The Brigham Miracle
By Kristen Roberts
The year 2020 brought change and uncertainty that required faith and hope. It was the first week of August which brought a dry heat to Utah where our family of 6 was figuring out a new routine among the virus. We were doing our best to stay positive as every planned trip was cancelled. We were finding ways to adventure in the mountains close to home by hiking and paddle boarding as a family.
Friday morning started unassuming until my husband received a call that would drastically change the course of that day. Our oldest child and only son Brigham had been in a work accident and he was cut bad. Brigham was working for my husband’s construction company in the backyard of a home within our Stake boundaries. My husband arrived before paramedics to see the homeowners on top of Brigham using a towel to apply pressure to his upper right leg. The backyard looked like a crime scene. Brigham had somehow accidentally cut his leg with a circular saw (Skill saw) through his femoral artery, femoral vein, lacerated his femoral nerve and through 2/3 of his groin muscle. According to the doctors it is the worse part of your leg to cut through, you can bleed out within 3 minutes of being cut. When I arrived paramedics were working rapidly as we watched the Air Med helicopter land at our nearby Stake Center parking lot. I was able to talk to my son for a moment before he was transported. His words which were said so calmly, “Mom, I’m dying.”
Brigham was 20 years old and undecided about serving a mission or not. Many of his friends were either home early due to the virus or would be home by the end of the year from serving. For the past 2 years Brigham had been going to Weber State playing soccer for the 2019-2020 season and finishing his associates. He loves to be outdoors and active. His life revolves around soccer and he plays as often as possible.
My husband and I arrived at the hospital to learn that Brigham was in surgery with a high possibility of not surviving or losing his right leg to save his life. Due to virus restrictions we waited in the hospital parking lot for 5 hours. During this time we learned that thousands of good people were praying for our son and his surgeons. 2 of his friends serving missions received permission to call us. One saying to my husband, “Coach you have always had my back. Well, now I have yours. My whole mission is praying for Brigham by name.” Others called around finding an open temple to put his name on the prayer roll, while others who have never prayed did it for their first time. My husband and I prayed for the strength to handle the outcome of that day, whatever it may be. We felt peace and love while we waited. We finally received word he survived with his leg. It was truly a miracle. I do not use that term loosely and feel a reverence around the opportunity to witness this miracle.
Brigham received 9 units of blood during surgery where they used a vein from his lower leg to graft 6 inches into his femoral artery AND 6 inches into his femoral vein and stitched up his muscle. The surgeons did not know if he would ever have use of his leg. That was tough. We were worried how our soccer loving son would handle the news. The most difficult moment was when we had to leave the hospital without touching or seeing him. He would have to wake up alone. He would have to hear the news alone. The hospital virus protocol did not allow visitors for adult patients unless they were dying. The good news, our son was not dying and the bad news, 20 years old was considered an adult. We would have to wait to give him the hug he and we needed until he was released from the hospital.
We prayed mightily for Brigham to feel the comfort of Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the angels surrounding him. We know they had been with him from the moment he was cut and they would not leave him now.
Over the months we have listened to the experiences of those involved with saving his life and we see where God filled in where needed. The quick acting homeowner who had no medical training listening to divine instruction and faithfully following. Being in the city where the paramedics had the medicine Brigham needed to help him clot. For the timing that Utah Air Med/life flight started carrying trauma blood just weeks before his accident. That the vascular surgeon was exactly where he needed to be to save his life. These are not coincidences. God is truly in the details.
Brigham continues to be a miracle. He can walk and has even had a few minutes on the soccer field. There is no way for him to heal 100%. He will live with pain, numbness, swelling, 3 feet of scars and other risks. Somedays it feels heavy and then I remember how grateful I am for the extra time we are receiving with our son. Every medical professional we meet is blown away that he lived. I am constantly reminding myself to give it to God. I couldn’t save him on that August day and I can’t save him from future pain or disappointment. In the scriptures we are told, “Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you.” (D&C 68:6). On the hard days I hold tight to this promise that the Lord will continue to be with me and with Brigham. I will lean on my faith and the knowledge that Brigham is a son of our Heavenly Father who loves him and will stand by him.
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