A Christian mother in Missouri recently witnessed an amazing miracle that furthered strengthened her faith in God when her three-year-old daughter figured in what could have been a tragic drowning accident.
According to the Gospel Herald, Jamie Nipper and her daughter Alise were enjoying a swimming party with some of Alise's school friends on a hot summer day last July 29. "We wanted to catch up and have a good time before school starts," Jamie told KFVS.
However, the weather quickly changed. When the grown-ups at the swimming party saw lightning flashing from the sky, they immediately told the kids to get out of the pool. Everyone was already headed towards the patio to have a snack and fellowship before heading home.
But when Jamie turned around, Alise was nowhere.
"All of the sudden I look over and she wasn't there, where I last saw her," Jamie recalled. "I did a pool check, did not see her. I decided to do a second pool check and saw her foot under a raft. Something took over me. I remember jumping across the pool, coming up and shouting, 'Dial 911.' I was praying while I grabbed her that she would start coughing as if she'd just fallen in, but when I brought her up from the water, it was evident she was without life. She was blue."
She immediately conducted CPR, and so did a friend named Heather Kyle. For 12 minutes, Jamie and Heather continued doing CPR until, finally, Alise's heart started beating again.
"She all of the sudden had colour and pink lips," said Jamie. "Her heart started and she started breathing, it was strong loud breaths."
When the ambulance arrived, Alise was alive but the medical attendants said her condition was critical. Her father Chris rushed to the hospital, worried sick about his daughter.
Her doctor Jeremy Garrett informed the Nippers that her body and brain were badly affected, and her lungs also suffered severe injury. He tried not to raise the Nippers' hope for nothing.
For several days, Alise's condition remained the same, and everybody knew that it was up to God to bring her back to life. A family friend even set up a Facebook page, asking for everyone to Boldly Pray for Alise. Jamie updated it often, giving everyone the latest information about Alise's condition.
The good news came six days later when the young girl's vital stats showed improvement. "When they decreased sedation and she woke up and was talking, it was absolutely amazing!" said Kyle.
Not only did the young girl talk after they removed the ventilator, she serenaded those around her as well. After two weeks in the hospital, Alise was all set to go home.
"The day we left, it was surreal, I felt like I can't believe we lived through this," said Jamie. "I look at her and think, how amazing, how awesome is our God! We are so blessed!"
Dr. Garrett said doctors were at a loss to explain Alise's recovery, crediting her return to health to God's handiwork. "Her brain has gotten through it, her lungs recovered and as near as we can tell she's back to functioning as high level a 3-year-old can," he said. "For her brain to come through this and be as functional as possible is astounding. Prayer and luck and divine intervention were the key factors."
