Oct 31, 2008 10:42 pm US/Eastern
Rev. Timothy Wright Discusses Accident, Recovery
July 4 Vehicular Collision With Drunk Driver Killed Wife, Grandson; Wright Left Paralyzed
Reporting
Cindy Hsu
WEST ORANGE, N.J. (CBS) ―
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The "Godfather of Gospel," beloved Brooklyn pastor Timothy Wright, had his vibrant voice in music and ministry tragically changed four months ago.
CBS
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Gospel singer Timothy Wright was critically injured in a car crash on July 4, 2008.
CBS
The "Godfather of Gospel," beloved Brooklyn pastor Timothy Wright, had his vibrant voice in music and ministry tragically changed four months ago.
On July 4, as Reverend and Mrs. Wright and their teenage grandson were returning from a church conference, a drunk driver hit them head-on.
The only one who survived was Reverend Wright, and he was paralyzed.
Wright is in rehab at the Kessler Institute in West Orange, New Jersey.
Now, for the first time, Reverend Timothy Wright shares his story of faith and forgiveness with CBS 2.
Wright is the sole survivor of a car accident that killed his wife and grandson.
"I lost my wife, I lost my grandson, and for some reason, God left me here," Timothy said. "So here I am."
The accident happened on Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania as Wright drove home from a church conference.
"There was a drunk driver coming the wrong way, with his lights out," Timothy said. "He ran into me at about 80 miles an hour."
Wright was paralyzed from the chest down. The tube in his throat makes it difficult to talk, but the family's faith and hope are crystal clear.
"I didn't lose her, because I know where she is," Timothy said. "She's in the arms of the Lord."
The Wrights were married for 37 years. Their five sons joined thousands of others at the double funeral, held in the same Crown Heights church where the couple met as children.
"I really haven't had time to grieve, but I really miss her so very much," Timothy said.
"Some people have to be sick for a long time before they completely give their life to God, but [not] my mom," Timothy's son, David Wright, said. "No, she was ready anytime God called her."
The Wright's 14-year-old grandson DJ, was the oldest of more than a dozen grandchildren. They called him the "Gentle Giant" at 5-foot-10 and 230 pounds. He'd worked so hard at school, the reward from his family was a vacation anywhere he wanted.
"He could've chose to go to Disney World or whatever, his parents would've taken him," David, DJ's uncle, said. "But he wanted to go with his grandfather and his grandmother to a church convention, and that's what he did. He went with them."
"He was so happy helping me sell my books and my records," Timothy said.
The Wright's feel no anger towards the driver who was also killed.
"We hold no ill will against the drunk driver, because if it was intended for my mom and nephew to survive the accident, they would have," David said. "But God saw otherwise."
Every Sunday, Reverend Wright leaves the Kessler Institute and makes the one-hour trip to Crown Heights,
to attend the church that he and his wife started 18 years ago."
The day that CBS 2's Cindy Hsu visited Wright, he wasn't feeling strong enough to get out of bed, but he normally undergoes three hours of physical therapy a day. Doctors tell the family he has a 50 percent chance of walking.
"We believe he's going to walk again, we believe it," David said. "He may even be running."
Wright's incredible voice earned him three Grammy nominations, and his son says he has faith that his dad will be traveling to churches around the world to preach and sing once again.
Just last month, Reverend Wright was able to move his arms for the first time and the family is hoping he'll be released from the Kessler Institute within the next few months.
The New Hope Baptist Church will host a benefit concert in support of Reverend Dr. Timothy Wright, Pastor of the Grace Tabernacle Church in Brooklyn, NY entitled "A Night of Thanks", Wednesday, November 26, 2008.
Doors open at 6PM; concert begins at 7PM. The benefit concert will take place at The New Hope Baptist Church, located at 106 Sussex Avenue in the City of Newark, NJ, under the leadership of Pastor Joe A. Carter.
All proceeds from the concert will go directly to the Kessler Rehabilitation Institute to help offset Rev. Wright's medical expenses.
For more information, contact Tina L. Spears of the New Hope Baptist Church at (973) 622-4547 at extension #236, or via e-mail at
communication@newhopenewark.org.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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