NOTE: YOU WILL NEED TISSUES FOR THIS WONDERFUL LETTER

We received a wonderful email this morning from Angela in the UK:

My son Tom fell 70ft onto concrete on December 8th 2007 aged 16yrs . He suffered multiple life threatening injuries as well as his brain injury . The police blue lighted me to the hospital as they believed he would be dead before I arrived.Tom was in a coma for months and we were told that he would be in a permanent vegetative state. As a praying mum I refused to accept that.I was told that if Tom came out of the coma that he had damaged different parts of his brain:
MEMORY: They said that he would have no long or short term memory… Without his memory he would not know how loved and treasured he was and this would steal from his brothers and I as well as him our history together;
TEMPERAMENT: They said that Tom would be angry and aggressive…God had made my son the most gentle of young men who was kind and considerate and always had a smile;
EMOTIONS: They said that his emotions would be inappropriate and that he would either just cry or laugh continuously… Tom was sensitive to others feelings and that made Tom who he was.

I told the doctors that our God was bigger than that and that I refused to accept that. They looked at me with pity and thought I was in denial. I was, denial of our natural circumstances and determined to live by faith rather than by sight. Tom was in hospital for 2 years and we were with him every day praying over him. Tom has his long term and short term memory in the main, there are some gaps in both but he is a work in progress but he remembers all his family and growing up and certainly knows how loved and adored he is.
Tom continues to be the a gentle soul and does not have an aggressive bone in his body. He is the same positive, glass half full in all circumstances young man that he always was. This has helped him tremendously as he continues on his pathway of healing and restoration.

Tom’s emotions are appropriate and it was along time before the hospital would acknowledge that. At first he would smile at us and the staff hadn’t seen it so they said it was wind. Then when he laughed they said it was slap stick humour and that didn’t prove anything. Then a year after Tom’s accident my dad was dying and I went to the hospital to tell Tom. I became afraid, I didn’t want Tom to be upset as he adored his Granddad but I was more afraid that Tom wouldn’t respond. He couldn’t speak so it was all down to his facial expressions at that time. I kept my face neutral as I told him the news and my beautiful boy sobbed for an hour as did I . My sobs were mixed with pain and joy. Pain that we were loosing my dad and elation that Tom understood and was vocalising and reacting normally. My dad died knowing that his grandson knew him and was recovering and knowing the Lord was at work.

Tom was labelled as tetraplegic, not due to spinal injuries but because of the brain injuries and had a total paralysis down his left side.He was unable to swallow or move his tongue and we were told he would never talk or eat again. My son loves his food and never shut up before his accident and we refused to accept that was God’s plan.

Tom is able to hold his head up and look both ways now. He is eating 3 meals a day and only has his medication and some fluids through his PEG feeding tube. Tom is able to move his right arm and hand and the movement has come back to his left arm. He has some contractures in his wrists at present. Tom’s speech is coming back and although it is slurred at the moment we believe it will be fully restored.Tom uses an eye gaze communicator when he is tired to speak .Tom is cycling on a medimotion bike for at least an hour a day. At present the machine has to initiate the movement and then he takes over.

We have a wonderful church family that have helped us through this and an amazing God. I am writing this as when Tom first had his accident I was a relatively new Christian and it was easy to live by faith when Tom lay in his hospital bed looking like he was just sleeping. It has been 4 years now and we have seen the impossible happen in his recovery. Tom still has a long way to go and it is a daily choice and sometimes battle to keep believing that God will fully restore him. Tom has become a Christian since his accident and was baptised in his wheelchair. Tom is full of peace and faith and remains positive and cheerful. He has said that he is sad but that he needs to keep fighting.As A mum, my heart breaks as I would take his place if I could and then I am reminded that Jesus already did that for him. I need to stay faith filled for Tom and his big brother, Alex and little brother, Harry.In times of fear and doubt God reaches out and speaks to me in many ways and today I went onto the internet and cried out to God saying I don’t know why I am on here but I’m looking for you Lord. I typed in miracles in brain injuries and found your videos on youtube. I cried with happiness for your family and my faith soared. I saw past Tom’s wheelchair and I saw and heard my son speaking like John. Tom has had many prophesies of him being a walking talking testimony of God’s goodness and today I saw it clearly . When John’s parents said about reaching a point when it becomes possible to think this is as good as it gets that they refused to accept it that spoke to me so strongly. Saying you believe something and seeing it in your heart are two different things. I see it in my heart again today and the daily declarations will have that same faith I had at the beginning put back into them, thank you!!!

We live in the Uk and I would love to know if you will be visiting England in the future with your testimony as I would love for Tom to meet you. That may not be possible but would it be possible for you to pray for Tom.

May God continue to bless John and his family. Thank you for sharing your story and testimony carries prophesy for others.

Love, prayers, thanks and blessings
Angela