Lightning Strike! February 26, 2009 By Joe Farley I¹m your average, rough-around-the-edges, tough-skinned, middle-aged guy. Iwas saved from a life of drugs and alcohol, but for the past 29 years wascontent to live a complacent Christian life. I went to church every Sundaybut was very skeptical when people would testify about miracles of healing. That was until Aug. 2, 2008, when my life was changed forever. It was a Saturday morning just like any other. My brother-in-law Dan wasvisiting from Virginia. We went to a nearby golf course early that morning.The weather predictions were promising heavy afternoon rains, but I figuredwe¹d be on and off the course before it started. By 10 we were approachingthe seventh hole when the clouds rolled in, not enough to deter us fromplaying on. Foolishly, I turned to Dan and said, ³If we get hit by lightening, it¹s ourtime to go.² The winds began to pick up and the rain began to fall lightly. In thedistance I heard thunder. Then a whistle alerted golfers to leave thecourse. Immediately the rain began to come down in sheets, and the wind brisklypicked up its force. Dan suggested we go back to the clubhouse. I wanted totake cover under a tree nearby because I was sure it would blow over. Therewere two trees approximately 50 yards apart. Dan checked the trees for priorlightening damage. Feeling pretty safe, he decided to use the outhouselocated nearby. As Dan began to make his way back to where I was standing, he saw lightningstrike my head and deflect from what looked like a shield covering my head,shattering in three different directions. Immediately, Dan was thrownforward, having been shocked from the aftereffect. He looked up to see metake a step back and slump backwards against the tree. Dan says I did notfall straight back, but it was if someone caught me and gently laid meagainst the tree. Scrambling to get to my side, Dan took my pulse. It was very weak. He liftedmy arms up and they were limp. Then I passed out and Dan could get no pulseat all. He dragged me into a clearing and began to do CPR. I came back. Notknowing what to do next, Dan propped me against himself and just prayed andbegged me to stay with him. Dan began to whistle for help. After the third attempt, four men rushed overfrom a pavilion approximately 200 yards away and helped bring me safely tothe pavilion. One of them called 911. Dan ran back to the spot to retrievemy wallet and cell phone. That¹s when he saw my baseball cap lying on theground with a five-inch hole burned through it. An ambulance took Dan and me to St. Luke¹s Hospital. My wife, mother-in-lawand sister-in-law arrived just as I was transferred to the trauma center¹sICCU. They were not prepared for what they saw. The doctor told them my painwas off the charts. I should not have survived the hit. The trauma unit hadnever had a survivor of a lightening strike of this magnitude. It went inthrough my head and out through my side. My family watched as I lay crying out in pain and convulsing. This went onfor hours. Heavier and heavier doses of pain meds were administered. Myfamily surrounded me and prayed. Hours went by and nothing changed. Dawn, mywife, stayed with me. Our son, Joey, was on his way and they had notifiedour daughter, Jacinda, who was serving in the Air Force. My church familyand friends were alerted to pray. Extensive scans and tests indicated I had been dead for 61Ž2 minutes. Thefirst miracle was that I had no brain damage. Meanwhile, Dan went back to my in-laws to sleep. He woke up early Sundaymorning and was sitting on the couch praying and asking God what was it thathe saw over my head deflecting the lightning. Dan sensed Jesus telling him,³It was my nail-pierced hand, and I only allowed what went through mynailed-pierced hand to touch Joe.² Dan felt a peaceful, comforting presence.He was able relay the amazing miracle of God¹s protection he witnessed tofriends and family. He called me that afternoon to tell me. On Monday morning the doctor unplugged the IVs administering the pain medsin order to help me out of bed. My body immediately began to convulse. Verydiscouraged, she hooked me back up and explained to my wife it would be avery long process. She prepared my wife for months of physical, speech andoccupational therapy. At 3:00 a.m. Tuesday morning I experienced the miracle that changed my lifeforever. I was awakened out of a deep sleep. I was wide awake. I feltSomeone standing next to me on the left side of my bed. He said, ³Get out of bed; You have been healed.² I did not hesitate. I knew it was Jesus. I unplugged my oxygen and IVs,threw off the blankets and got out of bed. I did not have one twitch ortremor. But when I unplugged myself, the alarms went off and the doctor oncall came running in. ³What¹s going on in here?² he asked. ³Doc,² I said, ³we¹re going for a walk. Jesus came and told me I washealed.² The doctor did not think this was a good idea, but I told him I was goingfor a walk with or without him. So we went for a walk around the traumaunit, came back and he hooked me up again. We repeated this again at 6 inthe morning before he went off his shift. At 8 that morning, the doctor who put the staples in my head and had seenthe dismal progress just a day earlier came in. ³Hi, Joe. How are you doing today?² she asked with some discouragement. ³I¹ll show you how I¹m doing,² I said. I jumped out of bed. ³Let¹s go forawalk.² We walked around once with me holding her hand. When we got back to the roomI said, ³I¹m not done. Let¹s go around again.² On the second lap around Ilet go of her hand and said, ³Do you know how to do the two-step?² ³The Texas two-step?² she asked. ³Yes, let¹s go.² And we two-stepped. The doctor was astonished. ³What¹s going on?² she asked. ³Did you get anysleep last night?² ³Yes,² I replied, ³up until 3 in the morning. That¹s when Jesus came to meand told me I was healed. When we get back to the room I want you to checkall my vitals and the staples in my head. I think they can come out.² ³Oh, no,² she replied. ³They need to stay in for at least 10 days.² ³No, I want you to check them,² I insisted. She agreed, checked all my vitals and looked at the staples. All my vitalswere perfect ‹ and my staples came out. Shortly after that, the head doctor for the trauma unit came in bearinggifts. I knew immediately that he wanted my burned hat. ³Doc, you want my hat, don¹t you?² I asked. ³Yes,² he admitted. ³We have a showcase as you enter the hospital for itemsthat are unexplainable, and I would like to put it on display.² I didn¹t give up my hat, and the doc had to settle for pictures. I was released just three days after being struck. They tell me I¹m thefirst in the history of St. Luke¹s Hospital to go home straight from thetrauma unit. I would have walked out of the hospital, but their policystated I needed to be put in a wheelchair. They wheeled me down and I jumpedout of the chair and got into the van and headed home. I don¹t know why Jesus chose me. The power in the bolt that hit me wouldhave blown apart a tree. Yet, here I am. I¹ve learned that when Jesus comesto you, He changes your life forever. I have never been a crier, not even asa child. But now I cannot hold the tears back when I mention Jesus¹ name. I¹m going out and telling my story to whomever will listen. Mostly it¹s beenhard-core people who do not know Jesus. I¹ve always been content to walkinto church and take a backseat. Now I feel like I should be doing something‹ preaching, talking to someone, encouraging someone. I tell people atchurch, ³Leave your Bibles open. Jesus isn¹t finished with you yet. He isstill doing miracles. It¹s still being written in each of our lives.² Face it, I was dead and was raised up. I don¹t know what else to say. I am aliving, breathing miracle, and only Jesus can take the credit. ‹ Joe Farley lives in Easton, Pa., and attends Bunnvale (N.J.) Community AG.(Endorsed by Pastor Michael Pignaloso Jr.)