A 24-year-old nurse who nearly died of sudden cardiac arrest during a marathon credits God for her miraculous survival.
We all know that God places people exactly where they need to be at the right moment. Sometimes we see His hand work through ordinary people who become heroes when someone’s life hangs in the balance.
This truth became clear when Angel Barr suffered a cardiac arrest during an ordinary race.
A Normal Morning Turns Dangerous
Angel Barr felt great on the morning of April 6 during the Cherry Blossom Ten Miler race at East Potomac Park in Washington, D.C.
The young nurse had started running recently to help her mental and physical health. She had never run a marathon before, but she was athletic and loved fitness.
This made what happened next even more shocking.
“I felt physically and mentally fine that day; I was looking forward to running. It was something I liked doing,” Angel told reporters.
She remembers getting ready that morning, but she doesn’t remember much about the race itself.
While running near Hains Point, Barr suddenly fell to the ground and went into cardiac arrest.
God Places Help Exactly Where Needed
In what can only be called God’s perfect timing, one person watching the race was a physician from George Washington University. This doctor jumped into action right away and started CPR.
He became the first person in a chain of people that God used to save Barr’s life.
This quick action kept blood flowing to her brain and vital organs. Within minutes, fire boats from DC Fire and EMS arrived with a defibrillator.
First Responders Save the Day
The first responders used the defibrillator to shock Angel’s heart back into a normal rhythm. Then Park Police flew her to the hospital in their helicopter. Angel spent about a week in the hospital recovering.
Fire Sergeant John Wilkinson was one of the first responders who helped save Angel’s life. He will never forget that day. “Last time I saw Angel, she was battling for her life and was lifeless,” Wilkinson told WTOP.
“Now to see her walking, talking, and no neurological deficits is phenomenal.”
A Grateful Reunion
On May 20, Angel met her rescuers for the first time since the race. The reunion took place at East Potomac Park, the same place where her life almost ended.
Everyone was smiling and hugging. The first responders brought Angel flowers. She gave each of them a special coin to thank them for saving her life.
Angel knows she experienced a miracle. “They told me I was a miracle, they told me a lot of people don’t survive what I went through, and hearing the story, I’m shocked,” she told DC News Now.
‘Gift from God’
Angel gives God the credit for her survival. “This was a gift from God,” Angel said. She repeated this message several times during interviews.
“I’m very shocked I’m still here today. And to be able to walk and do everything I was before, so to hear that, it was a gift from God.”
Most people who survive cardiac arrest have some brain damage or other lasting problems. Angel has none. She can walk, talk, and think just like before. Her doctors say this is very rare.
Moving Forward with Purpose
Angel is not letting this experience slow her down. She plans to go back to work as a nurse in a few days. She also wants to get her doctorate in nursing.
Her message to others shows how much this experience has taught her.
“Do not take life for granted,” Angel said. “Keep working, striving to be the person that you are today and never stop growing. Life comes with a lot of challenges and obstacles, but those obstacles are meant to be overcome and not stop you up.”
She has a positive attitude about facing hard times. “Obstacles are there to make you stronger. But this obstacle has not set me back in any way. I will be successful, I will thrive,” Angel said.
A Story of God’s Perfect Timing
Angel’s story shows us how God works through people to perform miracles. He put a skilled doctor right where Angel needed help.
God made sure trained first responders arrived quickly with the right equipment. He gave Angel complete healing with no lasting damage.
When we face scary or difficult times, we can remember Angel’s story. The same God who saved her life is watching over us too. He knows what we need before we even ask.
Let us pray for Angel as she returns to her nursing job and continues to serve others with the second chance God has given her.
WATCH: 24-Year-Old Nurse Suffers Cardiac Arrest During Marathon, But God Already Had a Plan
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
Video not working?
