A United Kingdom pastor says it was the power of prayer that brought him back to life after he was dead for 15 minutes.
According to CBN News, Christopher Wickland, pastor of Living Word Pentecostal Church in Fareham, Hampshire, died in November. He had been jumping on a trampoline at a trampoline park with three of his children when he collapsed.
Wickland, 47, was administered CPR and staff at the trampoline park also used a defibrillator four times on him. He stopped breathing for 15 minutes.
When his heart restarted, he was taken to the intensive care unit of St. Mary’s Hospital.
Doctors told Wickland’s wife that because his heart stopped for so long, they were worried about brain and heart damage.
Wickland’s wife, Tracey, posted about the news to her Facebook page.
“I put it on Facebook and it was amazing because hundreds of people from around the world contacted me and told me they were praying for Chris,” she told The Daily Mail, adding that while the jump park staff and doctors did an “incredible job,” her husband would be dead “if it wasn’t for all these people praying.”
Wickland spent almost 48 hours in an induced coma. He woke up on a Sunday morning during the church’s morning services.
“This is a miracle that is all down to divine providence and the very quick actions of some people,” Wickland told The Daily Mail. “My congregation and other Christians around the world were also praying for me. All this power was harnessed to keep me alive. I’m not lucky, I’m blessed.”
Wickland said doctors told him there’s nothing wrong with him even though he stopped breathing.
“They can’t believe that I died for so long and there’s no permanent damage,” he said, calling the ordeal “nothing short of a miracle.”
He has returned to his preaching duties.
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Vadimguzhva
Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and IBelieve.com. She blogs at The Migraine Runner.
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