(Women’s Day Magazine called this “The Miracle of a Brother’s Song”)
Like any good mother, when Karen found out another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her 3-year old son, Michael, prepare for a new sibling. Knowing the new arrival was to be a girl, day after day and night after night, Michael sang to his sister in his Mommy’s tummy. He was building a bond of love with his sister before he even met her.
The pregnancy was normal for Karen, a member of the Panther Creek United Methodist Church in Morristown, Tennessee. But serious complications arose during delivery. Finally, after a long struggle, Michael’s little sister was born. Unfortunately, she was in very serious condition and an ambulance had to rush her that very evening to the neonatal intensive care unit at St. Mary’s Hospital in Knoxville.
The days inched by as her condition grew worse and the parents were told there was very little hope. A local cemetery was contacted about a burial plot. Hope was in short supply except for little Michael…he kept begging his parents to let him see her. “I want to sing to her,” he kept saying. Week two in the intensive care unit looked as if a funeral would come before week’s end. Michael kept up his begging to sing but kids were never allowed in Intensive Care.
Finally, Karen made up her mind, Michael would see his sister whether they liked it or not…it was now or never. She dressed him in an oversized scrub suit and marched him into ICU. But the head nurse recognized the ploy and yelled, “Get that kid out of here now, children are not allowed!” The mother instinct rose strong in Karen as she glared in the nurse’s face. Her voice was firm, “He is not leaving until he sings to his sister, period!” Karen towed Michael to his sister’s bedside.
He gazed at the tiny infant losing her battle to live. After a moment, he began to sing. In the pure-hearted voice of a 3-year old, Michael sang: “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray…” Almost instantly, the baby girl seemed to respond. Her pulse rate, as reflected on the monitor, began to slow and become steady. “Keep on singing, Michael!” encouraged Karen with tears streaming down her face….”you never know dear, how much I love you, please don’t take my sunshine away…”
As Michael continued singing the baby’s ragged, strained breathing became as smooth as a kitten’s purr. “Keep on singing, sweetheart!!!”… “the other night dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held you in my arms…” Michael’s little sister began to relax. Healing rest seemed to sweep over her. “Keep on singing, Michael!”
Tears had now conquered the face of the bossy head nurse. Karen glowed as Michael continued, “you are my sunshine, my only sunshine, please don’t take my sunshine away….”
And now, the rest of this true story: Within several days, Michael’s sister had made a remarkable recovery and was allowed to go home. Karen realized that she had just witnessed, up close and personal, a miracle of God’s love.