Faithwire
  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • SCOTUS
  • Life
  • Religious Liberty
  • News
  • Politics
  • Faith
  • Opinion

‘I Should Be Dead’: The Story Behind ‘Mystery Priest’ Who Comforted Her After Horrific Car Crash

Katie Lentz
Katie Lentz
Share Tweet
By Billy Hallowell
Editor

June 29, 2017

You might recall the fascinating story surrounding a mysterious priest who appeared at the scene of a car crash back in 2013, prayed for the badly injured victim trapped inside one of the vehicles and then seemingly vanished.

READ: Every Single Woman on This Competitive Basketball Team is Over the Age of 80 — and It’s Amazing

Media outlets around the globe speculated as to whether the priest, who was seen by multiple witnesses at the scene but left as quickly as he first emerged, was actually an angel who came to comfort victim Katie Lentz in the wake of the horrific crash.

Days later, though, it was revealed that the priest was the Rev. Patrick Dowling of the Diocese of Jefferson County.

And this week, Lentz, who is now an administrator for MLB’s Baseball Assistance Team, spoke out in detail about Dowling, the crash that deeply impacted her life and her decision to forgive the man who hit her head-on, telling the “Sports Spectrum Podcast” that she’s lucky to be alive.

Listen to Lentz share her amazing story below:

“I was trapped in my car for over two hours. Honestly it is a miracle that I’m here today,” she said. “My doctors told me it was a miracle that I survived. My doctors say I should be dead, brain dead or paralyzed.”

After getting hit head on, Lentz recalled being badly injured and unable to speak as paramedics and firefighters worked for two hours to free her. Bystanders stayed with her and prayed and about an hour into the ordeal, Lentz recalled how the mystery priest arrived at the scene.

“While I was trapped in my car … there was a priest who stopped by the scene of the accieent and he prayed for me,” she said, noting that the world became captivated after reports that no one saw the clergy member drive up or leave and didn’t know his identity. “It became known as the ‘mystery priest story’ and it went viral.”

She revealed that she has since struck up a friendship with Dowling and the two later reunited.

Lentz also described her difficult decision to forgive the drunk driver who impacted her life so profoundly, noting that he apologized and that she eventually came to terms and offered her forgiveness. She also shared that the judge in the case allowed her to decide the man’s fate.

“The judge … let me decide what happened to him,” she said. “I could either send him to jail for five years or I could send him to a rehabilitation program.”

In the end, she chose the second option, as she wanted him to receive the help he needed.

“I really believe I’ve forgiven him in my heart,” Lentz said.

Latest

  • News

    Charges Dropped Against Christian Woman Arrested After Silently Praying in Her Head Outside Clinic — but She Plans to Continue the Battle

  • Entertainment

    What’s the Biggest Mistake Christians Make When Balancing Truth & Love? Christian Singer Mike Donehey Unveils His Take

  • News

    ‘A Football Coach…Not a Pastor: NFL Legend Deion Sanders Targeted by Atheists for Alleged ‘Unconstitutional Actions’

  • News

    ‘God Is With Me’: Woman Was Just Seconds From Potential Death When 3,000 lb Boulder Burst Through Her Living Room

  • News

    PRAY: Police Search For Answers After NJ Christian Councilwoman Killed Outside Her Home


Sponsored
Sponsored

Newsletter
Signup

Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Charges Dropped Against Christian Woman Arrested After Silently Praying in Her Head Outside Clinic — but She Plans to Continue the Battle
  • What’s the Biggest Mistake Christians Make When Balancing Truth & Love? Christian Singer Mike Donehey Unveils His Take
  • ‘A Football Coach…Not a Pastor: NFL Legend Deion Sanders Targeted by Atheists for Alleged ‘Unconstitutional Actions’
  • ‘God Is With Me’: Woman Was Just Seconds From Potential Death When 3,000 lb Boulder Burst Through Her Living Room
  • PRAY: Police Search For Answers After NJ Christian Councilwoman Killed Outside Her Home

Archives

  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016

Categories

  • Christian Persecution
  • Coronavirus
  • culture
  • Culture
  • Entertainment
  • Faith
  • Faith
  • Family
  • George Floyd
  • Go!
  • Israel
  • Life
  • Life
  • Lifestyle
  • Media
  • Men
  • Mission Haiti
  • News
  • News
  • Opinion
  • P.O.V
  • Politics
  • Politics
  • Sponsored
  • Sports
  • Virtue
  • Women

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Navigation

  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Staff
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Sign up to get our newsletter your inbox every day.

Newsletter Signup

Do you want to read
more articles like this?