Sitting in the huge sukkah with our neighbors, enjoying our festive Yom Tov meal as my almost two-year-old son Elchonon played in the large garden with other children, little did we know that my wife and I were about to experience the greatest nightmare of our lives, and our greatest miracle.
In the middle of the meal a man’s scream suddenly pierced the air. “Help! Help! Help!!” I scrambled to find the source of the commotion and saw my neighbor holding my soaking wet son who was blue and lifeless. He had fallen into a small koi-pond near the garden and drowned. I grabbed him and assisted one of the other guests in administering CPR. Within two minutes, United Hatzalah first-responders arrived, trying to revive Elchonon who wasn’t breathing and had no pulse.
Within two minutes, United Hatzalah first-responders arrived, trying to revive Elchonon who wasn’t breathing and had no pulse.
We were able to get some of the water out of his lungs before being whisked away in the ambulance where the professionals provided much needed oxygen. With all the tools at their disposal they frantically tried to resuscitate him and get him breathing. He was not responding.
There was deafening silence in the back of the ambulance. Then came the sweetest sound I have ever heard: a screeching, shrieking toddler. We sighed with relief.
In a dizzying whir we arrived at the hospital where my beloved Elchonon was eventually stabilized in critical condition. He began to breathe on his own but he required oxygen and was not responsive. He had experienced hypothermia and his hands were locked into a spasm resembling someone with severe retardation, a possible indication of nerve damage or brain damage. The doctors told me that it may take a month before he begins to respond.
Somehow I remained calm and drew strength from some unknown source. I would not (and could not) believe the dim prospects offered by some of the doctors.
My wife and I with our son
Once we were transferred from the emergency room into the ICU my wife asked me, teary-eyed, “Yoshi, what is going to be?”
“He is going to be 100 percent fine.” I refused to let go of hope despite the horrific circumstances. The visitors began pouring in with the cookies, cakes, toys, positivity and love. We were informed that the shuls in our neighborhood had called for a special gathering of the community to recite the Book of Psalms. They, too, did not give up hope.
Our hospital room was kept to arctic levels to keep Elchonon’s body temperature down to prevent further brain damage. My wife and I alternated sitting in a chair and holding our son in our arms for hours on end. I spoke to God in that chair from the deepest places in my heart. I whispered to my son, “Fight little guy, fight!” and I thought I saw a little nod. I kept telling him that when he gets better he’ll go play with his friend Dovie and Mordechai, and I would give him cookies and candies and cola, all the treats he wanted. I told him that there was so much I wanted to show him and teach him. I told him we loved him and that Grandma just bought him a new toy.
He began to move his eyes a bit. The doctor came in and told us that the oxygen levels in in blood had dramatically improved and she saw how Elchonon’s pupils were responding but it was too early to say anything for sure.
I asked Elchonon if he wanted his pacifier and he grasped at it with his clenched hands, unable to grab hold of it. But at least he began to respond.
By midnight I told my wife to go home for the night because she needed her strength and we were told we would need to be there for weeks. She insisted that I go.
Around 2:00 AM she called to tell me that Elchonon tried to get up on all fours as if to crawl. We cried, and I went fitfully to sleep in an empty house, the future uncertain.
I was shocked when I returned the next morning. Elchonon’s hands had eased into their natural position and he was looking around! My wife told me that he tried to say “Mama” and seemed to want to walk. He was even interacting with some of the other children on the floor but she was too nervous to let him go.
She went home to get some much needed rest after a sleepless night. The doctors gave me permission to take Elchonon in his stroller to the hospital sukkah. Off we went and Elchonon was actually trying to climb out! I was astounded by his terrible-two energy and let him slowly come out of his stroller, holding him as he stood on his own two feet.
Then he suddenly took off running!
He went straight for the toys in the children’s ward and started playing with puzzles with the other children. I had to pick my jaw up from the floor. Not wanting to push too much I buckled him into the stroller and headed for the sukkah with a book, thinking he would nap and I would get to learn a little bit. He insisted on walking into the sukkah himself.
The doctors were shocked by all of his amazing activity but I needed to hear my son talk.
I didn't imagine I would be chasing him around so soon, but I was terribly concerned that he wasn’t yet talking. The nurses and doctors were shocked by all of his amazing activity but I needed to hear my son say something – Mommy, Daddy, bottle, paci – anything.
In the sukkah I tucked him back into the stroller and tons of visitors started arriving with more cookies, teddy bears and toys. I told them about Elchonon’s amazing progress and my desperate need to hear him speak. Suddenly Elchonon jumped up and grabbed a cookie and ate it – the first solid food he had eaten since the accident the day before. He gobbled it down and grunted as if to ask for another one.
Holding my son in the hospital.
I told him, “Elchonon Aharon, you can only have another cookie if you ask. So say 'cookie'.”
He said, “Cookie”!
WOW!
Then he said it again. He pointed to a pomegranate on the table and said “Apple” – which was good enough for me. And from that point on he didn’t stop talking, jumping, dancing and playing. Our Elchonon was back!
I immediately called my wife and word got out to the hundreds of people who were hoping and praying. We were told how people all across Israel were doing amazing things in the merit of our son’s complete recovery. Jews from every possible background came together in unity.
Four days after the drowning we were discharged from the hospital with a perfect bill of health. The doctors told us that they could not understand what they were witnessing. It was an outright miracle. The community of first-responders were stunned, crying tears of joy and relief. Our phones were ringing off the hook from all over the world. Our neighborhood, French Hill, became like one big family, all of our hearts united in distress and now in jubilant celebration.
Elchonon on stage.
