Our son, Mike Faulkner, and our grandsons, Christopher and Kirby, are the survivors of the lightning strike at the golf course on Aug. 6.

First, we would like to state to all the people who assisted in their rescue and immediate care, "We are thankful for your quick response and for the aid they received." The German gentleman and his son, who first came to their assistance, were truly a Godsend. We have spoken to some of you, but we do not know who all was involved. All we can say is, "Thank you, to all of you!"

We feel that through the grace of God our family was spared and you were instruments in this. The response at the golf course, the immediate care in the emergency room at your hospital, the air transport to St. Mary’s Hospital and the care they received there, turned what could have been a tragedy into a miracle of continued life. There were many prayers offered for our family’s behalf, and we thank you all for your prayers, help and faith. God does answer prayers.

To update you on their progress, we want to let you know that our son is back to work and his sons are now in school. Our grandsons certainly will have an unusual experience to share with their schoolmates.

Christopher, 15 years old, was in critical condition. When we first saw him in Grand Junction, in the Intensive Care Unit at St. Mary’s Hospital, we were very worried as to his recovery. Within hours he was able to recognize his family. He was taken out of intensive care and put in a room with his father. The 11-year-old, Kirby, was released from the hospital on Tuesday. Mike, the father, was released on Wednesday.

We celebrated Kirby’s 12th birthday on Thursday in the hospital room with Christopher. Kirby’s former nurse made him a cake. There were cards and well-wishes, but not the usual wrapped presents one would get on a birthday. Kirby stated, "I have my brother and Dad alive and with me. That’s the best gift anyone could ever have!" We had tears and cheers and gave thanks to God to be able to share this gift with Kirby.

Friday, Aug. 10, Christopher was released from the hospital. He has some hearing loss and was in bandages from the burns he received.

Christopher’s doctor did not want him to travel too long at a time. Our first stop was back to our cabin in your area. On Saturday, our son and grandsons returned to the golf course to visit the infamous tree where this saga began. They tried to contact the people who helped them, but being a Saturday, not all were available.

We traveled to Flagstaff and then to Phoenix in Arizona, and home to Blythe, Calif. Incidentally, we were welcomed home in California, Sunday night, Aug. 12, with a thunder and lightning storm. These occur as quickly and ominously here in the desert as they do in Colorado this time of year, just not as often.

Monday, one week after the day of the lightning strike, our family was home, one still with bandages on burns and the other two still recovering from their burns. Two have some hearing loss, but they were all home. Thank you for everything done to help make their return home possible.

My husband and I would like to address two issues that were stated in your paper. One could lead people to believe that we did not understand the severity of the summer storms. The second is about the warnings given at the golf course.

We have been visitors to this area since 1965. Our family has gone with us to the same area many times, and we bought a cabin in the mountains in 1992. We are very aware of the storms this time of year. Our vacations were during July and August.

We have admired your beautiful golf course but had not had the opportunity to play on it. The first trip was when Mike took his boys on this fateful day. He asked if there would be time to play 18 holes. He was told there should be if the storm didn’t come in. The lady explained about the meter or gauge you have to see when lightning is too close. She said a horn would sound an alarm if lightning was too close and everyone is to come off the course when the alarm is sounded.

They had only played two holes of golf, and there were others playing on the course. The wind and rain began as they were going to start the third hole. Mike had been watching the lightning on the far bluffs and kept listening for any alarm or horn. He decided to return to the pro shop. As they cut across the course, the rain began to come down "in sheets." Any announcement from a P.A. system did not reach where my family was at on the course. They had decided to return on their own. They were not warned twice.

Where to go for shelter is not an easy decision when you are now soaking wet and like a walking electrode. The course is running like a fast-moving stream, so you are not going to lie down in the water. The bathroom is a distance away, and the trees in a lower spot do offer shelter from the heavy rain. Where is the right shelter? They went to the trees in the lower area. Even the ducks at the pond weren’t concerned, for their continued to eat in the pouring rain. It was just the wrong tree. Mike and Kirby were in a lower position, but our older grandson, Christopher, was standing. He was debating about moving to where the bathroom was located. The decision was not made; the lightning struck.

The article left the insinuation that my family ignored the warnings. They are not newcomers to this area, but they were to the golf course. My son would not have put his family in danger by ignoring a warning to get off the course.

It may be just the way the article was written, but it sounded as though the protests were too much, especially when the following article on Friday, Aug. 10, stated the alarm was in disrepair.

It was the perfect time to remind everyone what can happen and what you should do in the case of a lightning, thunder and rain storm. We certainly hope what happened to our family doesn’t happen to anyone else.

Again, we are thankful for everything everyone did to help our family. We even hope to enjoy a great round of golf, on a clear day, on your course in Cortez. We are looking forward to seeing the many wonderful people we have met in your area.

Editor’s note: Anyone caught in the open during an electrical storm is advised to crouch "like a basketball with legs" to minimize both exposure and contact with the ground, in a low area. Do not take shelter under trees, which can serve as lightning rods.