It’s been close to two months since Phil Robertson, the iconic figure from Duck Dynasty, passed away after a courageous fight against Alzheimer’s. On the podcast called “Embarrassing,” his sons, Jace and Al, have been candidly discussing their journey of grief with listeners concerning the loss of their father. Recently, Jace shared a particularly poignant personal story that he had kept close to his heart.
In the most recent episode of “Shyness,” Jace tells a gripping, emotional story that captures, in a way, how God’s presence can be felt during tough times.
“It seems incredible. I mean, it’s a pretty heavy story, so I won’t embellish it,” he remarks.
As Phil was at a challenging point in his battle with Alzheimer’s, Jace found himself at a driving range, attempting to hit some golf balls, trying to regain a bit of normalcy amidst his father’s decline.
“I was striking the ball really poorly because my head wasn’t in the game,” he admits.
Unbeknownst to him, a multi-time champion golfer was observing him. “I recognized him, but not really,” Jace notes, “and he approached me and said, ‘Do you want some help?'”
They ended up playing a round of nine holes and exchanged contact information.
The next day, however, Jace received a text from a friend who was grieving the passing of a fellow golf club member.
It turned out that the person who had died was none other than the man Jace had played with just the day before. “I was taken aback,” he says.
Time marched on. Phil passed away on May 25, and after dealing with funeral arrangements and spending time with family, Jace resumed his podcasting and activities with Commander Duck.
Just last week, Jace returned to the golf course, unaware that another unexpected meeting was ahead.
Feeling almost alone on a nearly deserted course, Jace suddenly sensed that he was “being watched.”
“I saw a guy standing in the parking lot, just looking at me,” he describes. “I asked, ‘Hey, what’s up?’ He responded with, ‘What are you doing?’ I thought that was a bit odd.”
Seeing the sadness on the man’s face, Jace quickly realized this encounter felt divinely orchestrated. “I thought, this must be from God,” he reflects.
Indeed, it was significant. When the man came over to Jace’s golf cart, he revealed that he had just lost his best friend of 35 years and hadn’t been able to play golf since.
This friend was someone Jace had played with just a few months prior.
“He mentioned, ‘I’m fixated on the daily tasks of visiting his grave… then I come here and just sit in the parking lot. I just lost your dad and noticed you walking by; I thought maybe you could help me,'” Jace recalls.
Despite the “uncomfortable and bizarre” nature of the discussion, they ended up talking about faith and life. “We spoke about Jesus and the meaning of it all,” he shares.
As their round came to an end, a storm rolled in. “I turned to look back down the fairway, and there was the most breathtaking rainbow I’ve ever seen,” Jace explains. “Seeing that rainbow brought him to tears.”
When they eventually parted ways, Jace felt overwhelmed with emotion.
“I really felt this was something God orchestrated,” he noted, suggesting that the encounter held significance not just for the grieving friend.
“I think God sent him to me,” he adds.
For the entire story from Jace, you can check out the podcast episode.
