Celebrate Life: 5 Milestones Since Mike’s Miracle
What milestones mark something special in your life?
Three hospitals. Forty three days. Critical Care. Tests. Procedures. Cardiac Caths. Open heart surgery. The days turned long and weary. The nights even longer. Thoughts swirled through my head in the darkness. What-if’s tempted to plague my mind keeping sleep at bay. But silent prayers brought hope:
Lord, give me strength. Help us, Father. God, please touch Mike’s body, heal him.
Four months have passed since my husband’s heart attack. Mike’s a walking, talking, and living miracle. While the ordeal is forever etched in my mind, the miracles we experienced along the way far outweigh the hard moments.
Thankfully, we are in a good place today. Mike’s doing well and he’s made great progress. Praises to the Lord!
So I’m sharing 5 milestones since coming home from the hospital.
(1.) Milestones: Celebrating Life
A baby in the womb. A newborn. The resurrected Christ. All reminders of a Creator who gives life and breath and grace. And our family is reminded daily of the miracle of life in Mike. He’s not supposed to be here, but he is. The word miracle rolls off my lips often and rightly so. Not a day these last four months has gone by without remembering the miracle of life.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10 (ESV)
A baby in the womb. A newborn. The resurrected Christ. All reminders of a Creator who gives life and breath and grace. And our family is reminded daily of the miracle of life in Mike. Share on X(2.) Celebrating Another Birthday
Mike recently celebrated a birthday. As you might imagine, this birthday was special to him and our family. Because he’s still with us. Mike and I camped overnight then returned home for a family meal at a local restaurant. And finished with cake and cookies and the Happy Birthday song. Mike said, “Best birthday ever!”
(3.) Milestones: Stronger Every Day
Mike continues to make strides every day. Home Health and Home Physical Therapy released him from the program. Also, he walks a mile or more each day. Mike started his 36 cardio rehab classes at a local wellness center. And overall, much stronger and healthier since his heart attack. We couldn’t be more grateful.
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” Psalm 28:7 (ESV)
(4.) Experiencing Firsts
“This is another first, Karen.”
One first, then another, and another. Step by step, as Mike recovers, firsts occur.
Like when Mike’s cardiologists team released him to drive. Starting out slow, he drove around town. Then, he moved on to driving to Gatlinburg in the Great Smoky Mountains on a beautiful afternoon.
And recently, Mike drove our Winnebago Van to Nashville for a clinic appointment around 5 hours away and then back home the next day. I offered multiple times to take the wheel. But he conquered it the entire trip. Amazing!
Finally, Mike went back to real estate photography jobs, letting realtors know his readiness to return.
“What is impossible with man is possible with God.” Luke 18:27b (ESV)
“What is impossible with man is possible with God.” Luke 18:27b (ESV) Share on X(5.) Milestones: Back to Normalcy
We are settling into a routine at home. This includes Mike’s daily meds, logging his numbers from his heart pump, and managing his equipment. At night, his system controller plugs into a power unit.
And during the day, special shirts and vests hold Mike’s batteries and system controller. He throws a shirt over it and it’s not noticeable.
In the photos, Mike and I went to our grandkids final basketball game of the season. We missed the previous ones in the hospital out of town. Our grandson played and our granddaughter cheered. Notice the smile on Mike’s face.
Filming again for our YouTube Channel is also underway as pictured with the space needle in Gatlinburg. This brings us much joy. We’re back!
Miracles and Trust
I’m closing with this quote from my daughter during the hospital stay.
“We believe in miracles and trust in the One who created his heart and knew every beat it would ever take.”
Our family continues to believe and trust.
If you missed it, here’s my first article about Mike’s heart attack and journey.
Sometimes I participate in these link-ups: Let’s Have Coffee/Embracing the Unexpected (Grace & Truth).
© 2026 by Karen Friday, All rights reserved
I’m thankful for God’s miracles and blessings for you all. Sending love and prayers. Have a blessed day! 🙂
Grateful for your kind comments and prayers, Melissa. “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” Luke 18:27b (ESV)
Seeing your most recent video at Friday’s Forever was a testimony to Mike being a walking miracle, Karen. Thanks for this summary of his remarkable progress in the weeks following the heart attack. Beautiful milestones! And your grandchildren are absolutely precious, too! I know they are thrilled to have their grandpa here with them. Blessings!
Martha, thanks for watching the video and your kindness. The kids are estatic to have Pop Pop here and participating in their lives and life itself. We are all so grateful Mike is with us and continue to give God all the glory and honor and praise for this and all things. Love and hugs!
As I read this, tears started to flow – tears of gratefulness for the miracle of Mike’s life and the celebration of a birthday and his healing. My husband and I watched the videos of the trip to Nashville and to Gatlinburg. What a joy to see Mike driving and walking. A person cannot follow y’all’s story and not believe in God and His grace and healing powers and miracles. There is a contemporary Christian song called Testimony. There is a line in the song “I am a living, breathing, walking testimony.” Mike is that testimony. And you and your family are too as you have witnessed the miracles.
Thanks so much for your sweet comment. Mike is not only a miracle, but a testimony as you noted from the song. We praise the God of the impossible for His strength, peace, presence and for miracles. God bless you. Love and hugs!
You praised God in the storm and you continue to praise Him, our amazing, omnipotent miracle working God! I continue to pray daily for Mike.
Susan, we appreciate your continued prayers. Yes, I’m grateful for our miracle working God! Well said. God bless.
What an awesome miracle to see all that Mike is able to do since his heart attack. I pray the miracles continue in your life. Thank you for sharing this blessing with us.
What an incredible testimony of God’s power to heal and restore! Your faith and the faith of your daughter and family have been a great inspiration. Thank you for sharing Mike’s amazing and miraculous story with us. May God continue to bless, heal, strengthen and use both of you powerfully for His kingdom!
I’m so grateful our God is always (then and now!) performing miracles. He is so good, even when his miracles don’t happen the way we wish.
Absolutely, Jessica. He’s still the God of the impossible and thankful for His works in my life, however that looks. God bless.
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