Celebrate

Wow! A whole year has gone by since that fateful night when lives were changed and great lessons were learned. As the Hannan family spends this day celebrating Aunt Maureen's birthday (for those that didn't know, Uncle John's incident happened at her birthday diner) and the miracles they have experienced this past year, lets all life them in prayer!

Life moves on, and so has Uncle John. It is easy for us to forget about that night, but Uncle John has to live with daily reminders of how his life changed that night. I think it would be really cool if we could all take five minutes out of our day and reflect on how our own life has been changed. Feel free to leave a comment including what you are thankful for or what you have learned through this journey.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNT MAUREEN and HAPPY ONE YEAR Miracle Man

I think I speak for hundreds of people across the world, when I say thank-you Uncle John and thank-you Hannan family for allowing us to share in this journey. WE LOVE YOU!!!!

A new beginning

It has been a very long time since I have updated this blog because like many of you I have been attempting to find a new normalcy after experiencing the extreme lows and highs of such an awesome act of God. It feels like a lifetime ago that this story began, but it really was only a few months ago. As I have said all along, I believe we have all been called to be a part of this journey for one way or another, and I believe if for not other reason than bringing peace to so many hearts, this story of faith, Uncle John's story, must go on.

I spoke to Uncle John and Aunt Maureen yesterday, and I can't even explain how refreshing it was to hear that Uncle John continues to make great strides every day. He is now off of sternum precautions, which gives him a little more freedom. His major priority right now is continuing to rewire and retrain his brain, as well as restrengthen his left shoulder. He continues to go to therapy three times a week, and spends the rest of the time reconnecting with his family, and just keeping busy. Please if anyone still reads this, feel free to leave an encouraging message to John. He has a lot of free time, and I know he could use the company (even if it is just through emails).

If there is one thing I have learned from all of this it is that life is short and must be savored every minute it is lived. I am so thankful to have John back with us, and I know he is SO thankful to be here. It blows me away that after everything Uncle John's body and mind has been through, his faith in God and his outlook on his life has been so steadfast. The more difficult life gets, the more evident it becomes that God has us all by the palm of his hands, and we simple need to take John's lead and trust that everything will work out, even if it is not the way we imagined our lives.....there's always room for new beginnings.

Our miracle man

'Thank-you' just doesn't do justice for how appreciative my family is to all of you who came out to celebrate Uncle John's life! You are the reason April 18th was such a success. Uncle John loved every minute of that night, from seeing old friends to visiting with family that he hadn't seen in ages. We had a great turn out, and hope everyone enjoyed the party! I dont know about you, but it was really surreal to see Uncle JOhn after two months. He looked amazing, and I cannot stop saying how happy I am that he was able to attend his own party...because let me tell you we did not plan on that possibility.

Uncle John has officially been dubbed our miracle man, and i could not think of a more fitting name. I was talking to Aunt Maureen over the weekend, and we both agreed that if you read about his story and miss the faith aspect than this journey simply becomes another story. I told Kerry that the party was not because of what happened to her Dad, because people experience trials like that every day. The celebration and amazing turnout took place because of the wonderful person that their dad is. His faith in God's plan is the most miraculous and most remarkable part of this whole story. For those who don't see that, I pray that they can open their heart and that their eyes will see that God's hand is at the heart of this story and He can be at the heart of yours if you let Him.

That being said, Uncle John's story is far from over. He has followed up with the heart surgeon, and the doctor is very pleased with how things are going. John will have to continue to closely monitor his blood pressure and follow up every six months to check on his heart. He is back to eating normal foods, and his last stitch from his tracheotomy hole was removed last week. This just means that there is no residual effects from any of his previous life sustaining tubes. Every week he gets stronger and stronger physically. He continues to get physical, occupational, and speech therapy three times a week. He is working very hard to regain his previous state of independence and normalcy. But mostly, he is savoring every moment with those he loves most. As lesson we should all live by!

Continue to pray for Uncle John to maintain his strength and courage and faith throughout this next phase. God bless, and thanks again for all those that helped celebrate the life of our miracle man.

