Comatose since Christmas 1969: A tale of unconditional love and miracles

Colleen O’Bara bathed her older sister, Edwarda, and fixed her hair. She fed her through a feeding tube like she’d done countless times. It was going to be a good day, the day before Thanksgiving.

With her morning routine complete, Colleen planned to fetch a cup of coffee. She bent down and kissed her big sister, told her she’d be right back.

“She gave me the biggest smile she has ever given me in her life,” Colleen recalls. “Her face was aglow. There was a sparkle in her eyes.”

But just then, Edwarda closed her eyes.

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26 Comments

  1. Justice and Truth
    December 28, 2012

    They had sincere unconditional love. While she was sick, God who knew her heart, He worked miracles in her.
    Her parents bore their responsibility as good soldiers of Our Lord Jesus Christ. They did not find it a chore to take care of their ailing loved one. It takes a living saint to persevere, tirelessly in taking care of a sick relative which also caused the death of especially her parents. Nevertheless, God called them home to rest from their works. God always provide. We must never underestimate Him. Too many are doing that, even as practicing Christians.
    A holy nun who is still alive but is terminally ill had said among other godly statements, “Faith is not unreasonable. People are unreasonable”.
    To state that her parents should have allowed her to die, these thoughts and words did not come from God but from selfishness of the heart and unloving ways, those who are not able to fathom the reason why they took care of her with such love.
    It was God’s plan that she remained comatose since 1969. This plan is also for us if we have eyes to see, hear and read. It is a lesson for us all which I need not clarify. Her story is quite explicit to the open minded and enlightened.
    Not too many people these days would do that. I say, they, too, were gifted with patience which came from God. God does not fail those who genuinely love Him and perform acts of love and mercy, all for the love of Him and their loved ones. They loved God and had strong faith.
    In those days, it appears that the government did not assist such people with financial assistance and a helper/nurse. They really needed that help then. Today, people are fortunate that they could receive financial assistance including a nurse or nursing assistance to come to the home, be it once or twice a week to assist the sick. They even stayed overnight at the home.
    I have a friend whose mother was terminally ill. Her married daughters who lived far away from where she lived, would take turns to stay with her and assist her in anyway possible. Once or twice a week a nursing assistant came to her home and also remained one night with her.
    We lived far away from each other. However, I would occasionally visit. One Saturday I visited. The entire family was present. I never thought she would have died so soon. She was not suffering but just weak.
    The following Sunday morning one of her daughters informed me that she passed on that night. I told her daughter it appeared that she was waiting to see me one last time. :) She did speak to me but in a low voice. I prayed silently with her. Although sick, she asked me if I wanted ‘a Pop’ and something to eat. This is the type of hospitable lady she was. What a lovely, kind lady. I have not forgotten her.
    Today, these are so-called modern times which did not exist in those days especially in the U.S.A. where family would receive help for their sick from the government or an agency. Rest assured that God was pleased with her family and rewarded them. Taking such loving care of her was not in vain. It was not lost in the eyes of God. He blest her with miracles which benefited some people. This should tell us something that there was a reason why God did not take her during those years of her illness. He took her just when He had planned to do so. Everyone has a life span. Every (dark) cloud has a silver lining. Praise be to God!

  2. Jase
    December 27, 2012

    The story seems too tormenting for me. The family had this lady suffering for so many years to satisfy their own ego. Very egocentric!

    • Justice and Truth
      December 28, 2012

      You are wrong. You noted that she was not suffering. If you were a genuine practicing Christian you would not make such a statement. You lack godly enlightenment. No one has the right to take a life whether the person is terminally ill.
      From conception to natural death. This is the Law of God. Do you know The V – Fifth Commandment of God, Thou Shalt Not Kill?
      Under no circumstances is anyone to take a life. It is a command from God. Those who do will bear the consequences.
      Her family did well. They loved her to death. This is true love. They lived a life of sacrifice for her. God who knows, sees and hears all things and whom nothing is hidden from, who cannot be deceived, took note of their loving sacrificial effort. He rewarded her departed parents and sister with eternal salvation.
      These things are beyond your comprehension. Pray to God for this enlightenment to comprehend why they did what they were obligated to do.
      As for you, you do not know what will happen to you in the future and what your end will be like. It is something you should contemplate on.