We were invited to a benefit concert for United Hatzalah with some of the best singers in the Jewish music world. I was asked to share our story with the thousands of people there. As I thanked God and all of His heroes for saving our son, the audience broke out in laughter -- Elchonon started performing somersaults on stage and dancing. And that was the headline in the Jerusalem Post the next day: “Miracle baby who dies on Sukkot dances on-stage five days later”.
Holding my son at the United Hatzalah concert.
Experiencing the clinical death of our only son and then his miraculous recovery has left my wife and I emotionally shell-shocked. Words fail to express the depth of gratitude we have to the Almighty for being the recipients of such an outright miracle. The unity and outpouring of love we saw from thousands of people make us feel more connected than ever to the Jewish people. We are eternally grateful to the first-responders and the doctors for all their heroic efforts of in saving our son.
And the gift of seeing our son run ahead and then look back as if to say, “Hurry up already, Daddy!” makes me well up with tears and say out loud, “Thank You.”
(6) Anonymous, October 27, 2017 11:45 AM
I second #2 ('er pun intended!)
A man once came to Rav Avigdor Miller ZTZ"L with a question. His son had pulled a hot tea from the edge of the table and burned himself. 'What matter do I have to do teshuva on?’ he asked. Rav Miller answered (TTO R' A.M.); that ‘from now on you should not leave hot drinks near the edge of the table when young, curious children are around.' He said 'yes, of course I won't, but I feel there is something I must do teshuva on; a reason why this happened!' Rav Miller answered 'There IS something you must to teshuva on; from now you should not leave teas near the edge of the table!!!' Until this person realized what the rav meant!
Talmidim of Rav Miller established what is called the Torah Safety Commission, which puts out ads with messages such as crossing safety, fire safety before Chanuka, kitchen safety for Shabbos and Yomim Tovim, snow safety in the winter etc. They have certainly helped many people. The Torah wants the world to be safe, as is evident from many mitzvos, including making a fence for a roof etc.
It is also important to note about safety matters for when one is visiting relatives. Perhaps in this case, a small portable gate could be erected around the fountain. (Likewise medications etc, which people without young children around will typically leave out.)
May he grow great in proportion with these miracles!!!
Anonymous, November 10, 2017 5:20 PM
No need to add to their guilt
I am sure at this point all involved realize the need for a fence around the pond, no need to point this out after the fact.
(5) Anonymous, October 23, 2017 3:32 AM
I am so very happy for your miracle
PrAISE THE ETERNAL KING OF THE UNIVERSE FOR THE MIRACLE HE HAS GIVEN YOUR FAMILY. I am very thankful and overjoyed to hear your little one has been returned to you. May your family live in prosperity, peace, and security forever.
(4) Anonymous, October 22, 2017 5:59 PM
A blessed child. Hashem watches over him.
(3) Leenie, October 22, 2017 5:40 PM
Brought to tears..............Baruch Hashem for this miracle.
(2) Mark Rotlewicz, October 22, 2017 1:51 PM
I’m very happy for you
While my first reaction is to be absolutely beyond happy for you and your son, as a pediatric critical care physician I would like to take the opportunity to emphasize the need for barriers and supervision when children are close to bodies of water. Drowning is the leading cause of death in children that age, and holidays are particularly dangerous because the attention is aimed at the celebration. Be well and enjoy your children
Anonymous, November 10, 2017 5:21 PM
No need to add to their guilt
Again, I am sure at this point all involved realize the need for a fence around the pond, no need to point this out after the fact.
(1) Guinn Fuller, October 22, 2017 10:20 AM
Miracle
Because of Aish.com, the world gets to see this miracle of God! Thanks for sharing!
Anonymous, October 22, 2017 2:14 PM
Thankfulness
We thank god for saving the baby; whom do we blame for the accident to begin with? I’m trying to learn about faith especially now that I lost my own daughter. Why were my prayers not answered, or those of so many parents’ who lost their children?
Marlene Josephs, October 22, 2017 3:06 PM
Impossible to understand....
I have survivor's guilt. There are so many people, both family and friends, who have died from cancer...and I am still around, B"H/Thank G-D, after my diagnosis 12 1/2 years ago. I am so very grateful for HaShem's Blessing, but I still can't help but feel guilty...why am I still here and they're not? We can't begin to understand WHY He Does WHAT He Does...we are only finite with finite brains and abilities and He is Infiinte in His Wisdom. We are told that we experience things in this world, Olam HeZeh, because this is what our neshamas/souls need. Obviously, when things go our way in our finite thinking, we are happy and grateful. When people are taken "before their time", perhaps it is because they have finished what their neshamas need to accomplish in Olam HaZeh. I recently heard that when a baby is born, we rejoice down here...but in Olam Haba (the World to Come), the malachim/angels are crying. Alternately, when a person dies here on earth, we cry...but the angels are rejoicing to get back one of their neshamas. I hope that this helps. It's VERY difficult to deal with, I know...
Mark Rotlewicz, October 22, 2017 4:24 PM
From an Intensivist stand point
As a Pediatric critical care physician, I could provide a statistical answer to your rhetorical question. To quote a landmark study about pediatric near drowning published in the mid 80's and relevant still today, "lack of caretaker supervision is the number 1 cause of near drowning". That is not to say that we are neglectful or bad parents. Simply states that when children and water are combined, we have to have a clearly designated adult in charge of watching them. That adult should not and cannot partake in other activities. His or her role is to supervise the children.
Anonymous, November 7, 2017 10:05 PM
we will only know
THE ANSWER will be there when we take our last breath on this earth.