Woman Dies For 20 Minutes, Comes Back
Family Had Decided To Remove Life Support
POSTED: 10:37 am CDT May 23, 2008
A woman whose heart stopped three times -- once for more than 20 minutes -- is still alive and recovering, Charleston, W.Va., television station WCHS reported.
Val Thomas' heart stopped at her home early Saturday morning. Paramedics rushed her to a hospital, where doctors induced hypothermia in an effort to protect her brain.
Family members told the station they began to pray for guidance, and others organized to pray as well.
But when doctors said she had less than a 10 percent chance of living, family members decided to take her off life support.
After a ventilator had been stopped, however, Thomas' eyes fluttered and she spoke to a nurse who was removing monitoring equipment.
"I feel very blessed," Thomas said. "I know God has something in store for me."
The station reported that Thomas has an electrical problem with her heart and is being looked at by specialists.