Saved by an Angel (17 page)

A G
REEN
L
IGHT FROM
G
RANDPA
by Tammy Zienka

While I was in my freshman year attending Kent State University in 1987, my Grandpa Jim suffered cardiac arrest while alone in his room at a hospital in Cleveland. When the staff found him several minutes later, they resuscitated him. Since he had gone for several minutes without air, they could only bring him back to a comatose state in which he was unable to respond to any verbal or physical stimuli. The only thing that kept him alive was a respirator. After five days, there were still no signs of life in my grandfather, not even an attempt to breathe on his own. The doctors said that he was “clinically” dead.

At this point, we had a family meeting to discuss the idea of signing a paper that would allow Grandpa Jim to be taken off of artificial life-support measures (called a DNR, or Do Not Resuscitate, order). Everyone agreed, except for my uncle, who wanted to wait a few more days in the hopes that Grandpa Jim would awaken and be as he always was. After this meeting, I drove back to school. It was pretty late at night, and there wasn’t a lot of traffic on the roads. During the drive, I was feeling angry with my uncle and grieving the loss of my grandpa, the person who’d had the greatest positive impact on my life.

I came to a stop sign and was the only car at this intersection. I looked to the right of me, and on the front lawn of the house there I noticed the spirit of a priest standing next to a birdbath. He had a small frame, was about 5’5”, and was wearing an old traditional robe with a hat like a bishop’s. He appeared to be performing a rite. He was making the sign of the cross with his hands. The more I looked at him, the brighter he got.

Then, on the other side of the birdbath, Grandpa Jim appeared. He stood tall and dignified, the way I always knew him. He was dressed in a navy blue coat and white pants, just like he’d worn when he was in the Navy. His face was glowing, and he was at peace. I could feel him tell me that he wanted us to let him go—to sign the DNR order. I nodded to him, and he smiled at me. I turned to look at the traffic light and saw that it was green.

When I looked back, my grandfather and the priest were gone. When I got back to my dorm room, I called my mother and told her what had happened. Until this point, I hadn’t understood why I had seen the priest. When I described him to my mother, she told me that Grandpa Jim had a friend who was a priest who had died ten years earlier. He matched my description. That was confirmation to her and the rest of my family that what I saw was real.

At the next family meeting, I told everyone about my vision. I assured them that Grandpa Jim was at peace and that it was time for us to let him go. I also reassured them that he was, and would always be, with us. Finally, my uncle agreed to the DNR order, and the document was signed. The following week, on Thanksgiving Day, Grandpa Jim’s heart arrested, and he passed on.

For many days after his death, I saw green auras around every light. Like the traffic signal that I saw immediately after my vision, the color green means “go,” and maybe that was his way of saying, “Thank you for letting me go.”

“I’
M
S
ORRY
I C
OULDN
’
T
W
AIT
”
by Kelly B. Norman

In 1991, I was overseas on a six-month deployment as a U.S. Marine. My father was back home, dying of leukemia, and I knew that it wouldn’t be long. At every port, I would go to the phone center and call to see how he was doing.

When I called my father from Bahrain, a Gulf country, I knew from the sound of his voice that he was very weak. I asked him how he was doing, and he said he was in a lot of pain and that he didn’t know how much longer he would be able to hold on. I asked him to hold on until I was home so I could be with him before he died. He told me he would try to wait for me. I had three more months to go before my deployment was over.

Some of my friends and I were on a bus heading for the USO (United Service Organization), when somehow we started talking about my father. I found it very strange, and knew that there was a reason why. I was just hoping that the reason wasn’t the one I was thinking of. The next morning, about 0800, the company sergeant came into the building, and I knew instantly why he was there.

“Sgt. Norman, you need to go to the company office and see the commanding officer.”

I reported to the commanding officer, and as soon as he opened his mouth, I started to cry.

