Ryan Estrada’s life chnaged in an instant when he was in a car crash on his way to school. He was devastated. Then a divine encounter and a heavenly vision transformed the entire outlook for the paralyzed teen.
One rainy morning, Ryan Estrada of Richmond, Virginia was driving to school when he lost control of his vechicle when he began swerving to avoid a cyclist.
“I remember swerving past the biker and there was another car coming in the lane so I had to swerve back into my lane,” he recalls. “I remember losing control of the wheel, hitting the mailbox and then hitting the tree.”
As his body hung out the window, lifeless, Ryan immediately knew something was wrong. He could not feel anything. It was so bad in fact that the two “angels” who came to his rescue by calling 911 thought Ryan was already dead.
“Vehicle in the ditch with someone hanging out of the vehicle not moving. Complainant thought they were deceased,” reported 911 emergency communications on the morning of the accident.
Ryan could not feel anything because he had suffered a broken vertebrae in his neck and a severe spinal cord injury. This led to paralysis of his hands and legs. For his mother, the news was heartbreaking.
“It was easily the worst day of my life to see him in the emergency room so helpless and crying,” said Ryan’s mother.
Ryan was completely devastated by the news…until his divine encounter.
Ryan was preparing to go into surgery and was feeling very depressed.
“I was about to go into surgery and the whole day I was sad, crying, bummed,” Ryan said.
But then something amazing happened. The newly paralyzed teen’s vision of Heaven changed everything!
“I remember my uncle, I saw him in like heaven,” Ryan explained. “And he told me that I’m going to get through the surgery and everything is going to be alright, so I knew from that moment, I was smiling. I looked over at my mom and told her everything was going to be OK — You know uncle Jack, he’s got me.”
Ryan also saw a grandfather he’s only ever seen in family photos. The two never even met on earth. Yet, there he was in the vision.
“I think it means Heaven is real and God’s real and that I’m here for a reason. I didn’t die for a reason,” he said.
While the accident had cost him so much, this divine encounter helped Ryan gain something even more important that what he lost – his faith.
“I think it happened to regain my faith. I wasn’t really a religious person the last year going through depression. But ever since the accident every day [I’m] praying.”
Since his divine encounter, Ryan’s outlook completely changed. It’s the kind of change that happens from finding your true Lord and Savior.
“As desolate as it may seem he’s actually the happiest Ryan I have seen in a couple of years,” said Caroline.
Doctors were happy to see Ryan being so hopeful but they cautioned him that he needed to prepare for the worst. Ryan now faces his paralysis with complete optimism. He believes God will see him through this ordeal and also believes he will be walking again in just six months.
He knows God has a larger purpose in all of this.
“We don’t know that reason yet,” his mom said. “After seeing pictures of his car there is a reason Ryan is here he is going to make good on his promise to touch lives in some way.”
Thanks to his restored faith in God, Ryan faces all of these challenges knowing God will make a way. Join us in praying for Ryan’s full recovery. We can’t wait to see what else God has in store for this young man!
“I honestly don’t know why I am here, but I can’t wait to find out,” said Ryan.
