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| Mistaken Identity: Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope | 
 enlarge | Authors: Don & Susie Van Ryn, Newell, Colleen & Whitney Cerak
Creator: Mark Tabb
Publisher: Howard Books
Category: Book
List Price: $21.99
Buy Used: $5.00
You Save: $16.99 (77%)
New (62) Used (70) Collectible (3) from $5.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  131 reviews
Sales Rank: 2182
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 288
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 5.7 x 1.3
ISBN: 1416567356
Dewey Decimal Number: 617.4810440922
EAN: 9781416567356
ASIN: 1416567356
Publication Date: March 25, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 If you're not a Christian, this book will alienate you June 3, 2008
8 out of 16 found this review helpful
I bought this book in the airport, after being at home and having to leave two books behind, because I thought my hand luggage was going to be over the limit. Turns out I was well under the limit. As you well know, airport bookshops are ridiculously expensive, and I regret this purchase even more since I found out from my mum that she bought the exact same book.
But back to the book. It doesn't take you long to finish this book. There's not a lot of substance, and I did get the feeling there was a lot of padding.
Many Americans know the story, I really only vaguely remember it being mentioned on the news over here, and I think it was printed in a couple of magazines that the girls had been mixed up.
The story focuses on Whitney and Laura, two blonde bubbly Christian girls, who were both involved in a serious crash. Laura's purse was found near Whitney, and the mix up began. Laura's parents were informed that she was in a critical condition in hospital, Whitney's parents were informed that she'd died. But it was really the other way around. Whitney was in hospital and Laura had died.
I admire the parents for being able to tackle the hard writing of this book, but I found myself alienated by the constant references to God and prayers etc. I've never been religious, and I consider myself an aethist, but won't stamp on someone else's beliefs. A few mentions of God, a couple of prayers, would have been quite sufficient, but it was too much. It detracted my attention away from the heart of the story, the two girls, and it left me feeling empty afterwards. It also felt a bit off that people who'd read the blog were converted to Christianity through this story. That was way too much in my opinion.
Apart from that, it was a good story to read, with Laura's parents looking after Whitney, believing it was Laura lying there, and Whitney's parents "burying" their child. When Whitney starts to come to, and they start to make the connection she isn't who they think she is, it does keep you turning the pages frantically, to find out what happens. The excerpts from the blog is quite interesting to read, and other people's comments and then of course the photos and the 'blog' by Whitney at the end, it leaves you feeling happy inside.
Although it was an excellent story, it could have done without certain references. I'm not here to question anyone's beliefs, just to review a book. I would still recommend this to people, but perhaps give them a prior warning beforehand.
 Inspiration June 3, 2008
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
I opened this book yesterday at 4:30PM, and finished it today at about 6PM. I literally could not put it down. The Ceraks and Van Ryns have been a part of a truly incredible story that they so graciously have shared through this book. I spent most of my time reading it in tears, often sobbing at the thought of such an unimaginable tragedy. But through it I've been blessed, as I know thousands have. What was and is so heartbreaking, these families have used to glorify God and help others to see the joy and comfort that a relationship with Jesus Christ can bring. God is using the lives of these two girls and their families to bring so many into His kingdom. What a gift to be chosen to serve Him in such a huge way! I don't imagine I'll meet any of these people during my life on earth, but I can't wait to hug Laura in heaven and tell her what an inspiration her story was to me. The same is true of the others of course, I just hope my moment to meet them is much, much later! I highly recommend this book! It's a wonderful story of heartbreak, and the hope we all have in God's grace. Thank you Cerak and Van Ryn family for being exactly who you are.
 A Remarkable Story June 2, 2008
5 out of 8 found this review helpful
Well, I am two minds about this book. First, it is simply an amazing story that manages to be both distressing and uplifting at the same time. Two girls who resembled--but didn't know--each other were in a horrific accident together when their Taylor University van was struck by a truck that crossed over the center divider. Laura Van Ryn died and Whitney Cerak lived, but they were misidentified as each other . . . and neither family detected the error. So the Ceraks buried Laura and grieved for her as their own, while the Van Ryns spent five weeks at Whitney's hospital bedside, willing her back to life. It was only as she was emerging from her coma and the effects of a traumatic brain injury, that Whitney was able to print her name and the truth finally emerged. While it seems impossible that this mistake could endure for so long under such close scrutiny, it obviously did happen and the book helps to make some sense of this. But in the end, the two families traded places, and the Ceraks literally had their daughter "back from the dead" while the poor Van Ryns who had been heroic throughout this ordeal suddenly had to come to grips with the loss of theirs. Whitney, in the end, recovers much of her former self, but not all; she remains a changed person. Although her comments in this book are relatively few, they are certainly thought-provoking.
Second, however, the reader should be forewarned that ALL of the principals in this story are evangelical Christians, with Taylor University (a religious school) being the common link. So the two girls and both their families, all the other victims, all their friends and significant others, etc. are of this persuasion. Accordingly, on almost every page there is some mention of God, Jesus Christ, prayer, scriptures, Bible study, Bible camp, and so forth. While you appreciate deeply that it was their faith that sustained them through this terrible trial, if you are not of the same ilk, you may be put off. Indeed, the families explain the crash as "God's will," noting that as their incredible tale was spread worldwide many people following the news and the Van Ryns' (and later Cernaks') blog converted to Christianity. And they say that all the victims would have happily chosen to die to promote this spread and strengthening of faith. While that may be going a bit too far, it is undoubtedly true that these two families' belief in a heavenly afterlife gives them solace in the face of the unthinkable and that their strong religious community gave them the support to get through it all. All in all, I enjoyed the book, but I could have done with a little less of the creed.
Not a bedtime story! May 31, 2008
3 out of 8 found this review helpful
Very interesting book - don't know how anyone could get through this. Too intense to read when you are trying to go to sleep! The families' faith in God got them through - what a testimony!
A story of faith in God May 27, 2008
2 out of 6 found this review helpful
As an alumni of Taylor University I was instantly drawn to this story "Mistaken Identity". If anyone saw the special on Dateline with Matt Laurer or the Oprah show, then you know about what these two families have gone through. All in all it is amazing to see how God can work through tragedy
to spread his message of love and hope to our world. It is through this story that one can find true and powerful strength in and through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. If these two families can find strength to endure this tragedy then you should know that there is a personal God who loves you and wants to know you also!
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