Nola Swart was having a quiet weekend with her daughter Kelly. The two were baking cookies, filling the house with the sweet scent of vanilla and sugar, while Fred, Nola’s husband, was up at their lake cabin with his best friend, James. It was supposed to be a peaceful weekend. But as Nola wiped flour off her hands and answered her phone, everything would change.
She glanced at the caller ID. It was Fred’s number. But when she picked up, it wasn’t his voice on the other side. It was James, and the words he spoke shattered Nola’s world.
“Nola?” James said, his voice trembling. “Nola, it’s James. I’m so sorry, but Fred… something’s happened to Fred…”
A cold, heavy weight pressed on Nola’s chest. “James? What’s happened? Is Fred hurt?” she asked, her heart racing.
“No, honey,” James replied gently. “I’m sorry, Nola, you have to be strong… Fred’s dead.”
“No!” Nola cried, her voice desperate. “Stop it, James! This is a joke! Stop! Stop!”
But in her heart, Nola knew it wasn’t a joke. James, the big, strong man who had been Fred’s best friend since childhood, was crying. “I’m so sorry, Nola… he was right next to me and then, just like that, he was gone… gone.”
Nola’s mind couldn’t process the words. She was numb, moving like a sleepwalker. She called her mother, asked her to come over and stay with Kelly, and then, without another word, she drove the long two hours to the small mountain town where Fred had died.
When Nola arrived at the coroner’s office, James was there, his arm around her shoulders, trying to hold her up. The moment was too much. Nola felt like she was outside of her own body as the coroner slowly pulled back the white sheet to reveal Fred’s still, lifeless face.
Hot tears burned down her cheeks as the coroner spoke. “From what I can ascertain, Mr. Swart had a massive heart attack and died instantly. However, I recommend an autopsy to confirm the cause.”
“Never!” Nola shouted, her voice raw with grief. “No one is cutting up my Fred. Let him rest in peace!”
The coroner sighed, his face sympathetic. “Mrs. Swart, I understand, but I will issue a death certificate. You can proceed with the funeral.”
Nola trembled as she thought of the funeral arrangements. Fred had always said he wanted to be cremated, and Nola was determined to honor his wishes. The next day, friends and family gathered to pay their last respects. The church was full of mourners, and everyone came to say goodbye to the vibrant, energetic man they had all loved so much.
Nola, desperate to say goodbye, had asked the funeral director to leave the casket open for the service. One by one, the mourners approached the casket, whispering their last words, offering prayers for Fred’s soul.
The priest spoke softly, “Even though our hearts are broken, let us remember that Fred has moved on to a better place, to be with His Father, and we can take comfort in knowing that.”
Nola’s heart burned with anger. She whispered harshly to her mother, “God! If there was a God, Fred would be home right now, not lying cold in that box! God has left me with a fatherless child!”
The priest looked at her, and several mourners glanced over in confusion. Nola’s mother reached out, trying to calm her, but Nola pushed her hands away. She stood, shaking with fury and grief, crying out, “Are you all praying to God? Ask Him what I’m supposed to tell my baby! Why don’t you ask Him that!”
Her mother wrapped her arms around Nola, but the pain was too much. Nola cried louder, her voice breaking. The funeral director and his assistant stepped forward, preparing to take Fred’s casket to the crematorium.
“Wait!” Nola cried, her voice desperate. “Please, wait! I need to say goodbye!”
With trembling hands, Nola walked up to Fred’s casket. She touched his face gently, as if she could somehow bring him back. “I love you… I will always love you,” she whispered, her lips trembling. Then, she pressed a soft kiss to his lips—the last kiss she would ever share with him.
And that’s when it happened. As Nola stood there, looking down at her husband, something unbelievable happened. Fred’s eyelids fluttered. At first, Nola thought she was imagining it—her grief playing tricks on her.
But then, Fred’s eyes blinked again.
“Oh my God! He’s alive!” Nola screamed, her voice filled with shock and disbelief. “Call 911! Call 911 now!”
The funeral director, still thinking Nola was lost in grief, stepped forward. He looked at Fred’s face, and when he saw Fred’s eyes open, then close again, he froze. “Call 911,” he shouted to his assistant. “We need a doctor, now!”
Fred was quickly moved from the casket to an ambulance, and Nola, still reeling from what had just happened, rushed to his side.
At the hospital, doctors confirmed the unbelievable truth. Fred was alive, but something had caused him to fall into a deep, lifeless state. It turned out Fred had been stung by a bee. The allergic reaction had been so severe that it had mimicked death, causing his body to shut down completely. The small-town coroner had missed it, assuming Fred had suffered a heart attack.
Nola was devastated by what she had almost lost. She had refused an autopsy and a traditional funeral for Fred, and that decision had saved his life. Fred recovered slowly but surely, and soon, he was back home, as lively and full of energy as ever.
But for Nola, the memory of those agonizing moments at the funeral would never fade. She had been given a second chance, and she couldn’t help but feel that it was a miracle—a sign that there was something greater at work.
Nola hugged Fred tightly, whispering to him, “You came back. You came back to us.”
And in that moment, she realized how fragile life truly was. Second chances were rare, and they had been given one. She had almost lost everything, but now, everything felt so much more precious.
What can we learn from this story?
Life is never guaranteed, and we never know when everything can change. But faith, hope, and love can carry us through the toughest times. Nola almost lost Fred, but her faith was rewarded with the miracle of a second chance. Life is fleeting—cherish the ones you love while you still can.
