In the labyrinth of life, where routine often guides our steps, an unexpected force can come upon us that overturns everything we thought we knew.
That was the harsh truth Ryan Finley faced on a typical Sunday morning, a day that would quickly cross the lines of normalcy and plunge him into a vortex of despair and hope.
As the sun bathed the room in the soft morning light, Ryan’s wife, Jill Finley, lay motionless, unresponsive to his usual attempts to rouse her from her slumber. It was an ordinary act—one he never indulged in on a Saturday morning—but on that fateful day, it was a harbinger of a shocking twist that would disrupt their peaceful existence.
“I went to wake Jill, which is a miracle in itself because I’ve never done that on a Saturday morning,” he said afterward. She didn’t answer when he called. At that moment, Ryan’s heart skipped a beat. He was aware that something was wrong. He immediately gave his wife CPR and called 911. Ryan followed the ambulance that took her to the hospital once paramedics arrived.
After a medical examination, it was determined that Jill had suffered a cardiac arrest. While Ryan waited impatiently outside the emergency room, she underwent a medical procedure to stabilize herself.
The doctors ended their message for him by saying, “Pray for your wife.” When someone says it’s life or death, Ryan knows it. “When the doctor tells you you have to start praying, I feel like that’s about as serious as it gets.”
They told Ryan his wife was unconscious a short time later. He simply could not fathom that his wife, 31, who had been healthy and alive the day before, was now facing a potentially fatal situation. Jill was in a coma for two weeks and many people visited her hoping she would wake up and make a speedy recovery. However, one day Jill’s cousin appeared holding a Bible and reading to her for an hour.
Ryan was given a Bible and instructed to read whatever passages he felt like reading. Hoping she would wake up soon, Ryan made a habit of reading aloud to his wife.
After eleven days, Ryan returned home to consider whether to follow the doctors’ advice and take her off life support or wait until she died. The doctors were sure that nothing would change. He knew she would die soon after they took her off life support. He decided to take her off life support and let her go on the fourteenth day.
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After Jill was taken off life support, she began to move and mumble after about five hours. It broke Ryan’s heart that she was there while she suffered and stepped out until she died. He clearly remembers what happened next. “The nurse came out and said, ‘I think you need to go in, she’s talking.’
He remembers being shocked when he walked in, saying, “I walked in and Jill was talking.” He expected to have the last words before entering the spirit realm. “Get me out of here,” was the first thing she said. “I want to go home. Ryan shook his head, unable to believe what had just happened.
When he asked her the names of their pets and a few mental arithmetic questions that she answered flawlessly, he realized she wasn’t just mumbling. She even asked to have dinner at her favorite Mexican restaurant. That’s when he realized that Jill was coming home with him, not traveling to the afterlife.
When asked what brought his wife back, Ryan answered without hesitation, “God.” supernatural help. That’s how I really feel.” It wasn’t like Jill was back to her usual self the next day. Some of her motor skills declined to the point where she had to relearn how to tie her shoes and brush her teeth.
However, when God gave them another chance, they made sure to always be there for each other, especially in times of need. Jill agrees with his decision to remove her from life support during her coma, as she does not wish to live a life limited to “vegetables”.
“I still don’t wake up every night,” Ryan declares. When I kick her, she usually kicks me back, so I know it’s good.” We are very happy that Ryan and Jill Finley are doing well and can always be by our side!
The story of Ryan and Jill Finley is a testament to the unpredictability of life and the miraculous turn it can take in the face of adversity. Ryan’s regular Sunday morning turned into a life-changing event when he found his wife unresponsive, leading to a frantic rush to the hospital and a dire prognosis.
The ordeal of Jill’s coma and the uncertainty of her recovery lead Ryan through an emotional roller coaster. Prayers, readings from the Bible, and the heart-wrenching decision to remove life support were moments that tested his faith and resilience.
Yet, against all odds, Jill spoke five words after her life support was withdrawn, defying the expectations of those around her. Her unexpected return from the edge of the afterlife stunned everyone and brought an unpredictable twist to a situation that seemed irrevocably bleak.
Despite the challenges Jill faced in regaining consciousness, the fact that she is back home, relearning the routines of life, and sharing moments with Ryan shows a remarkable strength of hope and love.
Their journey, marked by uncertainty and miraculous healing, reminds us of the strength in belonging, faith, and the unyielding will to cherish every moment that life has to offer.
The Finleys’ resilience and unwavering support for one another inspire us to appreciate life’s precious moments and the power of love to overcome the most challenging circumstances.