There’s a couple who listens to my podcast from California, but the wife had to rapidly return to her home state of Louisiana for an emergency: Her uncle (who she described as basically her brother growing up, as they were close in age) was hit by a drunk driver. The drunk driver then ran over his head. Somehow, he surived and was life-flighted to a trauma center in another part of Louisiana. He lived for about 10 days after numerous surgeries. 1
But several things happened while he was in the hospital:
First, it turns out her uncle was probably never baptized. His niece thought quickly and a priest baptized him. Sometime after that, she called me from the hospital to discuss end of life sacraments and end of life care decisions. After coaching her on making sure her uncle was not euthanized (as care was slowly being reduced in the ICU there) my next goal was to get prayer support in the room with both the uncle and niece. I texted two of my friends in the area (both wives and mothers) who I believed could be good prayer support in the hospital room. Both of them were very quick to respond, despite having children themselves. The arrived and the man died that night, technically early in the morning, yesterday, on the 12th of July at 1:22am CDT.
About 12 hours after his death, I received these two texts from his niece. It wasn’t until I read these that I realized God had brought together so many people for just one man’s salvation. With her permission, I share these texts she sent:
“I can’t thank you enough for the part you play in this beautiful story of my uncle’s salvation. I am so filled with peace and now I see and understand everything that has happened was by his design to give me this peace. I’m seeing the pieces he has been putting together far a long time. It was his perfect timing. Thank you for your continued prayers. ”
and then when I told her on text I sent some of the best Catholic women I knew in Louisiana to be in the hospital with her, she texted:
“Well I loved them. They were perfect for their part. I am so filled with awe and wonder at how He was ultimately in control and was using everything for the good of my uncle’s salvation. I have prayed so long and so hard for his conversion. I saw a man who had no understanding or desire, change in the matter of a couple of days to a man who would physically kiss my rosary’s crucifixes an hour or so before he passed. I told him he is my good thief who stole Heaven. Also before he passed I told him that I was going to forgive the man who killed him. And I told him to forgive him too. I promise him I would do my best that he would be in jail the rest of his life to serve justice but that we needed to forgive him and pray for his conversion. I’m filled with so much peace. By the things I witnessed and experienced. I have no resentment towards anyone because I see it all played a part in God’s design. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and love for our Lord. And thank you for sending me those beautiful ladies. We will be keeping in touch! Funny story C. and I share a few friends. We both have made a Cursillo here.”