John Smith was 14 years old when he went out with two friends onto the partially frozen surface of Lake Ste. [Thats] Him just calling me to ministry,"John added. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. -NBC News. ', John Smith is a walking miracle, after he literally went from death to life after 40 minutes, and his incredible story is now featuredin the faith-based film"Breakthrough.". Movie Info. He started college at North Central University, a Christian college in Minneapolis. John fully recovered and was released from the hospital 16 days after the accident. Whether its an actor, athlete, author, musician, politician, or another influencer of this generation, Risen shares an exclusive angle that wont be read anywhere else. -USA Today. John Smith (Ruiz) is a 14-year-old Guatemalan boy raised in Lake St. Louis, Missouri by his adoptive parents, Brian (Lucas) and Joyce Smith (Metz). "I remember the screams," Smith says. Lifeless for 45 minutes. That was the day my life completely changed and it was never the same after that, John said. But instead of saying goodbye, the Holy Spirit rose up in her giving her the boldness to ask God to bring him back. "That was the day my life completely changed and it was never the same after that," John said. At just 14-years-old, John Smith fell through the ice and was without a pulse for almost an hour, yet made a full recovery through the power of prayer. He is now 19 years old and since the movie Breakthrough was released in April 2019, several things have changed for John. And later on, in that teaching she talks about speaking Gods words. Come watch Breakthrough inspired by the true story of Joyce Smith, John Smith and Pastor Jason Noble. SSM Health physician Kent Sutterer, played by Sam Trammell in the film, just assumed John wouldn't make it when he arrived at the hospital. Chrissy Metz and I DM on Instagram now and then. John is declared dead, Joyce prays, and John . .switcher .option::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb {border-radius:5px;-webkit-box-shadow: inset 0 0 3px rgba(0,0,0,.3);background-color:#888;}. John recently returned to St. Louis for Christmas break and made a huge life decision while he was home. Hes in class all week but every weekend John travels to churches and high schools across the country telling the story of his death and what his mother calls his resurrection.. I know Hes had us for 33 years before we even had you, Im going to be okay. That sense of confidence, really, really inspires me to continue to grow in my faith. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. This is somewhat dramatized in the movie. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. After doctors attempted to revive him for 45 minutes, Joyce Smith, his Spirit-filled mother, was brought into the Emergency Room to say goodbye. .switcher .option {position:relative;z-index:9998;border-left:1px solid #161616;border-right:1px solid #161616;border-bottom:1px solid #161616;background-color:#474747;display:none;width:171px;max-height:198px;-webkit-box-sizing:content-box;-moz-box-sizing:content-box;box-sizing:content-box;overflow-y:auto;overflow-x:hidden;} The chart-topping single features vocals from Justin Bieber and Danish singer M although they are nowhere on sight in the video. ", "My life flashing before my eyes," he said. Does Eerie Photo From Scene of Deadly Crash Show Stairway to Heaven. Careers Workplace and Religion Columnists, Recreation Outdoors and Religion Columnists, Religious Music and Entertainment Columnists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. [18], Metz performed "I'm Standing With You" from the film's soundtrack at the 54th Academy of Country Music Awards alongside Carrie Underwood, Lauren Alaina, Maddie & Tae and Mickey Guyton. John's friend Joshua Sander managed to pull himself out. This weighs on John's mind, he returns to the lake. 2022 Risen Magazine. Market data provided by Factset. He just woke up, eyes open. Maddy Martin as Abby Sutterer, Kent Sutterer's daughter and John's love interest. Like in the movie, the doctors were in disbelief and called it a miracle. Thats when people say a miracle happened. ", NEBRASKA MAN SAYS MIRACULOUS RECOVERY AFTER BEING DECLARED BRAIN DEAD IS 'PROOF' OF GOD. There was a presence there with you. And she said the whole atmosphere of the room changed, even the temperature of the room changed. Here are four reasons why: Photo courtesy: 20th Century Fox. "I'm truly excited to see where He's going to take me.". He said that lowering the body temperature can preserve brain function, but that it "really shouldn't have worked in John's case." Now, still a teenager, at 19 years of age, Smith has embraced the platform God has given him and is excited about what the future has to hold. John, who wasn't a Christian when he fell through the ice and miraculously survived, said he eventually received a call from God to become a pastor after his mother's prayers seemingly brought him back to life. So, for John's brain to have gotten cold to be protected from the lack of blood flow and the lack of oxygen really is a miracle in itself, if that did anything here." Chrissy Metz, of NBCs This Is Us fame, portrayed Johns mother in the movie. John was 14 years old when the ice broke on the lake. The band quickly gained a following for their raw and energetic sound, with Jett's powerful . He recalls fighting for his life and the burning sensation of the frigid water and the ice cutting his skin as he tried to climb out." We talked with Smith about his story being told on the big screen, his relationship with his family, and navigating this situation in the most formative years of life. Joyce, now 68, began praying loudly over her sons body. Plus, John said he continues to share his story as an example of faith and Gods amazing power. After John still fails to register a pulse, the attending physician Dr. Sutterer gives Joyce a chance to say goodbye. or redistributed. Can You Keep a Secret? As for