Jeremy: I have never in my life written to someone famous, but I have a story I feel the Lord wants me to share. I decided to write this to you, Mr. West, as your music ministry has touched me deeply, as well as your interest in miracles.
My faith in our Holy beloved Father has gotten me through many hard times in my life and my walk with God has been both hot and cold throughout the years. I used to suffer from severe Rheumatoid Arthritis and 5 years ago the pain reached a point where it was unbearable. Being against prescription painkillers, I turned to a natural painkiller called Kratom. I bought it in a health food store, thinking it was a safe alternative. Kratom is made in Indonesia from the leaves of a tree that grows there, and is unregulated by the FDA but it is legal to buy in the US. I was taking it for 4 years and it worked well, but little did I know it was poisoning me. I began to develop symptoms much like Parkinson’s Disease, however none of the many doctors I had seen could figure out what was wrong with me.
I grew so sick in the last 2 years I became bed-ridden, passing out, having seizures, and so dizzy most of the time that I couldn’t stand up without blacking out.
I live in a remote area of northern Colorado where the nearest hospital is a 2 hour drive away. All that follows was told to me by family and medical staff- I have no memory of any of it.
Things finally reached a breaking point 5 weeks ago, when in the middle of the night I was sleep walking and I took a lethal dose of Kratom, as well as a half a bottle of my dad’s Xanax. When the drugs hit my system I went into violent seizures which woke my dad. He called the ambulance, but after describing my symptoms the lead EMT called for the Flight For Life helicopter before even arriving at my home.
During the flight to the nearest critical care hospital, my blood pressure sank so low my heart stopped and then I stopped breathing. They had to land the helicopter in a field along the way so that they could intubate me. I died 2 more times before they got me to the hospital. I was in the ICU for 30 hours before they were able to stabilize me. The only thing I remember was going to bed and then waking in a hospital with a sore throat.
The neurologist overseeing my case told me I had ingested enough drugs to kill 10 people and that there is no way I should be alive. All the medical staff involved in my case were amazed and fascinated by my escape from death. I was in the hospital for a week before I was released, and my mind was still in a “fog” for about another week after.
On a night when I was finally starting to feel like myself again, I felt the Holy Spirit come over me more powerfully than ever before and suddenly I saw myself flying above the Flight For Life as they transported me to the hospital, and somehow I knew I had died.
As I looked down I could see a red helicopter surrounded by angels- they were everywhere- above, below and all around the helicopter and somehow I knew they were there to escort me safely to the hospital. Then a powerful inner voice that was not me, said “your time is not yet my son, I have work for you to do”.
I can’t explain it, there were no words spoken, but I knew that our Heavenly Father had just spoken this to me, then somehow I was back in my body and stabilized. From the time I first opened my eyes in the hospital to now I can feel the presence of Jesus within me more powerfully than ever in my 49 years of life. The miracle doesn’t end there, my recovery was expected to be long and difficult, however my healing has happened so rapidly that my doctors are still scratching their heads.
One of my doctors is a Christian and when I told her everything she told me I needed to share my story…that I was a walking miracle. The pain of recovery has been intense, but I have been so blessed it’s hardly noticeable, my arthritis pain is nearly gone and every day sees me recovering at the same rapid pace. I don’t know yet what all the Lord has in store for me, but I don’t need to know because I am no longer “going through the motions.” I now walk by faith.
Your brother in Christ Jesus,
Jeremy
