How many of you have every had a child who has been struck with a life threatening illness?  I have had a personal experience with this, when my son was diagnosed with Leukemia and I know the anguish a parent goes through. Author Marie Fiala  writes about her journey through the life threatening illness with her son Jeremy in her new book entitled ” Letters from a Distant Shore“.

Marie and I spent much of our time in this interview speaking about her son Jeremy and the remarkable recovery from a ruptured and inaccessible cerebral artery that burst in his brain.  An AVM as they are called is almost always fatal, but for Jeremy that was not to be the case.  He survived the ordeal, and Marie and her family were changed forever.

Her book “Letters from a Distant Shore” is as much about Jeremy’s journey through this amazing recover, as well as how a network of people praying for Jeremy helped him to recover.  Marie and her husband Kris were always religious and has tremendous faith, but this event really tested their faith in God and the power of prayer. They never left Jeremy’s side, day in and day for months Marie and Kris took turns staying by Jeremy’s side nurturing and caring for him as much as possible–while all along ever vigilante with prayer for his recovery.

After a prayer vigil an entry on the computer by Marie to the Jeremy network reads: Jeremy has spontaneously regained his capacity to speak after having been mute for more than three weeks. Father Bruce and a member of the congregation gifted in healing came in today to pray over Jeremy.  When they left, Jeremy said ” They are extraordinary people.”  Kris (Jeremy’s dad) told him that he was extraordinary too, to which Jeremy answered, “I’ m not extraordinary.  I’m just and ordinary person with an extraordinary story.”  Jeremy’s speech therapist came in for the first time since the prayer vigil and heard him speaking.  She said it gave her chills.  She had never seen a complete spontaneous recovery of speech like this before.  The reaction from Jeremy’s neurosurgeon and pediatrician were the same–amazement.   This email to the Jeremy network ended by saying–I have been privileged to witness firsthand an inexplicable event, a one-in-a-zillion coincidence.  I choose to believe in joy, and in the love of God for my child, and in the power of the many voices who asked for healing.

Jeremy has been effected physically an emotionally by this event, but he is alive and in college as Marie reported to me.  It has been 13 years since the event, and since the miracle of recovery and a new life was given to Jeremy.
I certainly believe in the power of prayer and in a higher power, and I have personally witnessed and read many accounts like Jeremy’s where a spontaneous remission occurs.  Faith, trust and the strength of a community of support while you are going through something like this is so powerful.  Being alone and isolated is probably the worst thing that could happen.  So if you are ever in doubt about the power of prayer and support, doubt no more.  I encourage you to read Marie’s book ” Letters from a Distant Shore” to regain your faith and belief in a Higher Power working in your behalf and for the good of all.

I hope you enjoy this interview with Marie Lawson Fiala.  If you want more information please visit her website by clicking here.