Breakthrough, even more success was recently announced for the film. As Johns mother, Joyce, arrived at the hospital, doctors prepared to tell her that her son had died but she walked up to the end of the bed and felt his feet, how cold and gray they were, she recalls in this weeks issue of PEOPLE. The lake was about 10 feet deep where John and his two friends went through the ice. In essence, he was cold and he was dead. And then finally, after I started to realize that the earthly idols that I have been chasing are coming to an end, it's time to be chasing toward the heavenly gold, John told the Christian Post. You are loved.". The crews had to use sandbags to keep Ruiz from floating when they dropped the hospital bed in the water. He says that he tried to push ice to his friends for them to grab on to so they could get out. John Smith, an adopted boy from Guatemala, is a living, breathing, walking miracle and his unbelievable true story is going to the big screen April 17 in the 20th Century faith-based film,. The story is impossible. John's pastor, Jason Noble, got to the hospital right after Joyce prayed and he felt like God had called him to stay byJohn's side for seven days, 18 hours a day. Nikolas Dukic as Reiger, one of John's friends. Smith, a 14-year-old boy, walked out on a lake in his hometown of St. Charles, Missouri, fell through the ice, stayed under for fifteen minutes before his body was recovered by first. Smith also appeared in the television westerns Cimarron City (1958) and Laramie (1959). And Im believing God. I mean, youre reinforcing this. They called me at 11:52 a.m. to tell me." is a fabulous retro-themed wine bar and lounge with a tiny secret vintage boutique, housed in an historic Woolloongabba building. All Rights Reserved. And I think her belief is what God had grown and what shed been working on. Thanks to the Acting. Joyce: Sixteen days until he walked out of the hospital, from the time he fell through the water. U.S.Goalkeeper Gets Ready for World Cup Soccer: Superstar Tim Howard Written by Henry Ortlip When it comes to protecting the Treasure hunting and adventure, Finding Ohana is full of family fun and reminiscent of the cult-classic Goonies. first assistant makeup artist (as Kristy Grieg) Kendall Lewis . As he was searching for answers, waiting and praying to God, he got an answer at a youth camp. "My phone was coming off the wall people praying, people sending me scriptures that they were praying for John." 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Early Life and Military Exploits. John said it was the place where the couple had their first kiss. [16][17], An official trailer for the film was released on December 5, 2018 and received more than 30 million views within two days, becoming the most-viewed trailer for a religious film within that timespan. Stephen Curry and Samuel Rodriguez are executive producers. Boot camps like this are found throughout the country, but they exist in somewhat of a grey zone when it comes to legality and responsibility. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. .switcher a {text-decoration:none;display:block;font-size:12pt;-webkit-box-sizing:content-box;-moz-box-sizing:content-box;box-sizing:content-box;} I just congratulate her on all the success she has had, he said. Legal Statement. John knows God has a purpose for saving his life and he wants to share the message of God's. Divine Intervention? Starring Chrissy Metz, Josh Lucas, Topher Grace, Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media, John and Joyce Smith Interviews & Related Videos, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. Joyce: Ill preface this with Ive prayed for more people who have died than have lived. John said he became friends with Metz during filming and they keep in touch. It begins to snow, which she believes is an answer. My brothers arent serving the Lord. And so, when you start praying that stuff, its just amazing. "My family, my friends, realizing,'This is it.'". According to reports at the time, CPR was performed 27 minutes to no avail. We capture the raw, transparent glimpses into the joys, struggles, triumphs, heartache and tragedy that make up the fabric of an individuals journey. "We all thought that we were just going to have fun, to celebrate. Written by Heather Thompson April 15, 2019. Because the confessions that went on with that study in the mornings when you would do your homework or whenever you would do it, you would say, I believe God is who He says He is. -FOX 11, In researching the Breakthrough true story, we learned that John Smith was without a pulse for about an hour. Yes. So Joyce Smith (Chrissy Metz) repeatedly tells her moody 14-year-old son, John (Marcel Ruiz). I had to deal with answering the question of Why me? "It gave me goosebumps." John Smith, 14, fell through the ice at Lake Sainte Louise, and was submerged for 15 minutes. So that was around 11:30 a.m. Market data provided by Factset. Okay, the heartbeats just the beginning and were not giving up until this boy walks out. One self-rescued, the other was rescued by emergency personnel. Smiths legend has grown over the centuries, in particular due to the popular story of his involvement with Pocahontas, a native American princess. Im talking about reading Gods Scriptures and knowing His promises and His truth through them. But then something remarkable happened: He woke up. Legal Statement. His real life inspired the movie Breakthrough. In 2015, 14-year-old John Smith fell through an icy lake and seemingly drowned. And theres a timeline that goes with that. The 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment film featuring Chrissy Metz, from "This Is Us," as his mother, is already on Digital and will be available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD July 16. Best described as Cirque meets The Passion,The Thorn is an immersive show that has played more than 25 years on, Bestselling author Karen Kingsbury, along with her son, Tyler Russell, have adapted