Twelve years ago our son at age 16 took an overdose of pills. We knew for some time that he was suffering. He had been in the hospital a year before. This day was exceptionally bad for him. It is so heartbreaking when your 16-year-old son cries in your arms the whole day. At about 6:00 that evening we were all totally exhausted. He wanted to lay down for a bit and rest. About a half hour later my mother and my grandmother showed up unexpectedly for an impromptu visit. I told my son he should come out and visit his grandmas. He came out and within minutes he began to throw up the pills. If they had not shown up, we would have let him sleep and he would have died.

We rushed him to the ER. The doctor, by coincidence or by divine intervention, knew the antidote for the drugs he took. He was then taken by life flight to the major medical center. My wife and I sat with him most of the night. When we left for a hotel the next evening, the doctors told us that he could still die and that the best we could hope for is that the liver damage would minimal to the point that he could survive until he was 40 or so before he would require a liver transplant. We prayed all night long. My wife is very demanding in her prayer. She would settle for nothing less than a complete recovery. We went back to the hospital early the next morning. We arrived before the doctors got there. The nurse looked at the chart with a bit of shock. His liver tests were all normal. He recovered completely with no residual effects.

Now he is 28 years old. He has had many struggles over the years, many so intense that we thought we might lose him again. We fought with him tooth and nail to overcome his demons. Many times we cried together, but we held on tight. The last year has been the best year so far. But we still worry from time to time. He lives on his own about an hour away. He is successful in his job and has some good friends. He calls his mother almost at least once every day and she still worries if he misses a day. I’m sure that his struggle is not over.

–Deacon Nick