At an early age, my siblings and I were encouraged by our parents to pray. Our mom would often say, “There’s no need to use someone else’s words” (referring to prayers we had been taught to memorize). “Just talk to God. He is listening”.
For his part, our dad set the example. Known for always carrying a rosary in his pocket, our dad would silently recite “prayers” throughout the day that he alone had composed. As children, we learned, and in some cases witnessed, how our parents’ connection with God through heartfelt prayers sustained them through numerous tragedies and misfortunes. Our parents’ devotion to God, evidenced in part by their prayerful response to adversity, became a source of inspiration for me and strengthened my faith. Like many other lessons learned from my parents and those my wife learned from hers, she and I raised our two daughters to believe in the power of prayer.
In the spring of 2019, my wife and I welcomed our granddaughter, Thea, into our family. Thea is the firstborn child of our oldest daughter. She is beautiful in every way, but unfortunately, she was born with a genetic disorder that is usually fatal. Shortly after her birth, we were told that if she survived, Thea would require several major surgeries. While our family was devastated with Thea’s prognosis, we were undeterred. We immediately began praying for Thea and the extensive team of medical professionals assigned to treat her. Additionally, my wife and I began reaching out to our extended family members, friends, neighbors, co-workers and business associates to share Thea’s story, asking them to keep her in their thoughts and prayers.
The response was overwhelming! With assistance from social media, Thea’s story was shared across the country, and in one instance that we know of, in a prayer group extending to other parts of the world! In short, a “Thea prayer network” was born. One of these “prayer warriors” referred to this groundswell of support as “Team Thea.” Interestingly, these folks were not only praying for a little girl that they did not know and would likely never meet, they began seeking updates on her progress. Grateful for the support, our family worked hard to keep everyone informed. Thankfully, as “Team Thea” grew in number, Thea gained strength and began to thrive.
A month ago, Thea had open heart surgery to repair an Atrial Septal Defect (ASD), commonly referred to as “a hole in the heart.” Thea was born with two holes in her heart, but one closed on its own. The other has grown larger over the years. Thea’s medical team advised that if uncorrected with surgery, the ASD would eventually result in heart failure. Surgery was not optional. Prior to her surgery, our family once again called upon those on “Team Thea” seeking thoughts and prayers.
Our prayers were answered! After several hours of surgery, the surgeon reported to Thea’s parents that almost immediately after he repaired the ASD, Thea’s heart began functioning normally, thereby averting the need for an additional procedure that the surgeon anticipated would be necessary. Thea spent one night in ICU before being moved to a stepdown unit the following day. I was with her and her parents when Thea’s crib was wheeled out of the ICU. As the nurse wheeled her down the corridor, Thea maneuvered her body into a kneeling position and began looking around. This prompted the nurse escorting her to remark, “Is this the little girl that had open heart surgery yesterday?” Thea returned home two days after the surgery and is recovering well.
Thea is five years old and living at home with her loving parents and two-year- old twin sisters. She is about to begin her third year of preschool and rides the bus each morning in her specially designed chair. She is a happy child who loves her life. Although unable to speak, Thea responds instinctively to signs of love and affection with a broad smile and an outreached hand.
Thea has touched the lives of many and continues to do so with each passing day. We are truly thankful to have her in our lives. Some might say that Thea’s remarkable progress may be attributed to the skill of her treating surgeons, doctors and nurses. While the role these dedicated professionals have played in Thea’s journey cannot be understated, I firmly believe that her improved health is also the product of the overwhelming outpouring of love and support she has received in the form of prayers, and surely a sign that our dear Lord has indeed been “listening.”
Dennis J. Morrison is a member of Hilliard St. Brendan the Navigator Church.