What happens to people after they die? Can they communicate with those they left behind? The communion of saints is a doctrine that claims the faithful departed can, indeed, intercede for the living.

The following humorous story is about an encounter which took place in late summer of 1997 in Lawrenceville, New Jersey

One night in August, Marty Zimmerman fell into a coma, and his grieving family gathered at his bedside, braced for the inevitable. When hope for an improvement in Marty’s condition had all but vanished and he had been unconscious for hours, he began to show signs of life. His fingers quivered, his body trembled, and his eyes flew open darting around the room with a gleam of lucidity. He propped himself up on his pillow, looked his granddaughter Debbie in the eye, and said loudly and clearly, “1…6…9…5….” Just as suddenly as he came to life, he passed away.

All his life, Marty was known as both a warmhearted and mischievous Good Samaritan. As owner of a tavern in Lawrenceville, he was a neighborhood fixture with a reputation for playing pranks on his customers but also helping them out when they were short of money. He believed that helping another human being in time of need was the greatest good a man could do.

Marty’s relatives didn’t know what to make of his deathbed message. They all agreed he had appeared perfectly rational and clearheaded when he had uttered the four numbers. But, why numbers, they thought? What kind of message from the grave was that? These numbers weren’t anybody’s birthday, phone number, or address. But, “those numbers were the very last words my Grandfather said,” insisted Debbie.

Finally, the family agreed they play the Big Four Lottery, which was being held the next day. And, lo and behold, the following evening they were celebrating, enthusiastically, a very surprising lottery win of $23, 500. “Marty!” his widow screamed, as the numbers were called up. “You’re so concerned about your family, you even paid for your own funeral.”

The win was, indeed, ironic and amusing, his family told reporters. During his lifetime, Marty, never once played the lottery. Yet, it was the lotto numbers that helped his family after he was gone.

God works in strange ways. He allowed Marty to use the lotto numbers to help his family after he passed away. It would seem that the Lord, like Marty, the good natured prankster, also has a sense of humor.

—Fr. Hugh Duffy