They Left the Hospital as Visitors, They Quickly Returned as Patients

Anthony Williams had just come home from work, when his phone rang. 

“I got a call from The University of Alabama stating, ‘Mr. Williams, try to relax, we want to tell you that your wife and daughter have been in an accident.’”

Anthony learned his wife Carolyn and their 15-year old daughter, Alisa, were in the ICU. 

“So when I got to the hospital, I sat in the waiting room.  I was unable to see either one of them at the time. So, I had to wait for the doctor to come down to tell me what was going on.”

Doctors told Anthony that his wife and daughter had been hit by a drunk driver.  They were walking through the hospital parking lot after visiting a friend.

“He didn’t give me a whole lot of information at the time, but he did make one statement that really startled me deeply. He said, ‘Mr. Williams, out of all the patients in this hospital, you’re wife and daughter are the sickest ones in this hospital.’ It was scary.”

Carolyn underwent surgery for a brain injury and was in a coma, but doctors said Alisa wouldn’t survive.  Her body had gone into shock. She had broken bones in her face and back along with several other fractures.  Her lungs were punctured, she lost two fingers, and a clot formed on her brain.

“They were just laying there. As I was seeing them lie on that bed, I was in remorse. I thought, ‘Anything could happen. They can leave me tonight. That’s all I got. That’s all I got.’”

While Carolyn eventually stabilized, Alisa’s condition declined rapidly. She received a blood transfusion and slipped into a coma. Faced with a grim doctor’s report, Anthony and his extended family turned to God. 

“He just opened the doors up. People started coming. People start praying, and we all got together, held hands, and we prayed and asked the Almighty God to stand with us. ‘Heal them. You have the power to do all these things.’”

Family and friends held tightly to their faith as they gave Anthony support. Then, after two weeks of unrelenting prayers, God gave them a sign that Alisa was getting better.  First, she lifted a finger. Then shortly after, she began to speak.

“One of the nurses called me and said, ‘Your daughter Lisa pulled her tube out.’ I said, ‘She what?’ ‘She pulled her tube out of her mouth.’ I said, ‘She did?’ I knew right then that the Lord had answered my prayers and I started smiling and feeling good. I knew God was in control then.”

Alisa underwent eleven surgeries.   After just two months of rehab, she went home.  During that time and the tough days ahead, Alisa says prayer kept her going.  “I found strength in the dark hours by praying.  I talked to God a lot. I would be laying in my bed sometimes and talking to Him as if He were really laying on the side of me.  Just knowing within myself that He would take care of me. That it was already done. Whatever I was asking of Him. Just knowing I was healed,” said Alisa. 

Carolyn also came home. Even though her brain injury forced her to go on disability, she’s grateful that God let them survive.  “God brought us through.  It’s beautiful to know you are alive and went through all of that,” said Carolyn. 

“I look at her as being a miracle, a miracle child. A gift that God gave back to me,” said Anthony. 

Alisa went on to graduate high school with honors and earned a college degree.
Then in 2001 she married, and despite doctors’ reports that  said she would never have children, she gave birth to a boy and a girl.  Her family says it’s all because of the power of prayer.

“You know they gave me up to die.  God is definitely my healer.  It was nobody but God.  Because when doctors said ‘no’ God said ‘yes,’” said Alisa. 

“We had people all over the world praying for us. We came through with God’s help.  There is a God up there.  He’s alive. He works miracles,” said Carolyn. 

“Almighty God. He’s real. He holds all the power and He showed me I won’t leave you alone. Just ask and you shall receive,” said Anthony.