Dead: brought back to life. Thank you Jesus. Counties publications manager, Rachel Rounds shares her husband’s story.

Tom Rounds

Tom Rounds In Bristol Royal Infirmary with his wires removed after just four days.

I normally spend Testimony Tuesday writing up the stories of Counties Evangelists; however, I feel compelled to write my own this week. On Monday last week, I answered the door to my husband’s best friend, Wayne. He said: “Tom has been in an accident, and you must come with me.”

Of course, I rushed around the house to find my keys and get dressed. When I arrived at the scene, outside my husband’s local pub, I found the road blocked off: two police cars, an ambulance, and a host of paramedics. I then saw my husband on a stretcher in the middle of the road. Medics surrounded him. His car was up on a grass bank at the side of the road, and it was obvious he had crashed it.

I then found out his heart had arrested, and they were trying to save him.

I will quickly surmise what I now know. He died at the scene - he stopped breathing, and his heart stopped. He was saved by an off-duty paramedic who just ‘happened’ to be passing in her car. She performed CPR, and because he was ‘coincidentally’ driving past his local pub - they knew him and rushed out with a portable defibrillator.

The ambulance arrived in 15 minutes (the current waiting time is four hours).

He was without oxygen for 11 minutes, which means he should either be dead, in a coma or severely brain damaged.

Today, he is in the cardiology ward with many doctors saying they have no idea how or why he is still alive. They also cannot believe he is not brain-damaged. He is awake, laughing and talking.

We still have a way to go, and he’s awaiting an angiogram, echocardiogram, and MRI to find out what actually happened to his heart and what they need to do next - but he may be home on Friday!

Many people have said: “Gosh, you were so lucky.” And I have categorically told them that I don’t believe in luck. I believe in God and that He saved Tom.

Tom is not a Christian but does believe in God. However, we have had many chats about Jesus, and I have left him with a copy of: “Who Moved the Stone?” by Lee Strobel.

Our God is a God of miracles. Praise Him. Please pray that Tom comes to know Jesus as his Saviour - nothing happens by accident, and God planned this for a reason.