We have this irrational belief (at least in our heads) that we can live forever. But sometimes life throws us a curve ball we didn’t see coming. Ryan Finley awoke on a regular Sunday morning, stretched, and pinched his wife, Jill Finley, to wake her up as well. “I went to wake Jill up,” he later recalled, “which is a miracle in and of itself because I never, ever do that on Saturday mornings.”

He called, but she did not answer. Ryan’s heart began to race at that point. He was aware that something was wrong. He immediately dialed 911 and began CPR on his wife. When paramedics arrived, they took her to the hospital right away, with Ryan driving behind. Following a medical examination, they determined that Jill had suffered a cardiac arrest. While Ryan waited impatiently outside the ER, she underwent a medical procedure to stabilize her.

When the doctors arrived to give him an update, they concluded with “pray for your wife.” Ryan understood what it meant when someone said it was a matter of life and death. “I believe it’s about as serious as it’s going to get when a doctor tells you to start praying.” They soon informed Ryan that his wife was in a coma. He couldn’t believe his 31-year-old wife, who was fine the day before, was now in a life-or-death situation…

Jill was in a coma for two weeks and received many visitors who prayed for her to wake up and be well. Jill’s cousin, on the other hand, came over one day with a Bible in his hand and read the Bible to her for an hour. He gave Ryan the Bible and told him to read whatever he wanted from it. Ryan made it a habit to read passages aloud to his wife in the hopes that she would wake up soon. Ryan returned home after 11 days to consider whether he should wait for his life or remove her from life support, as doctors advised.

Doctors were certain that there would be no improvement… He knew she’d die soon after they removed her from life support. On the 14th day, he made the decision to remove her from life support and let her go… Jill began to mumble and move about 5 hours after she was removed from life support. Ryan was heartbroken to be present on the scene while she suffered and left until she died.

He vividly recalls the following events: “‘I think you need to come in, she’s talking,’ said the nurse.” He went in expecting to hear her last words as she enters the spiritual realm, but as he walked in, he was taken aback. “When I walked in, Jill was talking. ‘Get me out of here,’ she said first. ‘I’m ready to go home.'” Ryan shook his head in disbelief, unable to comprehend the situation.

He thought she was just mumbling, but then he asked her about the names of their pets and a few mental math questions, all of which she answered correctly. She even requested that she be taken to her favorite Mexican restaurant for dinner. Jill was not going to the spiritual world, he realized; she was returning home with him. When Ryan was asked what brought his wife back, he responded without hesitation, “God.” Divine intervention is required. That is how I truly feel.”

Jill didn’t return to normalcy the next day. Due to a decline in some of her motor skills, she had to relearn how to brush her teeth and tie her shoe laces. But after God gave them a second chance, they made certain that they would ALWAYS be near each other, especially when they needed it the most. Jill also agrees with his decision to remove her from life support while she was in a coma because she does not want to live her life as a “vegetable.”

“There’s still not a night that goes by that I don’t wake up,” Ryan says. I usually kick her, and if she kicks back, I know we’re all right.”