the novel,A Thousand Tomorrows, into a six-episodeseries from, Jesus Revolution takes in $15.5 million in the domestic box office debut and completely out performs the originally projected $7. "[I was] constantly fighting God and Him just saying, 'Keep listening to Me, just pay attention, just walk where I need you to walk.' .switcher .selected a:hover {background:#3a3a3a} That doesnt happen very often or there wouldnt be a movie. It's Believable . But as John lies lifeless, Joyce refuses to give up. Yes. Watch Can You Keep a Secret? The surname Smith is particularly prevalent among those of English, Scottish, and Irish descent, but is also a common surname among African Americans, which can be attributed either to black slaves having been given the surname of their masters, or to being an occupational name, as some southern American black people . I had three older children, and we lost two children. "It was as if the Holy Spirit walked through the door and started John's heart back up,"Sutterer said. Jason: What Id say, too, for probably eight months before this happened, God had been preparing Joyce. When her 14-year-old son drowns in a lake, a faithful mother prays for him to come back from the brink of death and be healed. When you look at this, I think there is a difference between faith and belief. Tommy Shine himself is never quoted talking about this spiritual nudge in the book, nor does he bring it up with his chief at the station.In the movie, Tommy Shine (Mike Colter) is also portrayed as being an agnostic who finds faith after witnessing the miracle of John Smith surviving the drowning. "And really he used it in his way to save other people, not just the three of us." Breakthough is a Christian-based film starring Chrissy Metz and Topher Grace, based on the true story of John Smith, a 14-year-old who fell through the ice. [14][15] Locations for the 31-day shoot included Winnipeg, Selkirk, and Portage la Prairie. The modern take Risen Magazine: Parenting is no joke, especially during quarantine. She said, I love you, and I said, I love you too, Mom, and I hung up. We'd just won a basketball game, so we were just going to have a good time, but we weren't expecting that [with] one wrong move, we would be all one second away from dying." No heart tones. John reconciles his survival with a renewed sense of purpose in his life and rebuilds his relationships with those he had been alienating. John Smith, 18, fell into a frozen lake in St Charles, Missouri, in January 2015 and was underwater for 15 minutes First responders tried to revive him for nearly 45 minutes, but were. Smith was rushed to the hospital and had no heartbeat for 55 minutes, but miraculously came back to life. John Smith was playing on the frozen Lake Sainte Louise in St Charles, Missouri, with two friends in January 2015. Example video title will go here for this video, Jan. 19 marks the 5-year anniversary since a St. Charles boy drowned and came back to life. John Smith mentions watching a video about my story. [10] The film received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the performances and inspirational messages but called the plot predictable. John Smith was dead for an hour after falling into a frozen lake, but made a full recovery in a case that even doctors have described as a "bonafide miracle". "I'm thinking to myself, 'They're wrong. At the hospital, John lay lifeless for more than sixty minutes. -TODAYDr. -USA Today. When Joyce Smith's 14-year-old adopted son John fell through an icy lake in Missouri one winter morning three years ago, if could have been a tragic ending to a life cut short. Most miraculous of all? Although being rescued, he is in a coma, and his family must rely on their faith to get through the ordeal. .switcher .selected a:after {height:24px;display:inline-block;position:absolute;right:10px;width:15px;background-position:50%;background-size:11px;background-image:url("data:image/svg+xml;utf8,");background-repeat:no-repeat;content:""!important;transition:all .2s;} He doesn't have any neurologic deficits, all the things that we expect in these things. He's completely the same boy that he was before." First Responders retrieved his lifeless body and transported him to nearby St. Joseph Hospital West where CPR was performed for an additional 43 minutes to no avail. January 19, 2015: John + two friends are playing on a lake when the ice broke. A Home Office source said: 'We obviously couldn't sustain these numbers of people coming in. We went in and prayed like crazy. ' he says. His mother was brought into the hospital room to see her sons body and she began praying loudly. Not exactly. Dive deeper into the true story behind Breakthrough by watching an interview with mother and son Joyce and John Smith. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. It's a holiday. The real Pastor Jason Noble admitted that this scene is fictional. John's made a full recovery after his mother, Joyce, said a prayer over him at the hospital. Joyce is concerned about her increasingly uncommunicative teen and then the unthinkable happens - he falls through the lake ice and drowns. Even though his mom was a devout Christian, whose bold prayer during the boy's hospital stay is credited with bringing him back to life, John was not a believer at the time of the accident andstruggled with his identity and other issues many high schoolers face. Gods got us under control. Josh Rieger's sister Jamie called 911, and the manager of a nearby apartment complex took over the call. Also, in one of her studies, I learned we are created in Gods image, Hes omnipotent, so our words are potent. He didnt even take the wheelchair. At 64 years old, John Smith height is 6 ft 3 in (191.0 cm). I just had no doubt that God was going to bring him back. Legal Statement. [11] The film garnered a nomination at the 92nd Academy Awards for Best Original Song.[12]. John J. Smith - barber, abolitionist, and state legislator - lived at 86 Pinckney Street from 1878 to 1893.