Church congregation's prayer leads to miracles that save life of baby needing heart transplant

Ella Kate giggles as she is tickled by her mom at the Levine Children's Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina while recovering from her heart surgery. (Screenshot/Facebook/Melanie Hillman)

Prayer has a way of turning the impossible into something amazingly and miraculously real.

This was proven once again recently when prayers sparked a series of miracles that resulted in saving the life of a baby girl who urgently needed a heart transplant to survive.

Late last year, doctors at the Levine Children's Hospital told parents Melanie Hillman Leitner and Mike Leitner from Charlotte, North Carolina that their baby, Ella Kate, was "in a race against time" after they found a large mass in the left ventricle of her heart that was killing her, WBTV-TV reported. The doctors said Ella might not make it to her first birthday, unless she received a heart transplant.

In November, her name was placed on the transplant list.

The couple's church, the Abundant Life Foursquare Church in Mooresville, found out about their baby's condition, and on Jan. 29, the pastor stopped the service, asking the congregation to pray over Ella and her family as well.

And then the first miracle manifested. "On our way home from church we got the call that changed our world," Melanie said. The caller said they have "the perfect heart for Ella."

"If this wasn't a God moment, I don't know what could be," Melanie said.

Unknown to her at that time, as the congregants were praying over Ella, another prayer was being said for her baby in the hospital in Charlotte where she was being treated. The prayer was said on the occasion of the dedication of the hospital's new MedCenter aircraft—the same plane that would later pick up Ella's new heart, another miraculous coincidence.

The Leitner couple then learned that the heart to be transplanted to Ella was not her blood type. Nevertheless, the surgeons performed the transplant—the first ABO incompatible heart transplant done at the hospital, and it was a success.That was the third miracle.

Ella Kate celebrated her first birthday recently—with a brand-new heart and a new lease on life.

The Leitners said they are "eternally grateful" to the family of a little girl who agreed to have the heart of their little one who died to be transplanted to Ella.

Just days ago, in an earlier report, another child was also miraculously saved from death after prayers were said for the 22-month-old toddler.

Matty Cunningham was found "blue and dead" floating in a neighbour's pond.

Family members "prayed and prayed and prayed" and "begged God for a miracle," Elsa, the boy's mom.

Later at the hospital where they took him, doctors at first thought the boy was already dead. But when they performed an MRI on his brain, the test result showed no brain damage at all.

Hours later, Matty miraculously came back to life to the utter delight of his family.

related articles
Jesus Heals Muslim Woman Bitten By Deadly Snake After Angel Appears in Her Dream, Telling Her to Seek His Help
Jesus Heals Muslim Woman Bitten By Deadly Snake After Angel Appears in Her Dream, Telling Her to Seek His Help

Jesus Heals Muslim Woman Bitten By Deadly Snake After Angel Appears in Her Dream, Telling Her to Seek His Help

\'Pray in Jesus Name\': Muslim Woman Bedridden for a Year Healed After Her Husband Followed God\'s Command
'Pray in Jesus Name': Muslim Woman Bedridden for a Year Healed After Her Husband Followed God's Command

'Pray in Jesus Name': Muslim Woman Bedridden for a Year Healed After Her Husband Followed God's Command

Vietnamese Buddhist Farmer Turns to Christ and Becomes an Evangelist After Jesus Heals His Wife
Vietnamese Buddhist Farmer Turns to Christ and Becomes an Evangelist After Jesus Heals His Wife

Vietnamese Buddhist Farmer Turns to Christ and Becomes an Evangelist After Jesus Heals His Wife

Singer Michael Bublé Thanks God For His Son\'s Miraculous Recovery From Cancer
Singer Michael Bublé Thanks God For His Son's Miraculous Recovery From Cancer

Singer Michael Bublé Thanks God For His Son's Miraculous Recovery From Cancer

Miracle In Phoenix: Woman With Irreversible Blindness Regains Sight After Praying At Church
Miracle In Phoenix: Woman With Irreversible Blindness Regains Sight After Praying At Church

Miracle In Phoenix: Woman With Irreversible Blindness Regains Sight After Praying At Church

God Heals Girl Born With Bent Feet, Sparking Growth Of Church In Vietnam
God Heals Girl Born With Bent Feet, Sparking Growth Of Church In Vietnam

God Heals Girl Born With Bent Feet, Sparking Growth Of Church In Vietnam

\'Hopeless\' Muslim Family Try To Commit Suicide — But God Heals Them, With Dead Son Even Restored To Life
'Hopeless' Muslim Family Try To Commit Suicide — But God Heals Them, With Dead Son Even Restored To Life

'Hopeless' Muslim Family Try To Commit Suicide — But God Heals Them, With Dead Son Even Restored To Life

\'Mighty\' Man With \'Blood-Stained Hands\' Saves Life Of Muslim Man Twice — From Tsunami And Road Crash
'Mighty' Man With 'Blood-Stained Hands' Saves Life Of Muslim Man Twice — From Tsunami And Road Crash

'Mighty' Man With 'Blood-Stained Hands' Saves Life Of Muslim Man Twice — From Tsunami And Road Crash

News
A mother’s love: a reflection of God’s heart
A mother’s love: a reflection of God’s heart

Mother’s Day is upon us and if you’re still searching for the perfect gift, maybe this article found you right on time. 

The medieval origins of Mothering Sunday
The medieval origins of Mothering Sunday

What is most significant is that the particular tradition of ‘Mothering Sunday’ – as found in the UK, Ireland and some Commonwealth countries – has its roots in an event that is much older than the US celebration and the commercial card-giving and gift-giving that the US event has inspired. And these roots express Christian beliefs and practices.

How the world’s oldest story of a women’s rights campaign is the Bible
How the world’s oldest story of a women’s rights campaign is the Bible

What is probably the world’s first recorded successful women’s rights campaign is in the Bible. Here is the story ...

Who are some of the most significant mothers of the Bible?
Who are some of the most significant mothers of the Bible?

On Mothering Sunday, we can remember the famous mothers of the Bible. Many of these mothers played an important role not only in the Bible, but also in history and theology. This is the story …