This story was originally published here.
For nearly 20 years Ema Mckinley suffered with a condition known as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, a rare neurological disorder that left her disfigured and wheelchair bound. Through all the pain and near death experiences, her faith never wavered.
Ema says, “God was my partner in all of this and the strength and help He would give me, I could get through one more day!”
It was in the very early morning hours on Christmas Eve 2011, Ema’s life would forever change. A miracle as she tells it, was about to take place.
“…what I saw was the most awesome white robe, this robe was so white that our human eyes, we can hardly stand to look at it. I felt my foot going from this position to this position, He totally straightened that foot. After He straightened that foot, this arm, remember my fist was closed all those years, but this arm was underneath me. When God straightened out that foot, He came up to the hand and He started straightening out my fingers. Betsy through uncontrollable tears, when God had straightened out my fingers all of the fold lines that you have in your hand, it was totally raw flesh. I literally saw God grow new flesh over that raw hand. The folds in that hand were all raw. I watched the new flesh just going over all of it.”
And after her miracle, she rested. Her sons were coming over and little did they know what they were walking into.
“We came in, I saw her walking towards me and I knew it had to be a miracle. You don’t really think about what you’re doing at that moment you just react. I just walked up to her and gave her a big hug and the tears started flowing,” said Jason Lano, Ema’s son.
Dr. Robert Stanhope has not treated Ema but has known her many years while she sat crooked in that chair. He admits, that medically, sometimes there just aren’t any answers.
But as a believer himself, he offers this explanation, “I believe she is where she is because of answered prayer and we don’t understand it. To my knowledge it’s not understood. I know her doctors told her that she would be in wheelchair for the rest of her life and that there was nothing they could to help her.”
“Speechless. What do you say? I’ve been with her nearly 16 years. I’ve seen her struggles. I’ve been in those near death experiences with her. It was unbelievable. I know miracles happen! I know Ema’s faith but to actually see it and be a part of it…it’s just been phenomenal,” said Cathy Ruggeberg, Ema’s personal caregiver for the past 16 years.
