Five-Year-Old Heather Comes Back from the Brink of Death from Toxic Shock as Strangers Pray Across America

In an airport one day, Elder Dallin H. Oaks picked up a copy of the Dallas Morning News and was drawn to a columnist's report of a letter detailing a remarkable miracle — one that occurred outside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The writer's five-year-old granddaughter, Heather, suddenly became feverish and lethargic. She breathed with difficulty, and her lips turned blue. By the time she arrived at the hospital, her kidneys and lungs had shut down, her fever was 107 degrees, and her body was bright red and covered with purple lesions. The doctors said she was dying of toxic shock syndrome, cause unknown.

As word spread to family and friends, God-fearing people from Florida to California began praying for little Heather. At the grandfather's request, a special prayer service was held in their Church of Christ congregation in Waco, Texas. Miraculously, Heather suddenly came back from the brink of death and was released from the hospital.

Elder Oaks cited the account to teach that the Lord works miracles in response to the faith of His children of every denomination: “No denomination — not even the restored Church — has a monopoly on the blessings of the Lord. He loves and blesses all of His children.”

Fuller account of this event (from Dallin H. Oaks, “Miracles,” Ensign, June 2001, 6):

My eyes were drawn to a columnist’s report of a letter detailing a remarkable miracle. The writer’s five-year-old granddaughter, Heather, suddenly became feverish and lethargic. She breathed with difficulty, and her lips turned blue. By the time she arrived at the hospital, her kidneys and lungs had shut down, her fever was 107 degrees, and her body was bright red and covered with purple lesions. The doctors said she was dying of toxic shock syndrome, cause unknown. Miraculously, Heather suddenly came back from the brink of death and was released from the hospital in a little over a week. The columnist concluded that Heather “is living proof that God does answer prayers and work miracles.”