May 20, 1999
Dear Pat,
As you requested here is a little note regarding Jerry Marshall[‘s] recovering from esophagus cancer.
On Sept. 5th, 1998 Jerry was diagnosed with esophagus cancer. This is a very difficult cancer to treat. He started chemo & radiation. We had treatments daily for 6 weeks. He became very ill & started to lose weight.
From the beginning of his illness, we prayed daily. We set up an altar in our home in honor of Our Lady of Lourdes, we also have a grotto in our backyard but the greatest effect was visiting Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine (Wyoming). There is a great serenity & strengthen faith when we went there. Our dear friend Bernie Despres brought us some holy water from Lourdes, France, which we blessed ourselves with daily. We both shared inner feelings that one day he would be cured. It is very difficult to explain but it was there.
We are greatful(sp) to so many people who prayed for Jerry.
Through the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes that we were gra(n)ted the miracle of his complete cure.
On January 7, 1999 Jerry had a CAT scan. On January 12, 1999 we met with Dr. Alan Campbell. He gave us the results of the CAT scan – the malignant tumor was gone & all the cancer cells in his body were gone. He was clean from all cancer. We started to cry (rest of the day) with deepest gratitude to Almighty God & to Our Lady of Lourdes.
If you need more information please let me know.
God Bless,
Love,
Aggie
August 11, 1999 to Pat Brokus to confirm our phone conversation of this miracle on April 7, 1960 through the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Albert. Written by Dorothy M. Simon-Tibbe, mother of Michael D. Simon. You have my permission to use this in any manner you feel will be an honor to God and Our Blessed Mother Mary.
Baby Michael D. Simon was born October 31, 1959, and appeared healthy at birth, but within a few weeks was hospitalized with what appeared to be a severe respiratory infection or pneumonia. He could not keep any food down, and had projectile vomiting. Dr. Emma L. MacAdams D.O., consulted a Dr. Wilson, John I believe, an M.D. from St. Marys who diagnosed Michael as having cystic fibrosis. Several other doctors were also consulted during the time frame he was in and out of the hospital, from birth until April 18th of 1960, but I don’t recall their names.
My husband Bob and I and all of the older children had helped in building the shrine on the grounds of St. John Vianney parish, (I was pregnant for Michael at the time), and developed a loving relationship with Dora and Tag Witheril and their family.
By April of 1960 Michael was dying. It seemed nothing more could be done for him, so Dora gave me Lourdes Water & water blessed through the intercession of St. Albert, a patron for those with high fevers.
Michael was not allowed to have anything by mouth, and was only sustained by I.V.s. He weighed 9 pounds at 5 months of age, and could not hold his head up, but was like a new born babe. He had a “comfy-babe” seat in his crib so that he was held in a soft slightly raised position, and if he kicked or cried it would bounce a bit as it was a wire frame with cloth seat and back. The hospital kept several in his room as he would soil them so quickly with vomit.
I gave Michael Lourdes water and water blessed through the intercession of St. Albert in a bottle I brought up to the hospital, and he drank perhaps one ounce of both waters mixed together. A nurse came in while I was giving him this bottle and read me the riot act as little Michael was to have nothing by mouth, and WHAT was I doing giving him a bottle? I cried as I told her what it was, and that I was praying for a cure for him, and she stormed out and called Dr. Mac, who came up to the hospital within a couple hours. Dr. Mac put her arms around me and said; “Mother, that baby is dying. It’s great that you have such faith as you’re going to need it. There is nothing more we can do for him.” She also told me that the water I gave him was probably not at all sterile, and they had been giving him nothing but IV’s and he was in very sterile conditions.
I cried a lot ……… but also went to church often as this was Holy Week, and I was a member of the choir so we had some last minute practices before Holy Thursday.
Father John Klonowski was our pastor at the time, and Father Denis Nash was one of the assistants, and a very young priest at the time. (so was I young then! 28 years old) Father Nash happened to come up to the choir loft and I cried and told him that I had given Michael Lourdes Water etc., and he asked if the baby had been confirmed. I replied: “Of course he has been baptized.” as I thought he mis-spoke himself as I had never heard of a tiny baby receiving confirmation. Father Nash then told me that in danger of death, babies and small children are confirmed which gives them the same grace and strength that extreme unction gives those adults on their death bed. He told me he would take care of it, gave me a hug, and said I should just put it in God’s hands.
We went to all the Holy Week services, and on Easter Sunday noon we took the children to see Michael. They were ages 9,7,6 and 2 at the time and children were never allowed in hospital rooms, but they were allowed to go into Michael’s room, and all of us took turns holding him and telling him “Goodbye” as he was dying, and we were accepting that fact. (I’m crying here and can hardly see to type!…. and this is nearly 40 years later!)
We came home and had a rather somber Easter afternoon. Monday morning I was doing laundry and the phone rang. Dr. MacAdams was on the phone, crying. I said; “Michael’s dead, right?” She said; “Dorothy, Michael is sitting up in his bed! Come down here as quick as you can, I’ll stay here and wait for you.” I shook. I cried. I prayed. I drove to Osteopathic Hospital at 1919 Boston S.E., which then was a very small hospital, only opened about two years previously. When I got to the hospital the receptionist cried and hugged me. Down the hall other people grabbed me and hugged me, all crying. I got to Michael’s room, and Dr. Mac and all the nurses were crying with joy. Michael was indeed sitting up in his bed, like he was a normal five month old child……however, he had never even held his head before this, much less sit up!
We then learned that Father O’Leary from Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish had confirmed Michael about 3 PM on Easter Sunday, April 17th, 1960, and Dr. Giardo was his sponsor. (We had gone back home before 3 PM for little Joey’s nap)
Dr. Mac wanted to re-consult all of the specialists who had been called in before she discharged him, and run all the tests over again, but we wanted to take him home immediately. We didn’t want any tests as both Bob and I felt that would be a slap in the face of God who cured him, and that we should not question that cure. Michael was home with us shortly thereafter. We were warned that this “cure” was just temporary, and probably he would be back in the hospital very soon, but we believed he was cured.
I talked with Father Klonowski and wanted to make a statement about a miracle, and he said we could not do that. A miracle is a long drawn out process. So we just rejoiced in the fact that Michael was normal & well. And never even checked the hospital records at that time.
The following year on April 17th, Michael said; “Shrine-shrine” and when I realized what he had said, we all went over to Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine to give thanks and pray. We were regulars at the Shrine, and daughter Barbara had the honor of crowning Our Blessed Lady when she was in the 8th grade at St. John Vianney.
The day Michael’s Dad was dying at that same hospital June 27th, 1987, All of our family were gathered in Bob’s room for his final days, and Michael said he would like to get copies of his medical records so I gave him the necessary $3.00 per page, and he began his research. He brought up many pages, and after many trips back, finally got the page with his discharge, which states: “Unexplainable cure. Baby Michael Simon is discharged. No further information available.”
Michael has this information. I do not have a copy, and have not asked for one. Bob and I both knew this was a miracle, and Bob realized yet that morning that Michael had gotten his records. My dear husband died that afternoon, June 27, 1987 at 6:23 PM.
Michael will be 40 this October 31st. He is our youngest son, and a very special person. He has two beautiful children, aged 19 and 18, and is in good health …… He hopefully will be in even better health as he has now quit smoking for about 6 weeks. Praise God!
We thank God each and every day for all his many favors, but for our family especially!
Submitted with tears….. Michael’s Mom Dorothy