Jason Richards

This report on answered prayer is from Jason’s grandfather, GCI elder Martin Manuel. For an earlier prayer request for Jason, click here.

Jason walked out of Seattle Children’s Hospital this last week and returned home for the first time in 30 weeks—nearly seven months. Hallelujah!

His recovery was obviously miraculous. A little over a month ago, his cardiac and pulmonary doctors had concluded that because of lung failure and the stress that it put on his transplanted heart, the new heart was failing. They had no remedy or plan for him to leave the cardiac ICU, where he was on the highest level of oxygen support.

Then, suddenly, it all changed. His lungs cleared and Jason began to feel better and show improvement in both his breathing and heart rate. The medical team had no explanation for this sudden improvement but felt free to go ahead with a procedure to place a shunt in a narrow vein to help the blood flow in his lungs. This procedure worked and Jason quickly transitioned from high to low oxygen support.

Jason is a 12-year-old boy who understands that God is always with him. In a video chat with Jason a few days ago, we noticed our masculine grandson holding a white furry stuffed animal and asked him about it. He said, “It’s a lamb.” His mom, off camera added, “But it will be Jada’s” (Jason’s younger sister). Jason answered: “No, it’s mine. Like David, I am a lamb.” He was referring to the 23rd Psalm.

The photo above is of Jason a few days before his heart transplant a year ago. Thanks for your prayers!