  3. Sisserou
    December 27, 2012

    Wow!!! Touching story.

  4. December 26, 2012

    i think when people are in the medical arena they lean more to medical understanding and leave god out of thepicture

  5. A Voice
    December 24, 2012

    Well boy, I don’t know about the vision of Mary and all that, all I know is that this is love and devotion…

    • Justice and Truth
      December 28, 2012

      The story speaks for itself. There is a lot you do not know. You better believe it. Genuine practicing Catholics will not doubt it. We have many documented examples of Her Miracles throughout the years and to share with others.
      This is for you and all you sceptics and deniers. It never fails. Keep in mind that The Ever Blessed Virgin Mary is The Mother of God.

      Prayer composed by St. Bernard

      Remember O Most Gracious Virgin Mary that never was it known that anyone who fled to Thy protection, implored Thy help or sought Thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto Thee, O Virgin of virgins my Mother. To Thee I come, before Thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petition but in Thy mercy, hear and answer me. Amen!

  6. December 24, 2012

    Something is wrong with that story.

    How can a person comatose hear and understand to as so much give someone a big smile in acknowledgement tow was said to them?

    When a person is in a coma, they are in an unconscious state unable to hear and understand, most of the time their heart beats, however the brain is completely dead!

    One can remain in a coma, on life support or without, sometimes they can come out of it; depending on how severe, the stroke, or whatever other injury they sustained, if her sister smiled to her proves she was not actually comatose, unless I do not know the meaning of comatose.

    Note: comatose pertaining to or afflicted with coma!

    Definition: coma, or comatose; is a state of unconsciousness from which the patient cannot be aroused, even by a powerful stimuli.

    In the 1960’s, the Harvard Medical School Ad Hoc Committee to Examine the Definition of Brain Death established criteria for determining irreversible coma or brain death; these criteria are often used to complement the traditional criteria for determining death.

    In most hospitals a printed form for neurological assessment is used to measure and record the patients responses to stimuli in objective terms; the Glasgow Coma Scale also provides a standardized tool that aids in assessing a comatose patient and eliminates the use of ambiguous, and easily misinterpreted terms such as unconscious, and semicomatose.

    Be warned do not give me a million thumbs down unless you are into medicine, and what you read here, do not make a fool of yourself unless you are neurologists, or some general medical doctor.

    Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

    • Smooth
      December 26, 2012

      Francisco etienne-dods telemaque, u r such a hole.y don’t u go get a life stop getting your big nose in ppl business..no one wants to hear your Sealy comments. The entire universe is fed up of your wanna b.stupid self, do the world a favor eat n croak

    • .
      December 26, 2012

      Seems some of us have become ‘jack-of-all-trades’ and ‘authorities-on-every-subject’. And it seems we can no longer read and keep our mouths shut. We just have to say something on every story that comes out like we know it all.

    • believerMD
      December 26, 2012

      Mr Telemaque, I feel I am qualified to answer you because you required that I need to be in medicine to do so. Ii am not a neurologist but I am practicing doctor.

      That being said, there are lots of things that medicine cannot explain. I have treated patients that science said should have died but they “beat the odds” and lived. Witnessing this countless times has strengthen my conviction that God is real and He is in control and He is still performing miracles and it is stil His will that will triumph above medicine every time.

      It really disappoints that you missed the entire essence of the story…it was about miracles, hope, love and endurance…none of which science can explain.

      It is also really arrogant of you to qualify who can and cannot comment on your post, because have endowed yourself with some sort of authority on this matter. Are you a neurologist???? What qualifies you to speak on this? From your arrogant article I can surmise that if you were a medical doctor you would have mentioned it.

      Mr. Telemaque, I pray that God grant you wisdom and understanding, and some insight. The Bible encourages us to be quick to listen and slow to speak. Embrace that this year.

