent four lonely days with concern for his bride, and regret for his part in her pain. Their planned month-long honeymoon was cut short as they immediately returned home to recuperate in Spain.
Fast-forward to May 2015.
Mostly healed from the physical scars of their accident, Anna and Miguel arrived in Oakhurst at our Yosemite Sierra View Bed and Breakfast to begin healing from their emotional scars.
Their new plan was to mostly duplicate the destinations and experiences they had planned for their “first” honeymoon a year ago. The couple will even get their vows renewed in Las Vegas next week, to further capture the honeymoon feel!
The idea to “recreate” their honeymoon as soon as physically possible came when Anna was still at Community Hospital. Both Anna and Miguel felt that “they needed to get back on the horse again” in order to move on with their lives. They had been treated so kindly, much to their surprise, and found Americans to be “so very nice . . . even to strangers!”
Although a lot went wrong with their first short trip to America, so much went so very right!
At the last minute in Spain, Anna had decided to add travel insurance to their honeymoon package, having heard that medical payments in America need to be paid up-front should anything happen to them. Anna’s CRMC stay to the tune of about $80,000 was completely paid for through this insurance, as was Miguel’s hotel and flight home.
They are two lucky people in love, and in life!
Anna and Miguel were a delight to host. Their days with us captured the special moments they had hoped for with this return to California. More importantly, the trip to our region allowed them the opportunity to emotionally heal, capture the romance of a honeymoon cut short, and finish this story with much joy and sincere words of thanks to Community Regional Medical Center, and the kindness of strangers on Highway 41.
Lori and Bruce Howard are the owners of Yosemite Sierra View Bed and Breakfast in Oakhurst, California
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