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27th baby baptized in parachute silk that saved WWII airman
The baptismal gown sewn from Bob Pratt’s parachute continues to be used by his descendants.
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — They are the threads that bind one generation of the Pratt family to the next.
Threads bonding 7-month-old Nellie Granath to her mother Karly.
Threads linking Karly to her father Dave.
Threads connecting Dave to his father Bob Pratt, a WWII airman whose life would have ended if not for the threads of the parachute he grabbed as his B-17 bomber was shot down.
“It’s very, very special,” Dave Pratt says.
Dave unfolds the escape map his father carried on his missions. The map shows highways in France, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland meant to help guide American airmen to safety.
The map does not show Yugoslavia, where Bob Pratt and his parachute landed.
“It was cold and it was mountainous,” Dave explains. “He wrapped himself up in the silk in order to stay warm that night, so it saved his life twice.”
Perhaps that’s why Bob carried the parachute home.
His mother then took the silk from the parachute and sewed it into a baptismal gown.
“My grandmother knew she had to do something special with that parachute because it saved her son’s life,” Dave says. “And it’s more than an heirloom, it’s sacred.”
Dave and his siblings wore the gown for their baptisms.
A generation later, their children were baptized in the gown, too.
Then, the tradition continued to a third generation.
“Without the parachute, I wouldn’t be here, my siblings wouldn’t be here. Our children, grandkids — we wouldn’t exist,” Dave says. “It gives me goosebumps.”
By May of this year, 26 Pratt family arrivals had been baptized in the threads of the parachute that gave each of them a chance to live.
This Memorial Day weekend, in a baptismal service at Pax Christi Catholic Church in Eden Prairie, Nellie became the 27th.
“I hope my daughter and Nellie, when they get older, they will realize how special this is,” Dave says, as he pauses to fight back tears.
Eighty years ago, the threads of a Parachute saved Bob Pratt from death.
Today, they honor the lineage of his life.
Boyd Huppert is always looking for great stories to share in the Land of 10,000 Stories! Send us your suggestions by filling out this form:
MINNEAPOLIS — How much do you know about your grandma’s upbringing?
“The Stories From My Grandmother’s Hands” is a book that aims to show young Black children how their grandmas lived through beautiful illustrations and descriptions.
KARE 11 News at Noon shared more on Thursday about the impact that this book will have.
Gary Peterson and his friends are collecting donations to help people in their community.
ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. — A St. Louis Park pumpkin display is raising money for their local food shelf.
Gary Peterson started carving and painting three pumpkins over a decade ago. It’s now grown to over 100.
“I’ve heard people say they’ve come from Hutchinson,” he said.
Peterson along with two of his neighbors have spent the last 14 years growing their display, turning it into a neighborhood event.
“It’s been incredible, I just can’t believe how much this has expanded,” he said. “We did it just because we like to and then people were asking to give us money to cover the cost.”
The trio refused to take people’s money, but then one of them had an idea.
“My neighbor, Steve Leensvaart, just mentioned how about we just do it for the STEP program and the STEP program is our local food shelf in St. Louis Park,” he said.
So, they started to collect donations to help families in need. They’ve raised hundreds of dollars and donated hundreds of pounds of food over the last few years, carving for a cause.
“It is more gratifying every year,” Peterson said.
He estimated they have over 100 unique pumpkins in their yard. They’ve created the displays and come up with new family-friendly concepts for people to enjoy. Peterson said about 30 of their neighbors carved their own pumpkins to be put on display, and it’s been a big hit.
“It’s great. In the last couple of years, it’s turned into more of a neighborhood event,” said Sarah Durch.
“We love this Halloween display, we come every year to see it. We love that the whole community gets involved to craft and carve the pumpkins,” said Jami Gordon-Smith.
“The shading and the details are unbelievable,” said Elizabeth Hanson.
Hanson hopes to take her 2-year-old son trick or treating for the first time but is worried the cold temperatures might keep them indoors.
“We’re going trick or treating hopefully,” she said. “He’s going to be a firefighter, but we’re probably going to have sweatshirts maybe like two pairs of sweatpants underneath. We’re going to be bundled up.”
Gordon-Smith said her family will be out Halloween night no matter the weather.
“Halloween only comes once a year, so you really have to take advantage and enjoy the evening no matter what the weather brings,” she said. “Guess it’s not totally unheard of in Minnesota to have a cold Halloween, but we are going to try and modify and do a lot of layers underneath our costumes and then we might add some hats and maybe some warmer socks.”
Durch also isn’t surprised they’re in for another chilly night.
“Well, what would Halloween be without Minnesota cold? I feel like every time you plan a costume you have to plan for how you can make this work if it’s snowing,” she said.
Peterson said they will have a bonfire and some hot chocolate and cider on Halloween to keep trick-or-treaters warm while they look at their pumpkins.
Click here to learn where you can see the pumpkins and how you can donate.
Jeremy Jourdain was 17 when he was last seen on Halloween 2016.
BEMIDJI, Minn. — The search for Jeremy Jourdain, who was last seen on Halloween in 2016, continues now eight years later.
Jourdain was last seen at a family member’s house in Bemidji, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior Indian Affairs. He left the residence near the 500 block of Wood Avenue after midnight and while people followed him, no one was able to find him.
Jourdain was 17 at the time.
Officials said he was wearing a blue and grey sweatshirt, and blue jeans when last seen. He is Native American and is described as 6 foot 5 and 175 pounds.
If you have any information on his whereabouts, you can contact the Bemidji Police Department at (218) 333-9111. Tips can also be sent to 1-833-560-2065, or you can email ojs_mmu@bia.gov.
