This is a true story of how a baby was rescued from death and all of the miracles surrounding this event and how it has changed other peoples lives including my own.-Dennis Thompson

  I have to honestly say that I have never quite experienced an event of this magnitude without personally experiencing it physically. Have I caught your interest? This was one day that I know that I will never forget....and I certainly hope that it never fades. You don't get to witness miracles everyday.

  Six weeks ago I hired  John Cartee to work with me part time in my painting business. John had several years experience. He was wanting to make some extra money to purchase a car. He is a faultier counselor at nearby Teen Challenge; working many hours for the most minimal pay. A few weeks ago his supervisor asked John to quit painting because he thought he was too focused on money. He did quit for awhile. This past week he decided that he needed to pursue his painting and came back to work for me.

  This is where the journey begins. One that I think will not exactly end with this description that I desire to share. Sometimes we over look what is happening in our lives and take things for granted. I am sure that I had a wake up call in this department. Well, anyway's lets begin right now.

  That Friday that we worked on Angela's house went very well. We were able to accomplish allot as we sprayed out the body and trim of the home that. The only strange thing was  before we left a neighbors house six doors away had a door blow open and the burglar alarm went off and wasn't"t shut off for twenty minutes.....Ouch!!!!! Hard on the ears.

  John and I were at Angela's  home bright and early Saturday morning. But there was one problem. Angela did not know if she liked the body color she had picked for the home. Honestly it upset me, but I did not lose my composure. That's a no-no with clients. I really needed to get this home finished so that I could get to my next job that I was supposed to start the upcoming Monday. As it became apparent that she did not know what she wanted to do, I told her that to take the weekend and decide and we would go pressure clean the next job instead. We would be back to her home on Monday.

  I went to my home two miles away and loaded up my pressure cleaner and we were off. I did however forget one thing that I always take with me, my cell phone. Within three hours I was home and on my cell phone was a message from Angela........Dennis, just come on back and finish it...this color will be ok. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr! Geez!

  We went back early Monday morning the 25th of March 2002. I say it to you because I want you to remember this day like I will. All that was left was finish hand painting touch ups. We had a full days work left, but we should have been done Saturday. My teeth grinded a bit when I thought of it. Angela's' home was on a long street and a cul de sac. Right behind it is a retention pond with a fountain that gusts into the air and a loud motor to boot I might add. The right side of the home faces the cul de sac and the left is about 6 houses parallel to the main subdivision street.

  I was working on the right side of the home trimming out the window stucco bands and John was working on the left side. I will tell you one thing, John loves to listen to his Rock n' Roll full blast....wide out. I needed to ask him something and shouted to him.....no response. Yelled louder while walking back towards his side of the house. I had to tap his shoulder to get his attention. After a short discussion I went back to my side, lost in my thoughts.....shoot!!!!  I had forgotten one more thing, doggone it! I hate when I do that. I went over to see John again but he was gone, but his paint bucket, brush and stereo headset was on the ground. Thinking it was odd I went back to work. I always work constant until my goal is accomplished. After all, that's why they nicknamed me the Bulldog.....once I latch on its' over.

  John must have been gone fifteen, no maybe twenty minutes when I saw him come walking up to me. Dennis, you wont believe this dude, I don't know what to tell you. This was just incredible. You just wont believe this.

  He began telling me of what had happened. Just a minute after I had left a song had come on his station that he was listening to that he didn't like. And while he was surfing the stations it allowed him to hear these horrifying screams. The first thing that came into his mind was that burglar alarm that we had heard that Friday. He thought someone was being robbed. He ran to the scream immediately. It was if someone was being beaten. Six houses down he could see an elderly gray haired lady inside an enclosed screened pool deck. As he got closer he could see that she had pulled a baby from the pool. She was screaming and frantic as anyone would surely be. John almost had to break the screen door to get inside. He kept telling her to call 911. Then another problem became apparent, she could not speak English. She didn't even speak Spanish which is prevalent in the Orlando area.  She did call 911, but her native Bosnian language may as well have been from another planet.

  John had taken CPR classes several years ago and despite the craziness of the panicking Grandmother and trying to keep his own kool he administered CPR seven times. He kept hoping and hoping.....Breath! Breath! Breath!.....But nothing happened. Panicky was starting to come over him he told me. Please little one don't die in my arms he thought to himself. John, when relaying this story to me said....Dennis that little boy was dead. In his last desperate attempt he gave up the CPR effort and yelled at the top of his lungs Jesus help me!.....then again.....Jesus help me, then one more time JESUS HELP ME! I know people will be skeptical and this is written for people needing hope, not cynical people. That baby boy upon that third cry for help coughed up water  and began crying. John then talked to the 911 dispatcher and asked if crying was a good thing.