Within hours, I was on a plane out of the Gulf heading back to Georgia for my father’s funeral. Several days later, I saw a vision or I had a dream while I was lying in bed. I saw my father descending from the ceiling. He said, “Son, I came to tell you that I’m sorry I couldn’t wait for you to return. I love you, son. Good-bye.” And then he ascended back through the ceiling and was gone. I lay there wondering whether I was dreaming or if I had actually just had a visit from my father. It seemed so real.

H
EAVENLY
M
ATCHMAKER
by Melanie Wills

I grew up living with my grandmother most of the time. I loved that woman more than life itself. Then she started having health problems. My grandmother was a very strong woman. You never saw her cry. Well, her pain grew so severe that she cried constantly. I would sit and hold her hand and rub her back to comfort her.

I was doing this one evening in November of 1996, and she looked straight at me and cried, “Please, God, take me. I can’t stand this pain anymore!” As much as I knew I would hurt if she left, I looked to God above and said, while holding her frail hand, “Please, God, take her so she won’t suffer anymore.” I stayed with her for a while longer and then told her I needed to get home to prepare for work the next day. She said, “Okay, baby, I love you. Please take care of your mother for me.”

I somehow knew that would be the last time I would see my grandmother alive. I hugged her and told her I loved her so much, and I thanked her for everything she had ever done for me. In the middle of the night, my grandmother passed on.

In April of 1998, I met the man of my dreams, and we soon married and had a beautiful baby girl. Then, in August of 1999, I was sitting in my bedroom when the strangest feeling came over me. All of a sudden, standing before me was my grandmother. She was so beautiful, and I could tell that she was pain free. There was a glow around her, and it was as if a wind was blowing her gown. She said, “My baby, I love you.” Then she started to walk away.

I said, “Wait a little bit. Please don’t go yet. I want you to meet Kevin, my husband, and to see our precious little girl.”

She turned back and said, “Honey, I knew Kevin a long time before you did. This is why I passed on. Can you understand what Nanny is saying, sweetheart? I passed on so that I could find Kevin for you. I searched and searched, and he is the one I wanted my baby girl to be with. You have a precious little girl. I know that. I was there.” Then she said, “I love you,” and turned and walked away into a bright hallway.

I started to say “I love you” back, but she was gone. I truly believe she is my angel.

M
Y
B
ABY
’
S
G
UARDIAN
A
NGEL
by Janice

My grandfather from my dad’s side passed away when I was 13, and I was so close to him. When I had my first baby at 21, he appeared to me, and I will never forget it!

I had just fed my son and had laid him back in the bassinet next to my bed. All of a sudden I felt cold, and there at the foot of my bed stood a form. I really couldn’t make it out, and it scared me. I couldn’t talk, move, or scream. This figure starting moving toward the bassinet, and I couldn’t do anything. Then it spoke, and I realized it was my grandfather.

He told me, “Don’t be afraid. I just wanted to see my great-grandson.” He leaned over the bassinet and touched my baby. Then he disappeared, and I have never felt his presence again.

I immediately picked my baby up and called my mom. She reassured me that it was okay, because the same thing happened to her with
her
dad when my oldest sister was born. I
do
believe in angels, and I know that they surround me and my kids!

“I W
ILL
A
LWAYS
B
E WITH
Y
OU
”
by
L.D.D
.

In 1981, my mother passed away, and I was very upset. She was only 47 years old, and her death was completely unexpected. I was 21 at the time, and going through a divorce. My church had kicked me out because they said I had no grounds for divorce.

After my mom’s funeral, I was at home, feeling very concerned about whether she was at peace and was reunited with my father, who had also passed away. No one else was home that day except for my daughter, who was in bed asleep. At that moment, I heard someone rattle the doorknob. I was going to the door when I saw my mother standing there in the clothes I had buried her in. I was shocked. She said, “I have come to let you know it is beautiful where I am. Don’t worry any longer. I will always be with you.”

Since then, she has talked to me and come to me at other times. My daughter has also seen her. We’ve been told by others that there is no such thing as life after death, or that it’s evil to see and talk to a spirit … but we know what we have seen, felt, and heard; and we believe this to be very real and wonderful.