A Colorado family witnessed the miracle-working power of prayer when their 4-year-old son’s heart stopped for 14 hours.
Cartier McDaniel was a typical, energetic child with a big heart and a lot of love to share. But his health rapidly deteriorated.
It all started with a fever that quickly led to chills, frequent urination, extreme thirst, and lethargy. When his breathing became heavy, his mother, Destiny Anderson, rushed him to the emergency room at Children’s Hospital Colorado.
“I had to carry him in because he just wasn’t moving,” Anderson recalled. “His mouth was turning blue and his eyes were sinking in.” Within minutes of arriving at the hospital, Cartier went into cardiac arrest.
Dr. Aline Maddux, part of Cartier’s medical team, explained that Cartier was diagnosed with sepsis, and his body’s response to the bacterial infection caused his organs to fail.
The doctors worked tirelessly to save the young boy. They attempted CPR to revive his heart, but it still remained unresponsive.
The doctors then placed Cartier on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to support his heart and lungs. Even with this machine, his heart failed to restart, and the medical team prepared his family for the worst.
“The longer the time period the heart isn’t beating, the more concerned we are that it’s not going to restart,” said Dr. Maddux.
After 13 hours with no heartbeat, Cartier’s family gathered to say their goodbyes. But in this hopeless situation, McDaniel, a man of faith, remained unshaken in his trust in God. “It’s time to go talk to God. It’s time to talk to the man upstairs,” McDaniel said.
He believed his son would survive because of his unwavering faith in God. The couple held hands and prayed, along with other family members.
Just an hour later, a miracle happened. After 14 hours of lifelessness, “His heart just restarted!” exclaimed Dr. Maddux. “That was really an incredible thing that occurred.” Anderson shared her amazement: “Everybody else was jumping up and screaming and everything. I just still couldn’t process what was going on … like you gave me the worst news of my life to the best news of my life.”
Cartier’s heart is now beating perfectly, defying the odds and leaving the doctors astonished. For the faithful McDaniel family, this miraculous recovery can only be attributed to one source: “God got the last say,” McDaniel said. “I know that God is real. I’m a firm believer in Jesus Christ.”
The family requests continued prayers for Cartier, who remains in the hospital, slowly regaining strength and undergoing tests for potential long-term damage.
As Cartier’s parents stay with him around the clock, a fundraiser has been set up to help them with medical expenses and work-related challenges.
This story reminds us of the incredible power of prayer and the importance of putting our trust in God, no matter the situation. When we face situations that seem impossible, God can still work miracles. Let’s hold on to our faith and trust that God is in control.
“With God, all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
WATCH: Little Boy Without a Heartbeat for 14 Hours Miraculously Revives After Prayer