RV Podcast 372: When the Worst Happens – Medical Emergency on the Road

What happens when the worst happens - a life-threatening medical emergency on the road? This week in Episode 372 of the RV Podcast, we meet a couple who experienced just that.

Our guests are Larry and Mary Allen who call themselves the Second Chance Vagabonds.

The couple became fulltime RVers when Larry retired after four decades as a pastor in Michigan. They sold everything, their house and most of their possessions and had a great adventure traveling the country in their Fifth Wheel.

But then, about a year ago, out of the blue, the worst happened and Larry became critically ill with a medical emergency on the road.

Their RV traveling came to an end.

They had to sell the RV and the truck to meet medical bills.

Larry was not expected to live.

But I don’t want to give away this amazing story of faith and healing. You need to hear it and their advice about the RV Lifestyle and a story that has a very happy ending.

Also in this week's podcast, tips and comments from RVers, RV News of the Week, RV questions, and a great Hidden Campground Gem report.

You can watch a video version of the entire Podcast by clicking the player below.

https://youtu.be/5Njnz-uRViA

For an audio version, you can find and subscribe to the RV Podcast on your favorite podcast app or click the player below to hear it on your device right now.

Here's a transcript of our interview with Larry and Mary Allen, who now call themselves Second Chance Vagabonds.

Interview Transcript: When the Worst Happens - A Medical Emergency on the Road

Larry and Mary Allen

Mike Wendland: Joining us now from their home in Warren, Michigan, Larry and Mary Allen. How are you guys?

Mary Allen: We're great.

Larry Allen: Doing wonderful. Glad to be with you.

Mike Wendland: Well, it is great to have you guys with us. Now, we've got a lot of ground to cover in this tale of how life can throw us a curve, but our job is to kind of turn into the curve and then straighten it out. And I can't wait to hear ... share your story with our audience. So talk to us about it, about how you came into the RV lifestyle, and let's just kind of walk through your adventure.

Larry Allen: Well, we've camped our entire marriage. We spent our first anniversary in a pup tent.

Mike Wendland: Really?

Mary Allen: Big spender he is.

Mike Wendland: I guess so!

How they became fulltime RVers

The Allen's Fifth Wheel and Truck

Larry Allen: And when our kids came along, we got a popup and used the popup for about 25 or 30 years and sold it a few years ago with the intent of eventually getting an RV to use. But when we celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary, we went to Alaska, had such a wonderful time on that trip. At the airport, waiting for our flight home, Mary said, "When we retire, we should live full-time and travel in an RV." And that's all she had to say, I was in. I started shopping.

Mike Wendland: Now, how long ago was this?

Larry Allen: That was in 2015. We spent four years preparing.