The story of a teenager who fell through the ice in 2015, was under water for 15 minutes, and was clinically dead for over an hour before miraculously being brought back to life has captivated audiences.
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John Smith’s story was so compelling it was made into a feature film, “Breakthrough,” a 2019 drama starring Chrissy Metz of “This Is Us” fame. Jason Noble, the real-life preacher who ministered to Smith’s family during the ordeal, recently reflected on the impact of the story nearly a decade later.
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“It’s a modern-day Lazarus story when you look back and you see,” he said. “John — he was 15 years old — fell through the ice in St. Louis, was dead, was under for 15 minutes, dead for an hour and 15 [minutes].”
But while Smith lay dead in a hospital, his mother turned to the Lord and pleaded for her son’s life.
“His mom [Joyce] walked in and she prayed, ‘Holy Spirit, bring my son back to life,’” Noble said. “And a lot more animated and a lot more intense than that, and it was at that moment, every machine came back to life and John was back to life.”
The battle persisted from there, as Smith coded three or four more times, but God kept showing up.
Even after the miraculous prayer, doctors said there was a 99% chance Smith wouldn’t live through the night — and, if he lived, they said he would be in a vegetative state.
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But the family, friends, and Noble weren’t willing to give up, despite the teen’s lungs and body being so badly harmed by what unfolded.
To read the full story, visit our content partners at Faithwire.
Reprinted with permission from faithwire.com. Copyright © 2025 The Christian Broadcasting Network Inc. All rights reserved.
