A young boy became proof that miracles do happen in this age and time when he had a close encounter with death. The 14-year-old boy from Manatee County, Florida, survived a fishing accident that left him with a boat anchor lodged in his head. Caleb Bennett was out fishing with his brother and a group of their friends, when the boat’s raised anchor suddenly swung towards them, hitting him in the head!
“The anchor had slipped off the boat and it went into the water and slingshot back into the boat where it penetrated Caleb’s right frontal lobe 2.78 inches,” his mother Kelli said. The teen did not panic. Instead, he carefully instructed his friends to call for help, knowing that the situation could become deadly at any moment.“I didn’t want to pull it out because I thought it might bleed more,” he said. “Eventually, it fell out, and then I put pressure on it and held my head up. I just stayed calm.
I told my friend, ‘Hey, you need to call 911 or I’m going to die.’” Caleb blacked out and woke up in a hospital bed to find out that he had been airlifted to a hospital for emergency brain surgery. The doctors opined that he would never be able to walk or speak again. They performed partial craniotomy surgery on him and put him in a medically-induced coma which likely saved his life!
According to Luis Rodriguez, a pediatric neurosurgeon at John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, they had to remove a large chunk of the skull and try to remove the bits of bone and other debris from the anchor. “And, more significantly, allow his brain to grow, which is exactly what was going to happen.” His parents were oblivious of what was going on with their kid because they were in the Bahamas celebrating their wedding anniversary.
When they received a phone call about the accident, they immediately rushed home. “When I first saw Caleb, I thought I was going to be sick,” Kelli Bennett said. “It’s very hard to see your kid hooked up to every tube, to see that stand with seven to 12 different medicines going in his body.” She said, “Needless to say, I kind of lost it.” But now after getting treatment, Caleb is fine and much better than anyone could imagine.
Scans showed that the anchor had miraculously avoided critical blood vessels that might have caused severe damage. “It’s a real modern-day miracle that I am alive,” Caleb said. “He should’ve died right where he stood,” Caleb’s father, Rick Bennett said. “Even if this is our cross to bear for a while or indefinitely, it’s better than the alternative.” The teen is continuing to heal, as the family celebrates his incredible recovery, with support from the community.
“We are so thankful for, I call it our people, here in Bradenton that just have surrounded us and loved us,” Kelli Bennett said. Caleb’s fellow fishermen in the area held a special fundraiser to gather money for medical bills, and friends and neighbors flooded in to bring food and prayers for a quick recovery.
Caleb thinks he wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t part of God’s plan for his life, even if he still needs more therapy. “I shouldn’t be standing here today,” says the speaker. In my life, God surely has a plan.” He continued,
“I can’t believe I was thinking about an anchor.” That’s insane, to say the least. It’s kind of funny that my pals now refer to me as the anchorman.’ But no one can take away his passion for fishing, as he declares, “I still love fishing.” “Nothing is ever going to change that.”
What a wonderful story of hope and a future Caleb has really experienced a miracle from God. Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”