{"id":20780,"date":"2025-02-03T10:32:45","date_gmt":"2025-02-03T15:32:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspirationreport\/?p=20780"},"modified":"2025-02-03T10:32:45","modified_gmt":"2025-02-03T15:32:45","slug":"eternity-is-what-matters-christian-plane-crash-victims-transformed-this-mans-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspirationreport\/2025\/02\/eternity-is-what-matters-christian-plane-crash-victims-transformed-this-mans-life.html","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Eternity Is What Matters\u2019: Christian Plane Crash Victims Transformed This Man\u2019s Life"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
KSN | Inset: CBN News<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As the nation continues to mourn the 67 lives lost when an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with American Airlines Flight 5342 Wednesday night, victims\u2019 personal stories are beginning to be told.<\/p>\n

Among those killed was married couple Bob and Lori Schrock, farmers from Kiowa, Kansas who reportedly ran Premium Grain Inc. Their friend, Michael Simpson, told CBN News about their powerful influence over his life \u2014 and their deep faith in Jesus.<\/p>\n

He said his friendship with Bob started decades ago when Simpson, president of Freedom Gates Boys Ranch, a Christian residential program that serves kids in need in Hazelton, Kansas, was just 12 years old.<\/p>\n

\u201cA few other men in the weight room taught me how to lift weights, kept me accountable with that,\u201d he said, calling Bob\u2019s influence \u201cridiculously encouraging.\u201d \u201cThe weights were great, but the encouragement \u2026 as a 12-year-old kid, having people that are adults that are taking the time to walk across the gym, and encourage you, and tell you \u2018good job,\u2019 and give you advice \u2026 it\u2019s not a common thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Simpson said this motivation helped him as a young person, noting that, decades later, he still maintained the same friendship with Bob.<\/p>\n

\u201cUp until a few weeks ago \u2026 we\u2019d see each other in the gym,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019ve been doing it since I was a kid.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to those personal acts of service to Simpson, he said Bob and Lori were also known for kindness, goodness, and faithfulness in their local community.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe best definition of integrity is doing the right thing when nobody\u2019s watching,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd they just did the right thing and didn\u2019t need people to know.\u201d<\/p>\n

The couple, according to Simpson, was driven by their Christian faith and values, expressing a \u201ctremendous, walked-out, fruitful faith.\u201d<\/p>\n

As time went on, Simpson began to have more spiritual conversations with Bob. And, about a decade ago, Simpson confided in him about a calling on his heart: to work with at-risk kids from \u201chard places.\u201d<\/p>\n

When he told Bob he was considering quitting his job and getting into this ministry, Bob gave him faith-filled advice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was getting ready to quit my job running cranes in the oil field to come out and be a part of the ministry full time,\u201d Simpson said. \u201cBob \u2026 just encouraged [me], like, \u2018Man, is this what you feel like the Lord\u2019s wanting you to do?’\u201d<\/p>\n

It was then Simpson realized Bob truly follows the Lord\u2019s promptings and he was encouraged to head down the path of helping young people. Simpson suddenly understood that \u201cthis is a guy that just doesn\u2019t go to church and just doesn\u2019t say that he\u2019s a follower of Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead, Simpson saw a deeply rooted faith.<\/p>\n

The support carried well beyond that, too, as Bob ended up supporting Freedom Gates Boys Ranch, spending what was likely tens of thousands of dollars to help make the pasture look good for the kids, among other assistance. The kind deeds haven\u2019t been lost on Simpson.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t have a lot of friends like that,\u201d he said. \u201cThey don\u2019t make a lot of people like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Simpson, like so many friends and loved ones of those lost in this tragedy, said he\u2019s been experiencing \u201cwaves\u201d of pain in recent days as he reflects on the loss of Bob and Lori.<\/p>\n

One area of reflection has been Simpson\u2019s care for young boys in tough situations \u2014 something he now realizes was likely motivated, in part, by Bob\u2019s investment in him as a child.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never really thought about that until the last couple of days,\u201d he said. \u201cI never really put a lot of those pieces together until I\u2019m like, \u2018Wow, well, we have a weightlifting program here at the ranch.\u2019 You know, why? Because I know how powerful it was for me to have that program and to have people mentor me into helping me get myself better physically.\u201d<\/p>\n

Simpson continued, \u201cThat would not be the case if it wasn\u2019t for Bob and a couple of other guys there at the gym that encouraged me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking back, he sees the pure love and care through which Bob operated \u2014 a kindness that came with \u201cno agenda\u201d and no expectation of anything in return. And the impact has been profound.<\/p>\n

Despite the difficulty of speaking out about his friends, Simpson said it\u2019s important, as he knows Bob and Lori loved the Lord and would want others to know the truth.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, based on the fruit that they had in their life and the profession from themselves, that they have a relationship with Christ,\u201d he said. \u201cThey have a love for the Gospel. \u2026 I know I will see my friends again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Simpson also reiterated a past conversation he had with Bob about the importance of keeping an eternal perspective. Bob spoke about people who have a fear of losing material things.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe [said], \u2018They have no idea the peace that is found when you know that none of it belongs to you,’\u201d he recalled. \u201cWe\u2019re here for a short amount of time, and eternity is what matters. That\u2019s what Bob would tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n

He continued, \u201cAnd I know that that\u2019s what he would want the world to know. It\u2019s like true peace and hope can be found in a relationship with Christ, and you are here today and can be gone tomorrow \u2014 and eternity is what matters.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This article was originally seen on Faithwire.com<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As the nation continues to mourn the 67 lives lost when an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with American Airlines Flight 5342 Wednesday night, victims\u2019 personal stories are beginning to be told. Among those killed was married couple Bob and Lori Schrock, farmers from Kiowa, Kansas who reportedly ran Premium Grain Inc. Their friend, Michael…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":516,"featured_media":20783,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20780","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-inspiring-messages"],"yoast_head":"\n\u2018Eternity Is What Matters\u2019: Christian Plane Crash Victims Transformed This Man\u2019s Life<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A tragic loss, a lasting legacy\u2014how two faithful lives transformed one man\u2019s journey and inspired a mission to help others.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspirationreport\/2025\/02\/eternity-is-what-matters-christian-plane-crash-victims-transformed-this-mans-life.html\" 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