"In mid March 1999 during the early hours of the morning, my
son and I were traveling home to New Jersey by car from a visit with my
daughter in New York City. My son was driving and I was asleep next to him in
the front seat. As we proceeded down a steep winding hill just a few miles from home, he
dozed off, and the car careened off the road and crashed into a tree with the
full impact on the passenger side where I was seat-belted in place. My son - uninjured and terrified, thinking that I had died instantly, - climbed out of the car through the sunroof and
called his dad and 911.
"Within minutes the police, an ambulance and his dad arrived. Seeing the
severity of the situation - that although I was still alive I was unconscious, bleeding profusely and trapped
in the car, - the police called for the jaws-of-life equipment and insisted
that my son be taken from the scene. His dad took him to Robert Wood Johnson
Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey, to be checked out and to await my
arrival.
"When my daughter was called to inform her of the accident,
she immediately called Michelle Boccanfuso, a Christian Science practitioner, to pray for me. Michelle prayed for me according to the Christian Science method,. When my daughter arrived an hour or so later, I was unconscious from head trauma and the doctor’s felt it was questionable
whether or not I would survive. I was in
intensive care, having just come out of surgery for facial injuries around one eye. I
was also diagnosed with severe concussion, whiplash and several broken ribs.
"For fifteen years, Christian Science prayer had been my choice of care for my mental, spiritual and physical needs. I had seen many kinds of problems resolved, starting with a healing
of debilitating food allergies within a month of beginning the study of Christian
Science. At another time, my son was
healed of a high fever and paralysis from the waist down within 24 hours of
being prayed for. These
healings had a profound impact on me and gave me confidence in Christian
Science. So when the car accident occurred, I made my choice of
care based on the effectiveness of turning to God in prayer for myself and
my family.
"After a number of hours of discussion,during which the
hospital staff and the doctor pressed the point that I might not live even if I stayed in the
hospital, they consented to my discharge under the condition that I sign a
statement indicating that I had been warned of the risks of leaving against
medical advice and that I might suffer permanent cognitive damage or even
death. I did so, and my daughter made arrangements for me to be admitted to a nearby
Christian Science nursing facility. I arrived at
Tenacre Foundation approximately 24 hours after the accident.
"The morning after being transferred to the Christian Science nursing facility, I awoke with the feeling of being surrounded by light. I felt
the presence of God, divine Love, with me. It permeated the whole room. The
Christian Science nurses cared for me with compassion, joy and a great expectancy of healing.
"Under continued prayer there was daily evidence that I was overcoming the mental impairment and physical damage
that had been the consequence of the accident. My progress was very rapid. Within 10 days, I returned home because I was able to care for myself unaided. I continued having prayer and within a few weeks I was back at my job teaching at a local
nursery school in perfect health.
"A few months later,I took my son to college, moved to
another state to begin a whole new career, began renovating an
old house and joined in planning my daughter’s wedding. It was as if this traumatic experience had
never happened. In fact, this was a landmark healing for me, resulting in tremendous spiritual growth and confidence. I know that all things are possible with God."
Cynthia Ann Tyler is now living and working in the Boston area. She leads an active lifestyle and enjoys kayaking in a local river and running on the beach near her home. Her healing of the effects of the car accident have been permanent. If you have any questions regarding this experience or about the practice of Christian Science, she would welcome your contact by email at cynthiaanntyler@me.com , through her website at cynthiatylercs.com or by phone at 617-777-7546.
Find excerpts from a selection of letters and emails from those helped
