We often cling to the belief, even if only subconsciously, that we can live forever. Yet, life has a way of presenting us with unexpected challenges.
On a typical Sunday morning, Ryan Finley woke up, stretched broadly, and playfully pinched his wife, Jill, to rouse her from sleep.
“I went to wake Jill up, which is a miracle in itself since I never do that on Saturday mornings,” he later recounted.
When she didn’t respond, Ryan’s heart began to race. Realizing something was wrong, he immediately called emergency services and began performing CPR on his wife.
When the paramedics arrived, they swiftly transported Jill to the hospital, with Ryan following closely behind.
After a medical evaluation, doctors determined that Jill had suffered a cardiac arrest. She underwent a procedure to stabilize her while Ryan anxiously waited outside the ER.
The doctors eventually emerged with an update, ending with the words, “Pray for your wife.” Ryan understood the seriousness of the situation. “When a doctor tells you to start praying, it feels as serious as it gets.”
Shortly thereafter, they informed Ryan that Jill was in a coma.
He couldn’t fathom that his 31-year-old wife, who had been healthy just a day before, was now facing a life-and-death crisis.
During the two weeks Jill remained in a coma, many visitors came to pray for her recovery. One day, Jill’s cousin visited with a Bible and read to her for an hour.
He left the Bible with Ryan, suggesting he read from it if he felt inclined.
Ryan made it a routine to read passages aloud to his wife, hoping she would awaken soon.
After 11 days, Ryan returned home to contemplate whether to wait for her recovery or heed the doctors’ advice to remove life support. The doctors were certain there would be no improvement.
He knew that once they took her off life support, she would likely pass away shortly. On the 14th day, he made the heartbreaking decision to let her go.
About five hours after she was removed from life support, Jill began to mumble and move. Ryan, heartbroken, stepped out, believing she was suffering in her final moments.
He vividly remembers what happened next: “The nurse came out and said, ‘I think you need to come in; she’s talking.’”
Expecting to say his final goodbye, Ryan walked in and was astonished: “I walked in, and Jill was talking. The first thing she said was, ‘Get me out of here. I want to go home.’”
Unable to process the situation, he shook his head in disbelief.
He thought she was just mumbling, but then he asked her about their pets’ names and posed a few mental math questions, all of which she answered correctly.
She even requested to go to her favorite Mexican restaurant for dinner. Ryan then realized Jill wasn’t heading to the spiritual realm—she was coming back home with him.
When asked what brought his wife back, Ryan responded without hesitation: “God. Divine intervention. I honestly feel that way.”
Jill’s recovery wasn’t instantaneous. She had to relearn basic motor skills, like brushing her teeth and tying her shoelaces.
Grateful for a second chance, they vowed to always support each other, especially in times of need.
Jill also backs Ryan’s decision to take her off life support while she was in a coma, as she didn’t want to live as a “vegetable.”
Ryan shares, “There’s not a night that goes by that I don’t wake up. I usually give her a little kick, and if she kicks me back, I know we’re okay.”
We are thrilled that both Ryan and Jill Finley are doing well and remain together.
Please share this miraculous story with your friends and family!