Father’s Day can be different and lonely after you lost your son.
But for Chester Goad, Father's Day contained quite a blessing – and it came from 250 miles away – straight up in space.
Corban Goad lost his life in 2022 in a traffic accident, not long after becoming a Cumberland County, Tennessee, deputy sheriff. He was just 21. But his life was full – and he had known Jesus since age 7, when he was baptized “with his goggles on,” according to his dad.
Now, about that message from space
Chester shares that he was not looking forward to his second Father’s Day without his son. “Honestly, I’d thought, ‘Well, I might not even go to church today. I don’t want to hear all the recognitions of the dads – and all that stuff,’ but I woke up that morning and received a text message from a good friend…who happens to be related to an astronaut,” he chuckles. The friend quickly shared a brand-new picture taken by astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore, who was based at the International Space Station. The photo showed a note that read “In loving memory of Corban Goad #CORBANSTRONG,” with the blue curvature of the earth visible miles below.
What’s the connection?
“Corban always loved everything to do with space.” When Corban was younger, the Goads painted a wall in his room with a planetary scene, and “Genesis 1:1, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” When third grade rolled around in 2009, Corban was blessed with winning a science contest. Part of the award was the opportunity to, from earth, talk to the crew on the International Space Station. And one of the crew members Corban chatted with was Captain Wilmore, the same astronaut who would honor Corban’s memory 15 years later! “So, it was truly a gift. I think it’s something only God could orchestrate like that.” (Rather listen?)
Chester and his wife, Joy, have relied on God’s provision of peace since the untimely death. Chester shares, “Worship is medicine for me.”
“What I’ve learned,” even a couple of years later, “I’m still a dad. It looks different. It feels different.”
The Goads have also launched a non-profit to keep the memory of Corban intact, and to emphasize his desires to always help others: Serve Strong, the Corban Scott Goad Memorial Foundation. The 501(c)3 benefits first responders and sideline medical teams in community athletics.
In our complete podcast interview just below, Chester shares a deeply personal event that occurred minutes after Corban’s traffic accident. It’s what Corban told a first responder who was trying to help and comfort him.
His last words.
Dad, Chester, even wrote a song based on those last words.
Here is our complete interview:
