Brits Beatrice and Alexander Way were in the midst of moving into their home in Essex, England in June 2011, when Beatrice suddenly collapsed and suffered a stroke. The then-36-year-old was rushed to the hospital, but she showed very little sign of brain function by the time she arrived. Doctors prepared Alexander for the worst—going so far as to discuss organ donation options—yet he refused to give up on his wife. More than five years later, Beatrice has made what can only be described as a “miraculous” recovery, and the couple have welcomed a beautiful baby girl.
READ: The Case for Radical Hope in the Wake of Charlie Gard’s Tragic Death
“The doctors insisted Beatrice had very little brain response and that there was no way she could ever improve,” Alexander told the Daily Mail.
“If she did wake up at all she would barely respond to others. She would also be blind.”
Despite the dire prognosis, Alexander requested for Beatrice be moved to a neurological unit, where she could receive more specialized care. Four weeks later, she regained consciousness.
“A lot of words were exchanged. In no uncertain terms I told them, ‘Don’t switch off my wife’s life support,’” Alexander recalled of his conversations with doctors. “I was stunned, angry and felt they were ending my wife’s life without considering further treatment. I was adamant that more could be done.”
Though waking up from the coma was in and of itself a miracle, Beatrice’s recovery had only just begun. For the better part of the next year, she underwent intensive physical therapy and rehabilitation to help overcome the paralysis of her left arm and leg. The couple, who had always dreamed of having a family, believed Beatrice’s condition would prevent her from getting pregnant, but she once again defied the odds. Last year, the Ways welcomed baby Rosemary to the world.
“[Rosemary] has blossomed into a beautiful, healthy infant,” Beatrice, now 42, said of her daughter. “Every day is a reminder of how lucky we are.”
Today, Beatrice still deals with numbness in her left arm that leaves her unable to hold her child, but her remarkable recovery was largely unknown, until she recently sent a letter to Dr. Ian Hu Liang Low, the neurosurgeon who saved her life.
“I was really, really surprised to get this letter and picture from her, and really pleased for her,” Low told the Evening Standard. “She came to us at death’s door. Now, not only is she better but she has a beautiful daughter as well.”
Alexander and Beatrice consider Rosemary’s birth to be “a complete miracle” and credit the power of prayer and their faith in God for getting them through the toughest times. Ultimately, Alexander hopes their experience shines a light on the importance of families being able to explore any and all options as it relates to the care of a loved one. In the wake of the tragic passing of baby Charlie Gard, his words are particularly poignant.
“That is something we feel quite strongly about. It is vital to explore all the options before agreeing to life and death decisions about loved ones,” he said. “I have no doubt whatsoever that prayer kept us going in our darkest days. It was so important to us throughout it all.”
“I am truly blessed to have Beatrice and Rosemary,” Alexander concluded. “We owe the miracle of Beatrice’s survival and Rosemary to God.”
(H/T: Daily Mail)