      • Justice and Truth
        December 28, 2012

        Some years ago while at a store and at cashier’s checkout counter I observed a little book entitled, “Faith”. I bought it and read it. I do not have the book at hand.
        A doctor stated that due to the miracles he observed which took place in the hospital, it gave him a lot of faith, words to that effect. He mentioned that many were healed through prayers and especially the Holy Rosary. You now the saying, “Faith can move mountains.”
        Some years ago I heard of and viewed a movie on Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) pertaining to a little girl from Boston who fell into her parents’ swimming pool at either the age of 2 or 4 years. She became comatose. Her parents are Catholics. She was baptized a Catholic.
        As she grew older, it was observed that she had healing powers. Word got around and people began visiting her and those who were ill were healed. She was eventually placed in a type of glass bubble so that no one could touch her. They could touch the glass and some were healed. You know how people have the inclination to touch such people. There was fear that she could contract an illness. Her hair grew unusually long. It was one great, loving and moving story.
        At this point I do not know if she is still alive. When I read this story I thought of her. At first I was inclined to think that this was the person but it is not. I must enquire from EWTN if she is still alive. If she is, she should be in her late 20’s.
        God performs miracles through people even the sick ones. It is also a means of consolation and strength for the parents and other members of the family.
        Some people as Telemaque are not able to comprehend it because their faith in God is not strong as much as they profess to be. It always projects itself and is something which they cannot hide or deceive others; worst yet our God.

    • The Authorities
      December 27, 2012

      Thank you Dr. Telemaque.

      If you have the time, unless you are too busy with your patients, please read the entire story.

      Like life itself, there is a lot about the comatose state we still do not understand and being a Doctor yourself, you should know that medicine is constantly evolving.

      It’s fine for you to have an opinion, but to blast a family in a horrific situation is the height of insensitivity and arrogance.

    • Anonymous
      December 27, 2012

      Everything is not a science…

    • Justice and Truth
      December 28, 2012

      Francisco, take your time and patiently to read the article. There are some matters which are unexplainable especially to the minds of the skeptics and deniers. It is better to believe than not to believe. Only by faith you might believe.

      Taken from a religious magazine. The heading of the article is: Wise and Otherwise.

      I do not seek to understand that I may believe, but I believe in order to understand. For this I believe — that unless I believe, I should not understand…

      Our Lord Jesus Christ said it well: Matt.13:13 – This is why I speak to them in parables, because they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.

      Never deny what you are not able to prove. It is a smart thing to do. Rather than doubt or deny this story, all of it, why not pray fervently to God as you live an overall godly life and “these things will be revealed to you?”

  7. Chicken Foot
    December 24, 2012

    This is so touching

  8. DR
    December 24, 2012

    Love is beautiful.

    • Justice and Truth
      December 28, 2012

      It is a beautiful and moving story. A wonderful one.

  9. Agape
    December 24, 2012

    Does anyone KNOW what is life? We are free to believe whatever suits our fancy, but who KNOWS?

    • Justice and Truth
      December 28, 2012

      When you die and stand before God for your judgment, you will then see and know the truth. If I were you, I would not wait until then to find out the truth and to know it for it might be too late for you.

  10. Mizz J
    December 24, 2012

    Wow thats something eh

    • Justice and Truth
      December 28, 2012

      Amazing isn’t it? God works in His mysterious ways. He is pleased with those who conclude that it is factual.

  11. Anonymous
    December 24, 2012

    What was this story about???????

    • Justice and Truth
      December 28, 2012

      You are sleeping. Wake up from your slumber and open your eyes and mind. Stay awake! :twisted: :mrgreen:

  12. happ
    December 24, 2012

    very sad. may her soul rest in peace. the good Lord is in control so don’t worry. he will do the rest

    • Justice and Truth
      December 28, 2012

      She is a saint in Heaven along with her father, mother, sister and all her holy relatives who served God well on this earth also through her. God has made her whole. God preserved her on earth for a reason. Nothing happens without a reason.
      We pray and hope that all these will also be revealed to us on that inevitable day when we are faced with our eternal judgment. May God, through His mercy, save us.

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