If I am not mistaken, it was also during this month that a young man made his appearance at our home. He was of such tall stature that I trembled with fear when I saw he had to bend down in order to come through the doorway in search of me. I thought I must be in the presence of a German. At that time we were at war, and grownups would try to frighten children by saying: “Here comes a German to kill you.” I thought, therefore, that my last hour had come.
My fright did not pass unnoticed, by the young man, who sought to calm me; he made me sit on his knee and questioned me with great kindness. His interrogation over, he asked my mother to let me go and show him the site of the apparitions, and pray with him there. He obtained the desired permission and off we went. But all along the way, I trembled with fear at finding myself alone with a stranger. Then I began to feel tranquil again at the thought that if he killed me, I would go and see Our Lord and Lady.
On arriving at the place, he knelt down and asked me to pray the Rosary with Him to obtain a special grace from Our Lady that he greatly desired; that a certain young lady would consent to receive him in the sacrament of matrimony. I wondered at such a request, and thought to myself, “If she has as much fear of him as I, she will never say yes!” When the Rosary was over, the good young man accompanied me most of the way home, and then bade me a friendly farewell, recommending his request to me again. I ran off helter-skelter to my aunt’s house, still afraid he might turn around and come back!
What was my surprise then, on the 13th of October, when I suddenly found myself after the apparitions, in the arms of this same person, sailing along over the heads of the people. It actually served to satisfy the curiosity of everybody who wanted to see me! After a little while, the good man, who was unable to see where he was going, stumbled and fell. I didn’t fall, as I was caught in the crush of people who pressed around me. Right away, others took hold of me, and this gentleman disappeared. It was not until sometime later that he appeared again, this time accompanied by the aforesaid girl, who was now his wife! He came to thank the Blessed Virgin for the grace received, and to ask her copious blessings on their future. This young man is today Dr. Carlos Mendes of Torres Novas.