Few decisions in life are as heartbreaking as choosing whether to take a loved one off life support when doctors say there’s no hope left. For Ryan Finley, that unthinkable moment came when his wife, Jill, slipped into a coma.
Ryan was the one who found her — unresponsive, not breathing, and without a pulse. In a panic, he began CPR and prayed desperately for a miracle until paramedics arrived. Against all odds, they managed to revive her, but her heart was weak and her breathing shallow. She was rushed to the Oklahoma Heart Hospital, where doctors placed her in a cooling suit to protect her brain from further damage. Still, Jill never woke up.
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| Source: YouTube Screenshot – Facing Life Head On |
Days turned into weeks. Ryan prayed without ceasing, clinging to even the faintest glimmer of hope. But eventually, doctors told him the words no husband ever wants to hear — Jill’s chances of recovery were virtually zero. They gently urged him to consider removing her from life support.
Ryan poured his anguish into his diary that day, writing, “Today could be the worst day of my life. I essentially have to decide whether or not she will die.”
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| Source: YouTube Screenshot – Facing Life Head On |
He tried to imagine what Jill would want. Believing she wouldn’t want to live trapped in a body that could no longer respond, Ryan made the most painful choice of his life. Family and friends gathered to say their goodbyes.
When Jill was taken off life support, she didn’t pass immediately. Doctors explained she was going through what they called a “last rally.” Then, something extraordinary happened — Jill began to mumble.
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| Source: YouTube Screenshot – Facing Life Head On |
To Ryan’s shock, she whispered, “Get me out of here,” and even mentioned two of her favorite restaurants — Melting Pot and Ted’s Café Escondido.
Ryan could hardly believe it, but in that moment, he knew: Jill was coming back to him.
And she did. Jill began breathing on her own, underwent heart surgery, and started rehabilitation. Slowly but surely, she recovered.
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| Source: YouTube Screenshot – Facing Life Head On |
When asked later about her time in the coma, Jill said she remembered nothing of it. She struggled for a while with short-term memory and speech, but otherwise, she felt fine — grateful for what she called her second chance at life.
Today, Ryan and Jill are closer than ever. “We cherish each day, each minute, each hour now,” Jill told TODAY. “Not that we didn’t before — but this puts everything in perspective.”
Their story stands as a powerful reminder that miracles do happen, even when all hope seems lost.
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