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| Mistaken Identity: Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope | 
 enlarge | Authors: Don & Susie Van Ryn, Newell, Colleen & Whitney Cerak
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Category: Book
List Price: $39.95
Buy New: $15.78
You Save: $24.17 (61%)
New (33) Used (11) from $15.47
Avg. Customer Rating:  130 reviews
Sales Rank: 666337
Format: Audiobook, Unabridged
Media: Audio CD
Edition: Unabridged
Number Of Items: 7
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 5.9 x 5.1 x 1.2
ISBN: 0743577035
Dewey Decimal Number: 617.4810440922
EAN: 9780743577038
ASIN: 0743577035
Publication Date: April 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 it's not as good as i thought September 15, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
i got this book to learn more about this tragic accident and how whitney is dong not but it didn't fufil my expections it was reallg good adn really detaild but almost too much in some areas this book is defintley for evangelicle christans because their is a lot of prayers adn refernces to the bible so be prepared for that. i have osay that i am not one to read books fast and a person that can't put a book down and this is one of the few i couldn't put dowm i read it in 2.5 days
 Interesting theme September 9, 2008
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
The story line of this book is fascinating and intriguing. It evokes many strong emotions as you walk through the events these families lived through. One is drawn into the theme right from the beginning and the book holds your attention throughout. As I read about Laura in the hospital and how many times people questioned many things that did not add up, it baffled me as to how this family could have been so blind to not have recognized that this girl was not theirs sooner. They seemed to be in some kind of fog or deluded state even though they claim to be such strong Christians throughout. Several inferences were made about the discrepancies of the girl not being Laura such as a mysterious navel piercing none of her family knew of, the bag of clothes and type of shoes not being hers that were given to the family very early on and were never questioned. Even when Laura began opening her mouth they noticed her teeth were not the same but continued to remain ignorant. Understandably, she was bandaged and injured when they first saw her, but as she healed and her face became more recognizable, those closest to her seemed to be out to lunch somewhere, still not perceiving all those signs that it was not Laura. It really becomes ludicrous that these people could be so ignorant and prolong this ordeal in such an odd way. The family of Whitney did not go in to identify her body either, so all these behaviors seem a bit askew in the real world. I do not comprehend this kind of behavior given my own personality and curiosity about things. Even Aunt Ruthann, a distant relative seemed to know right away, so how could the closest family members not recognize that this was not their daughter after being with her day and night constantly for five weeks? I will quote the one section that was most profound: "Ruthann scrunched up her face like she had bitten into something sour. I don't care what anyone says, that doesn't look like Laura to me." Even then nobody followed through on investigating this girl's identity time and time again. Their portrayed strong faith in God makes it seem like a bit of a travesty that he would put them through all these things needlessly and they remain oblivious. It is hard for me to believe in their continued concepts of God and their religious beliefs. They do tend to deal with the tragedies they are going through with faith and even humor at times. The way that total strangers showed up to help the family with housing, food and water, even neighbors mowing their lawn while they were away from home was astounding, it really restores ones faith in mankind helping when needed. The book could have been written in a more interesting style; the emotions of those involved could have been more clearly conveyed. Overall, it is a good read and one that really stirs up your emotions and thinking processes, it is almost borderline on being a mystery.
My Review September 2, 2008
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
Mistaken identity was a story of two women, one killed tragically and one hurt and comatose. I read this book in two days. I couldn't put it down. I think at first it is a story about how trauma can put you in denial and question what is right in front of you, but then once acceptance is obtained, it shows how strength is drawn from faith and friends and love of family. These were two amazing families. I honestly cannot imagine the trauma that they both went through. An amazing story and an easy read. It makes you appreciate every moment of life.
Hope overcomes tragedy September 1, 2008
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
I bought this book months ago, but kept putting it off for some reason. Yesterday I decided to pick it up and read. I had watched an interview months before with the two families explaining the situation and I wanted to know more. I was amazed by the reactions and the support given to both families during their time of need. I could barely put the book down and actually finished it in less than a day, which is more than I can say for other books. I think you don't even have to be religious to understand whats going on in the book because you go through this process with the families. It was amazing to read how both families pushed through and put on a positive face. Its also sad to have to read about one family finding out that the girl they thought was there own was actually someone else's. I especially felt sad when Aryn, who was going to propose to Laura after graduation, wrote his last blog. He seemed to be the most broken out of everyone in the family because he wanted to have a future with Laura. Its extremely brave of both families to handle the situation in a great way. They didn't feel a need to sue the man who was driving the truck that caused the accident, but instead would have just liked to know what really happened. This book was truly inspiring.
Courtesy of Teens Read Too August 13, 2008
4 out of 7 found this review helpful
Everyone saw the news splashed across the headlines or on the evening news reports. The wrong family was sitting beside a recovering girl in the hospital. How could it have happened? Read MISTAKEN IDENTITY to get the inside account from the two families that were involved in the unbelievable story.
The story seems straight out of the movies, almost too hard to fathom. But the Van Ryn and Cerak families, aided by Mark Tabb, tell the story of how Whitney and Laura were misidentified and two families dealt with both joy and sorrow with the help of their unerring faith in God.
Laura and Whitney were both students at Taylor University, a Christian college in Indiana. There were both in a school van on their way back to campus from a banquet with a few other people. A tractor trailer crossed the median and hit the side of the van, plowing it onto the side of the road. "Laura" was thrown 50-feet from the van. When rescue workers found her, a purse and ID nearby said that it was Laura Van Ryn. The photo on the ID looked enough like her. Thus began a five-week trial for both families.
The Cerak family received a call that Whitney had died in the accident. An employee from the university had identified her for the family. Colleen couldn't bring herself to look at the empty shell of what was left of Whitney, knowing in her heart that the true spirit of Whitney was now standing before God. Had Colleen gone and identified the body, would the error have been caught on the first night? No one knows.
The entire story is a bunch of "what ifs" by both families. Little things during "Laura's" recovery made family and friends question and wonder when "Laura" would return to her full self. But with the doctors and therapists constantly telling the Van Ryns that the neurons are firing but not necessarily connecting properly yet, no one gave it a serious second thought.
Only after "Laura" starts to come out of her coma and respond to therapy do the questions truly get raised. When a therapist asks "Laura" to write her name -- out came "W-H-I-T-N-E-Y." In the next few days, the pieces all come together, and a forensic dentist verifies the worst news for the Van Ryn family: this is not Laura after all.
What should be a story of loss for the Van Ryn family is a story of unerring faith. They are truly grateful for the time they spent with Whitney in the hospital. They are happy for the Ceraks' miracle and do not blame God.
The Cerak family went through grief but knew that Whitney had lived in God's love and was in a better place. They had sorrow, but knew that they would all see Whitney sometime in the future. When the call came that she may still be alive, Carly, Whitney's sister, would not believe it. Not until she saw with her own eyes did she believe the miracle that Whitney was still alive.
The story is so uplifting in the true belief both families have in God, that even in the time of sorrow they both experienced, the reader never once felt truly sad. The Van Ryn and Cerak families are both truly exceptional families. They are unwavering in their faith and love in God. They are both wonderful examples of a life lived to the fullest.
Reviewed by: Jaglvr
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