The crosses we carry

Easter is a time to celebrate the great gift that Jesus gave when He died to save us, but it is also a time to celebrate second chances and the miracles of life. God gave us all a second chance to be redeemed through His son's death, and God gave Uncle John a second chance to live a life that has and will continue to impact hundreds. I remember after Uncle John was taken out of his house in the ambulance, I went in the bathroom to collect my self, and saw a quote on their wall from Mother Theresa that read "I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much." I remember smiling because even in the midst of such tragedy this real truth gave me peace knowing that everything would work out just the way that it was supposed to.....and it sure did! It is so hard to put into words the joy I feel that Uncle John is able to be home during this Easter season with his family. Happy Easter to all of you, and now, for a letter to all of you from Aunt Maureen.

To all of our Family and Friends,

Happy Easter! For the past several weeks I have felt in my heart a desire to share with each of you some of my own reflections on our journey with John's miraculous return to healing. It seems so fitting to do this on Easter Sunday. I have been reflecting on the gift of life and the challenges of facing the trials and crosses that God asks each of us to carry. John and I are very aware that the events of the past two months have not only touched us and our children, but many around us who love and care for us. We have a renewed sense of the value of the gift of life and the fragility of life. We also have a renewed awareness of all of the love that surrounds us and how God uses others to love and care for you when He asks you to carry a difficult cross.
In the past year, I have personally seen several close friends lose loved ones to violence and terminal illness. In the past week, we have lost a well-loved priest in our community. Two days before John was discharged from the hospital, I was en route to see him and came upon a young man who had just been involved in a motorcycle accident. I stopped to make sure he was okay. He was scared and bruised, but was alive and okay. All he could say was "God Bless You!" The day before John's discharge I personally came upon a situation in which a new mother and father gave birth to a beautiful baby boy in the hallway on the way to the Labor and Delivery department of Virginia Hospital Center. I was stunned and yet so grateful to share in two moments in other people's live that I am sure deeply impressed upon them the gift of life. Two days after John came home from the hospital, a priest who three weeks before had told me he was praying for John had a heart attack and died after Holy Thursday services. What is the common thread in all of these situations? How precious is the gift of life! I know each of you have shared in and witnessed the grief associated with losing a loved one. I am also acutely aware of how blessed we have been to be given the grace of more time with John who is so dear to us. In a very real sense, this Easter we are celebrating the renewed gift of life in John. He now has a fresh and new appreciation of the gift of his own life and it shows in his resolve to live his life now committed to whatever God has planned or in store for him. As Christians, we have just observed a period of fast and abstinence and ended with Holy Week. Because John was not yet strong enough to attend Holy Week services, he and I decided to watch the movie "Jesus of Nazareth". It was a wonderful reminder of the self-less love and mercy of Jesus and His father's profound love for each of us. It was a beautiful reminder of how Jesus carried His chosen cross out of Love for Each of us. I thought about how easily we forget that sacrifice or take it for granted.
The lessons I have learned through this journey are many, but the most significant is that:when the Lord asks you to carry a cross or tests your faith, if you turn to Him and trust Him to know what you need He will provide for you. We live in a culture that falsely tells us that we are in control of our own lives and our own happiness. Our journey with John has showed us how false that is!. God has and will continue to be in control of each of our lives. He decides when we are born and when we die. We can make a lot of choices in between, but if we allow Him to guide us and help us, He will overwhelmingly provide for us. We are humbled and so grateful to Him for how he has provided for us these past few months. We only hope and pray that we can live the rest of our lives in a way that truly shows our appreciation and honors Him. God Bless Each of You and we wish you a blessed Easter! For those of you who are coming, we look forward to celebrating John's renewed gift of life on the 18th of April. Love to all,
Maureen

Life is Good

I just wanted to update everyone to let everyone know John did come home! I spoke to him yesterday as he sat in his recliner with his dog resting besides him and his eyes fixated on the latest golf tournament. He said he was enjoying very much being home, and as one of his friends commented, 'Life is Good'....yes it is! Thanks again for all of the continued prayers. He still has a lot of work to accomplish to regain his strength, but if anyone can do it, Uncle John is the guy!!

