Saved in a Falling Elevator By God - Saved By the Bell	< Back to the Blessing Bowl
Submitted On: November 4, 2009 / By: A child of God / Church Affiliation: Nativity Of The Blessed Virgin Mary  / Philadelphia , PA
My Name is not important. Thank you for letting me share my true story. I have been in the USA for 10 years and I am widowed with no children. I work at a very old church in Philadelphia as a maintenance person, and I am very happy to do that because I am close to God and I can pray whenever I want in the church. The Church is very old and extremely large and very beautiful but not in a good neighborhood anymore, so we do not have many people in the neighborhood who are Catholic, and we also have no parking because years ago when the church was full all the people came from walking distance in the neighborhood. And so we do not have many parishioners any more. The big main church is historic, but takes a lot of expense to heat and light, so it is only opened now for big festivals and large weddings. Our regular Sunday masses are in a separate chapel area. HERE IS WHAT HAPPENED AND HOW GOD SAVED MY LIFE IN OUR OLD ELEVATOR There is an elevator in the old church that goes from the basement to the church level at the 2nd floor to the 3rd level which connects to the rectory by a long hallway. I was in that elevator one Friday night when everyone had left for the weekend and no one was due back until Sunday morning for mass. THE ELEVATOR CABLE BROKE WITH ME IN IT. IT FELL DOWN THE SHAFT FROM THE 3rd FLOOR TO THE BASEMENT. Both my legs were shattered and I was in great pain. The alarm bell had not worked in this old elevator for several weeks and it was on my list of things to get fixed. I pushed the bell now and nothing happened. I was in great fear because I knew our Pastor was the only priest who lived at the parish, and he was away for the weekend and not coming back until Sunday morning for mass, and even then, it was very possible no one would find me because the elevator hardly ever gets used because the main church hardly ever gets used. I prayed for God to Save me. I am a praying person and I rely on Him always but this time I was scared. But I prayed and told Him I needed a miracle. PLEASE LET THE ALARM BELL WORK! PLEASE LORD! AND AFTER IT WORKS, PLEASE LET SOMEBODY COME HOME TO THE RECTORY TO HEAR IT! You see, even if somebody did come home to the Rectory, they might never find me, because they would actually have to come into the old church for that to happen. If they didn't actually come into the old church, nobody would hear the bell anyway, even if it did work, and I'd be stuck in a closed elevator with my legs broken and in great pain all weekend and probably die. And even on Sunday morning it was possible that no one would come into the old church and find me. I knew I really could die and I felt myself feeling as if I would pass out. I fought to stay conscious. I prayed "Please God Save me. I don't want to die here, unless it is what You want Lord". I reached up from the floor and pushed the button, AND PRAISE GOD, THE BELL WORKED! Only moments before it had not worked... BUT NOW IT DID. IT WAS A MIRACLE! A REAL MIRACLE! I kept pushing it and pushing it over and over, worried that the fuse might blow and then what would I do - but I kept pushing it anyway SAYING THANK YOU GOD over and over. AT JUST ABOUT THAT SAME TIME, GOD'S BLESSINGS MADE IT THAT MY PASTOR REALIZED THAT HE HAD FORGOTTEN SOMETHING WHEN HE LEFT THE RECTORY EARLIER THAT EVENING, AND HE CAME BACK TO THE CHURCH TO GET IT. BY GOD'S MIRACLE HE HAD LEFT WHAT HE NEEDED IN THE OLD CHURCH SACRISTY. He came back at just the right time to hear the bell ringing and found me. In the hospital they said I would never walk again, but to everyone's amazement I did walk again. Not only that, but it only took 6 months! My doctor was amazed. I am back to work now and I am ok, only 1 year later. I walk fine. I PRAISE GOD AND I PRAY MORE THAN EVER. THANK YOU JESUS