  Very shortly  everyone appeared from the paramedics to the parents. They wrapped the boy in towels and sat him up. He cried and cried and cried. John couldn't see him and walked around the perimeter of the screen until he could get a view of the ten month old boy. Finally he found a spot where he could see his face. The little boy was still crying. John said, Dennis you wont believe this, but when he saw me out there, he just stopped crying and stared at me for about fifteen seconds. Thank God.

  After John told me I said John, I am proud of you! You are a hero. But something inside me did not rejoice like I would have in the past and it ate at me as I started to go back to work.....that's what life is all about isn't it? Fulfilling responsibilities? As I headed  back the deputy pulled up and asked John if he would do some interviews so the media would leave the grief stricken family alone. After some prodding by me John agreed.

  Strangely enough for me this is where the blessing really began. It all came to me....I said  John, we were not even supposed to be here today! This house should have been done Saturday. From that point on we both added up all the things that had happened that made this possible. The burglar alarm that Friday that was caused by wind opening a door that was ajar. Johns' decision to come back and paint against his supervisors advice. Angela's' indecision on the color we had used. John not liking a song at the last minute and switching just at the perfect time in order to hear the Grandma's screams.........it was all adding up as the media started coming by.

  I went back to working on that side of the house because I had done nothing but my usual fulfilling of  my work obligations. I wanted no one thinking I wanted any credit, but to me on this day John Cartee was a hero.

  I just had to pray when I got back alone by myself. I used to volunteer at a county children's' home in Ohio. I worked as a counselor in a medium boys institution as well. I had counseled many battered women. My life had been about caring for others. I had this thing that drew teenagers to me. But God I asked.......Why couldn't I hear her screams?

  For me, this became the second miracle that day. I could sense the presence of God on that side of the house as things flooded into a doorway opened by the knowledge of what a loving God had done in order to save a baby's life. It was like a time of opportunity had opened for my heart. I realized that my heart had become stone. I was oblivious to anything outside of myself and seemed all balled up.

  A voice inside of me said Dennis you have become very bitter. Things started to surface. My wife had left me and my son four years earlier. She left me being father and mother to our then fourteen year old son, Cory.She ruined my credit beyond repair. She started doing things totally contrary to what we had raised our son to believe.was right. It had made me feel like my life had been a lie. My pastor pushed me off on an unmarried twenty five year old associate pastor when I had needed to desperately to speak to him.

  My thoughts wandered to a friend named Jamie that I had chatted with on the net. Her words rang in my ears......Dennis you have unforgiveness towards your wife and ex pastor....You are mad at God. God wants to heal you. He wants to heal you. He Loves you Dennis.

  Then they thought of Paula who lives in Dallas. Outside of my son she means more to me than anyone on earth. Her fellowship and prayers had stopped me from suicide when  I was at my worst moments three years ago. She had been encouraging me to read the Psalms.....Dennis the Psalms will help heal you. Ironically I had started reading them the night before and had read them that very morning. Coincidence?

  This part you probably wont understand but I am going to tell it anyway's. This whole conversation with God had not been verbal...it was passing in my spirit. Realize at this point no one was around and John came around the house and said "Dennis who are you talking to?" I said no one John.....He said....well I heard some voices back here where you are and couldn't make them out. Just as you are scratching your head...I was too. But on a day when a man calls on the name of Jesus to save a dead baby and that baby is risen from the dead. Well....I have to tell you I am taking that one on faith about him hearing me in a conversation.

  After he went back, I kind of rolled my eyes looking upwards and laughed, because I believe God has a good sense of humor as well. Then I had to say it....God help me overcome this bitterness and inability to really forgive as I need to. A quiet confidence overcame me after I asked that. No lightening bolts. But one thing did happen. He reminded me of a time when he showed me my life was in ashes and I could sense him saying that he would raise me up out of those ashes and give me a better life then I ever had. That was two years ago as my divorce was final. A year later he showed me that I was starting to crawl out of those bashes. That Monday, March 25th 2002 I belie he showed me that I had finally stood up again. I thank God. The bible says there is one mediator between God and man and he is Jesus. Not a Pastor, Priest,Mary, Buddah, Muhammad....they are people. Jesus is the Son of God. Not a prophet.

  Needless to say because of the media attention we could not finish that day. We were finishing up that next day and I recall looking at John when a scripture came into my head...it was the one that said....after doing all you can...just stand. Meaning to do what you knew how and when that is exhausted to trust God. That is what John had done and God rewarded that act of Faith.

  Just as that thought had ended I saw a couple come up scurrying on the lawn. It was the boys parents! I had never met them. It was such a beautiful time of rejoicing for them.They thanked John and invited us to dinner. Neither of us thought we could make it.

  Later that night I happened to drive by the home to see if John had stopped. The Teen Challenge van was there, so I thought I should at least honor their request somewhat by at least stopping. Johns roommate Clay was there. This couple from Bosnia welcomed me into their home. You could feel the love and thankfulness in that home. Ned said Dennis " This is Phillip my son...................Yes I cried inside

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