Power of Prayer Delivers Man from Epilepsy
“I became very, very scared,” Jesse Fiedor said as he recalled one of the most tragic times of his life. “The seizures became so severe and horrific. I really don't have much to live for. Why does nobody want me? What did God put me on the earth for? Why am I here?”
Although Jesse was plagued by physical and mental struggles, he still kept fond memories of growing up in Southern California with a loving family and attending Catholic school where he learned about God. An accident with a baseball at age ten drastically altered the course of his life.
“I was hit in the head,” Jesse said. “Two nights later I had a seizure and was taken to the hospital. That’s when my parents were told that, ‘We think your son has epilepsy.’ I thought, ‘Well, epilepsy, I guess they can give me some kind of medication, it'll go away.’ I found out later that that's not true. There is no cure for epilepsy."
Jesse began having grand mal seizures: the most severe kind. They would occur at any point of the day or night without warning, putting his life at risk. His family did the best they could to care for Jesse, but he was soon spending most of his time in hospitals and was even admitted to a mental institution for six months.
“They had padded cells, that were padded all the way around,” Jesse said with tears in his eyes. “The reason that they wanted to put me in there is because if I have a seizure, uncontrollable, then I will not be opening my skull or killing myself by banging my head against the wall or the floor. It was really, really hard to be away from my family.”
For the next several years, Jesse dealt with the isolation that came with his epilepsy. He was afraid of being labeled an outcast by his classmates, so he ditched school to wander the streets.
“I was so lonely,” Jesse said. “Nothing to do. No life. I went to one restaurant and, sure enough, I had a seizure. Three weeks later, I went back to the same restaurant. There was a manager, she remembered me. She told me to get out. I said, ‘Get out, why? What did I do?’ She said, ‘Well, we don’t allow epileptics in here.’ I had no desire to even be around people anymore. It just kind of put me at an all-time low of where my life was not even worth living anymore.”
Then, at 19-years-old, Jesse hit a breaking point.
“The seizures really became very, very severe and the loneliness, the loneliness that I had to go through really got to me and I just couldn’t take it no more,” Jesse said. “I attempted suicide. I took a razor blade and slit my wrist and then ran out of the house.”
He was found in an open field by police who got him medical attention in the nick of time, saving his life. After that, Jesse’s mother encouraged him to attend a local church with her.
“I didn't really know God at that point anymore,” Jesse said. “My biggest fear was going to church and then having a seizure. Anyway, she came and picked me up on Sunday.”
Jesse’s mother continued to take him to church with her each week and eventually convinced him to attend a singles Bible study. He slowly started making friends, until one day his worst fear was realized.
“I had a grand mal seizure right in the singles class,” Jesse said. “My mother came, and they called an ambulance. I was going back with my mother the following week and I was under the impression that the same thing is going to happen to me at the church that happened in the restaurant. They’ll say, ‘We don’t allow epileptics here.’ Well, it was the farthest thing from the truth. I was welcomed with open arms. It was one of the best times that I ever had in my life. Full of love.”
The members of the Bible study gathered around Jesse and prayed that God would completely heal him of his epilepsy.
“I knew that God was coming into my life and taking away this disorder that I had,” Jesse said as he was overcome emotion, his voice trembling. “It's now 45 years later when that happened. That was my last seizure I've ever had in my life. I've never had a seizure since then. Never.”
Despite only having a third-grade comprehension level due to his years as an epileptic, Jesse attended college and received two degrees. He went on to enjoy a successful career in Hollywood’s film industry and then in financial services. Jesse now spends his time traveling the world with his wife and friends. He believes it was only God and the power of prayer that delivered him from the horrors of epilepsy.
“Without prayer, I wouldn't even be here,” Jesse said. “Every single morning I just pray to God and say thank you for what you have done. Once you have God in your life your entire life changes, and it’s all for the better. The thing is that the things that God has done for me from where I was to where I am now – it's a miracle.”
