Note: I was visiting Mobile, Alabama, during one of my parish missions, and I had the pleasure of having dinner with Drake Smith and his lovely wife Helen. During the course of dinner, Drake shared with me an extraordinary story of the healing of his son in Hawaii following a terrible accident that in normal circumstances, according to doctors and paramedics, should have claimed his life. Following is Drake’s story of healing.

Early in the morning of February 2, 2014, in Mobile, Alabama, I was taking a shower when my wife knocked on the door with a frantic tone in her voice, shouting: “You’ve got an emergency call!” I took the call and was told my son was in a serious car accident and would not survive. My son, known affectionately as Bubba, lives in Honolulu, Hawaii. He spent 20 years in the Navy, traveled the world, and his last tour of duty was in Hawaii. He retired, and since he loved Hawaii so much, he decided to remain there.

After a short retirement, he started working part-time at an auto mechanic’s shop. He had worked on jet engines while in the Navy. He worked at the mechanic’s shop for about five years. The owner decided that he also was ready for retirement, so he offered to sell his business to Bubba, who became the new owner of the shop.

After receiving the call regarding the accident, I called the Queen’s-Kamehamecha Hospital and spoke with the doctor in charge. He told me that the multiple injuries Bubba received were so severe that he was not expected to survive. I was asked to come as soon as possible to Hawaii and be prepared to make arrangements for the burial. Thus, I got an emergency 14-hour flight to Honolulu and prayed all the way for a miracle of healing. Jesus cured so many people of their illnesses, so why not my son Bubba?

As I arrived in Hawaii, I was met by one of Bubba’s employees. We proceeded to the hospital not knowing whether Bubba was still alive. The doctors met me and informed me that Bubba was not expected to live, not with so many extensive injuries: body crushed, internal bleeding, head injury and brain damage. I was not prepared to see my son in this horrendous condition. Seeing him like this was the hardest thing I ever had to do. He was on life support. I was dreading that I would be asked to discontinue the life-sustaining procedures. I was told, however, to think of his future and to make funeral arrangements.

I prayed daily in the hospital with the kind Chaplain who was a great source of comfort. Then I met a priest from Columbia, Father Juan. He is the kind of man who hugs everyone he meets, and in my condition, I surely needed a hug. Father Juan and I made an instant connection. I spoke with him about my son and his condition and even asked if he would help me by performing Bubba’s funeral. After a tearful conversation and a warm hug, Father Juan asked if he could pray over my son. We entered my son’s room holding onto each other and then holding onto Bubba as best we could. After several minutes of prayer, Father Juan offered a beautiful blessing. We walked out through the doors, heads bowed with grief. Father Juan stopped, turned around and said to me: “I feel God is asking me to go back and pray some more.”

I returned to Bubba’s room with Father Juan. We both laid our hands on him and continued praying. I was naturally distraught with thoughts of losing my son, but as the priest raised his hands in prayer, my emotions suddenly changed from grief to an all-enveloping peace. I felt deep within me that whether Bubba lived or died, everything would be just fine because God is in control.

As I stood there praying with the priest for Bubba, I witnessed a miracle of healing.

Bubba began to revive before our very eyes. My faith in the Lord’s healing was renewed, and I knew my son would survive. From that day forward, Bubba’s progress was amazing.

After four months in the hospital, the broken bones healed without a cast and the brain damage Bubba received was minimal. He began to walk with the support of a cane, and as of today he is doing very well.

While I was staying with Bubba as he was recovering at his home, I decided to find the firemen and the paramedics who had responded to Bubba’s accident and assisted in saving his life. I wanted to personally thank them for the part they played as instruments of the Lord in saving my son. I took Bubba with me to meet the firemen and the paramedics. We had lunch together and discussed this extraordinary story of healing. The joy we felt was indescribable. We are all God’s creatures and, in some mysterious way, the Lord brought us together in this extraordinary bond of love and healing.

Bubba now speaks to groups about drinking and driving as part of his way of giving back to God for the healing he received.

— Drake Smith