"God Can Work Miracles"

Sand, surf and the long, long beach at Long Beach is synonymous with summer for many Northwest families. I recall my family's trip from Yakima to Long Beach every summer.

Dale Ostrander and his family, along with friends from Bethel Baptist Church in Spanaway, were enjoying the beach this last weekend when 12 year old Dale was dragged under water by a rip tide.

He spent at least 25 minutes under water before rescuers located him and carried him out of the water.

He was not conscious. He was not breathing.

As a medical helicopter flew Dale to Oregon Health and Science University, his parents prepared for the worst, while their friends from Bethel Baptist Church knelt on the beach in prayer.

The medical staff confirmed that the Ostrander family should be prepared for the worst case.

Dale's dad Chad said, "They never expected him to live. If he lived, they expected him to be a vegetable---never walk, never talk, never say a word."

Sunday night doctors tried one more time to waken Dale by calling his name. He awakened.

KOMO News reports, "After the doctors took out his breathing tube on Monday, Dale did something even more surprising."

His mother Kristen says, "We were trying to get him to cough, to get the congestion [cleared]." She said, "You need to cough." He coughed once. She said, "You need to do it again."

That's when he said, "I don't need to."

His father Chad says, "That was when we knew, hey, maybe there is a miracle that's happening here. We understand hopelessness, but we also understand faith. God can work miracles."

Indeed He can. And does.

This story has become a national story over the past couple of days. I thought you might enjoy reading, not only KOMO and other major news sources, but a more local detailed account from the Chinook Observer.

Be Thankful. Be Grateful. Be Blessed.