Howard is the believer that Judd Thompson Jr. and Vicki Byrne rescued from a library when they did a mission for the Tribulation Force. Howard later joined the other believers that were in Wisconsin.
Biography[]
Before the Rapture[]
Howard's father abandoned his family when Howard was around four or five years old. Howard's mother did the best she could for her son, but Howard wanted to live for himself. Howard hung out with his friends often and didn't even attend school most of the time. Howard and his friends would party often. One day, one of Howard's friends, a boy named Kirk, showed Howard and the others a new scooter he had gotten. Howard and the others laughed at Kirk, and Kirk decided to show off with the scooter by riding on it down an alley. According to Howard, Kirk was going approximately 50 miles per hour when a car crashed into Kirk on the scooter. The impact caused Kirk to be thrown thirty feet. Kirk was rushed to the hospital but did not survive. Howard felt so guilty and wanted to apologize to Kirk's parents, but he felt so ashamed. Howard was invited to Kirk's funeral along with his friends. At the funeral, a youth leader revealed from a paper Kirk had written that Kirk felt guilty about not telling his friends about God. Kirk wrote down a prayer on that same paper asking for an opportunity to tell his friends about God. Several people came forward to give their lives to Christ, but Howard left the building.
Howard said that Kirk said that Jesus was going to come back for his followers and take them away.
After the Rapture[]
Two weeks after that funeral, the Rapture occurred. Kirk's parents and that youth leader disappeared along with so many people that were at that funeral. Howard figured out what had happened. Howard grabbed some Bibles and some papers that the youth leader had and showed them to his mom. Howard's mom prayed, and then he did.
During Judd and Lionel's stay with Howard and the others from the library, Howard was arguing with one of the other members in his group. Howard got fed up with the rules and went into one of the study rooms in the library, even though Howard's leader told everyone to stay together. Howard fell asleep, and when he woke up the Global Community moved in and surrounded the place during the fourth bowl judgment. Howard was trapped in the library until Judd and Vicki came to rescue him. When they did, Howard explained his story and expressed his regrets for making some bad choices due to his stubbornness. After some close calls with the Global Community, Howard managed to safely reunite with his mother. The two of them then joined the large group of believers in Wisconsin.
Personality[]
Despite his sometimes selfish nature and his bad choices, Howard truly wanted to do what was right and help his people. When the others were to evacuate the town, his mother did not want to go without Howard who was trapped in the library. He had stashed some candy bars and sandwiches in his backpack because he would not have to go out and eat with the others. From this, it would seem that he was asocial, even in the presence of other believers. He did offer the food to Vicki when she said that she was hungry.
Like Kirk, he was skinny.
Appearances[]
- 37. Heat Wave (only appearance)
Trivia[]
- Howard's only appearance was in book 37.