Do Angels Really Exist?
Illustration
Stories
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff — they comfort me. (v. 4)
Are there angels among us who save people in danger?
One of the stories I tell in response to this question, was sent to me by Robyn Bradley of Oxford, Wisconsin. She’s a therapist and licensed clinical social worker who is the Director of Psychological Health for the Wisconsin Army National Guard.
Bradley wrote, “I have truly witnessed a miracle in my life. It occurred in Viola, Wisconsin, in 1986, when my two-year-old son, Brock Ryan, left our home at the corner of State Highway 56 and County Road A on a freezing night in November, and walked in pajama bottoms two and a half miles on gravel roads to the home of his grandparents, Jack and Shirley Ryan. His Grandpa discovered him frozen in a snow bank, clinically dead.
“Brock’s temperature was the lowest recorded body temperature of a hypothermia survivor known at that time. His body temp – after being warmed up in the house, ambulance and emergency room – was 68 degrees. He had no heartbeat for a couple of hours. He was later med-flighted to Madison (Wisconsin). Months later a photo of Brock appeared on the med-flight poster with the med-flight crew.
“Brock’s story made national headlines, even on CNN. The Madison TV stations covered a press conference at the University of Wisconsin’s Children’s Hospital. The (Wisconsin) State Journal ran a front-page story and called him the “Miracle Child.” Not only did he survive, but he had no brain damage – which was amazing.
“When we brought Brock home from the hospital a year later, the State Journal did a follow-up story titled, “A Reason to Give Thanks.” I still have copies of all the articles and news footage.
“However, the miracles were not described fully in the way the family and medical staff experienced them. My son told me, on the day we brought him home, that he “saw God” and that God saved him. He was a bright light and it hurt his eyes. He kept saying, ‘God is my friend; he loves me and he saved me.’ Brock swore this bright light picked him up and flew him to his grandparents’ house and laid him down in the snow bank.
“Brock’s grandfather, who was legally blind, discovered him at 4 in the morning. He told me he was awakened by a woman’s voice that sounded like trumpets; she told him to go outside and look around. He got up and went to the sink to get a drink of water (but) did not see anything and returned to his bedroom. He then said, ‘I don’t think I’m crazy, but the trumpets blew loud, and I heard her say, ‘Get up; you must go outside.’’ He walked outside, down the sidewalk in nothing but his underwear in freezing cold weather, and that’s when he saw Brock lying in the snow bank.
“The emergency room staff in Richland Center performed (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) on Brock for a very long time – with no success. When they stopped the CPR and believed that he was gone they were all so sad. The emergency-room nurse told my mom that the room was filled with a feeling of divine love and peace – and Brock’s heart started to beat on its own. That was when they called for the med-flight to Madison.”
Are there angels among us who save people in danger?
One of the stories I tell in response to this question, was sent to me by Robyn Bradley of Oxford, Wisconsin. She’s a therapist and licensed clinical social worker who is the Director of Psychological Health for the Wisconsin Army National Guard.
Bradley wrote, “I have truly witnessed a miracle in my life. It occurred in Viola, Wisconsin, in 1986, when my two-year-old son, Brock Ryan, left our home at the corner of State Highway 56 and County Road A on a freezing night in November, and walked in pajama bottoms two and a half miles on gravel roads to the home of his grandparents, Jack and Shirley Ryan. His Grandpa discovered him frozen in a snow bank, clinically dead.
“Brock’s temperature was the lowest recorded body temperature of a hypothermia survivor known at that time. His body temp – after being warmed up in the house, ambulance and emergency room – was 68 degrees. He had no heartbeat for a couple of hours. He was later med-flighted to Madison (Wisconsin). Months later a photo of Brock appeared on the med-flight poster with the med-flight crew.
“Brock’s story made national headlines, even on CNN. The Madison TV stations covered a press conference at the University of Wisconsin’s Children’s Hospital. The (Wisconsin) State Journal ran a front-page story and called him the “Miracle Child.” Not only did he survive, but he had no brain damage – which was amazing.
“When we brought Brock home from the hospital a year later, the State Journal did a follow-up story titled, “A Reason to Give Thanks.” I still have copies of all the articles and news footage.
“However, the miracles were not described fully in the way the family and medical staff experienced them. My son told me, on the day we brought him home, that he “saw God” and that God saved him. He was a bright light and it hurt his eyes. He kept saying, ‘God is my friend; he loves me and he saved me.’ Brock swore this bright light picked him up and flew him to his grandparents’ house and laid him down in the snow bank.
“Brock’s grandfather, who was legally blind, discovered him at 4 in the morning. He told me he was awakened by a woman’s voice that sounded like trumpets; she told him to go outside and look around. He got up and went to the sink to get a drink of water (but) did not see anything and returned to his bedroom. He then said, ‘I don’t think I’m crazy, but the trumpets blew loud, and I heard her say, ‘Get up; you must go outside.’’ He walked outside, down the sidewalk in nothing but his underwear in freezing cold weather, and that’s when he saw Brock lying in the snow bank.
“The emergency room staff in Richland Center performed (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) on Brock for a very long time – with no success. When they stopped the CPR and believed that he was gone they were all so sad. The emergency-room nurse told my mom that the room was filled with a feeling of divine love and peace – and Brock’s heart started to beat on its own. That was when they called for the med-flight to Madison.”
