By Robyn Prudhomme
Special to The Catholic Voice

Attorney Marie Lawson Fiala shared her remarkable story of healing prayer for her 13-year-old son Jeremy — during the time he suffered a massive brain hemorrhage — with the St. Isidore Parish community on Aug. 8.

Fiala delivering excerpts from her memoir, “Letters from a Distant Shore,” entranced the audience with her poetic and tender words of a mother’s love, hope and determination for healing.  

Not knowing if her son would ever awake from his coma, her memoir evolved from a series of e-mails written to family and friends over many dark nights sitting by her son’s bedside in Oakland Children’s Hospital. Soon her beautiful and revealing e-mails are forwarded to friends and strangers from around the world. 

Just when Fiala believed all hope was lost for her son to talk and walk again, her family organized a prayer vigil centered on her Internet updates.  After each vigil, Jeremy showed dramatic healing, defying his doctors’ grim predictions. They were miracles that led to Jeremy’s recovery and eventual homecoming.  

Fiala’s encouraging story of faith touched many in the audience and afterward at a reception, many people had an opportunity to share their own stories of faith and prayer with her as well. Her book is available at Amazon.com.  

The St. Isidore Bible Study will continue to sponsor future speakers. To be placed on the e-mail list, contact the faith formation office at (925) 362-1900 or faithform@st-isidore-danville.org.

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