Tribute to Uncle John

I know this whole blog is a tribute to Uncle John and all that he has come through these past months. However, this post is a special tribute to not only what he has accomplished, but to the person that he is and has always been. My hope is that this tribute can give Uncle John a sense of peace as he embarks on this new chapter in his journey. I hope this helps to remind him that he has a very important purpose in this life. This journey has affected the lives of hundreds of people, and I hope others can relate to my tribute, as well.

Uncle John,
As you leave the hospital for the first time in two months, I feel compelled to share something with you. I choose to make my tribute public because of how faithful many people have become in following your story......so here it is.

February 4th not only changed your life, but it changed the lives of so many across the country, especially mine. My view on God, faith, and prayer changed drastically after that night! Before that fateful night, I was living my life on my own terms. I strongly believed I had complete control over the way my life turned out. I thought by simply being a good person that would be enough! I thought that I could go through life without God because I did not feel worthy of His love, and so I drifted away...further and further away as I grew up. Like many people out there I have been praying day in and day out for a miracle in my life so that I would know God was real. What I didn't realized until now was that He was always present, but in my own selfishness I chose to not be open to Him.
You, on the other hand, through EVERYTHING, both good and bad in your life always KNEW God was real. It seemed like the more stressful life got, the more your faith deepended. I remember after that night, Aunt Maureen told me for the past year every single day you went to mass and prayed for a miracle. Although, this is not what you had in mind, you have taken the hand you have been dealt and still remain deeply indebted to God. Your family has shared how awesome you have been in taking this 'new life' and fully accepting it as God's plan.
After that night, i kept replaying that evening through my mind and I really can't explain it, but something changed in me. I know without a doubt that I was not in that room with you by my self. I know that Aunt Maureen was not alone, and I now you were most definitely not alone. I know that someone bigger than myself was present that night. I did not hear a voice or see a shadow, but I felt something very strong. I still do not feel worthy of God's love, but I no longer feel quilt or shame in coming to Him when I need Him. You have showed me that it is not what you do in your life that makes you worthy of God...it is simply how capable you are of opening your heart to Him and believing in His power.
I know this is YOUR story, but Your story has become MY story in how my faith began! I thank-you from the bottom of my heart for praying for that miracle! What I hope you realize is that your life is the miracle, at least it is the miracle in my life! I am so thankful to have you as an uncle, and I can't wait to see you in the presence of your home and can't wait to hug you! You really are my hero, and as you have said before God took a look at the story of your life and said 'I am not done with him yet'! Good luck, stay strong, and keep on believing!


Feel free to continue to leave encouraging comments, and please leave your own tribute to John and how he has changed your life. As I have said this is his story, and I want it to continue when he is at home.

Homecoming

That's right, he's coming home! Waking up in his home, sleeping in his own bed, doing his morning jig with Kaley (their dog), and getting back to his life is no longer a dream, but is finally a reality! The doctors have said they are very pleased with John's progress, and have set Tuesday as the day that he will get to finally go home after over two months of being in the hospital. Thank-you God for taking hold of Uncle John and never letting go. Many of us never imagined this would even be a possibility, but at the same time we never gave up hope. This hope and wish for our quiet giant has come true, and his hard work and our endless prayers have paid off. Congratulations to John and to his family. After all that they have been through I am so happy that they have this news to celebrate.

Life may not be the same when Uncle John comes home, but as God is my witness Uncle John will not have to face this 'new life' alone. As is apparent by the number of people following his story, he is loved so much by so many people. I hope this can give him some comfort and help him keep his strength as he faces this next chapter in his book!

Please, if you are reading this leave an encouraging comment for John and his family. I want this post to receive the most comments. Remember, to leave a comment just click on the word comment at the end of this post. If you do not have a gmail account click on anonymous and just leave your name at the end of your comment!

Thank-you and God bless!