A ring and a prayer: Couple considers recovery a Good Friday miracle
Jimi “JD” Davis, 56, who suffered a hemorrhagic stroke on April 17, shares a kiss with his wife Didi at Kalispell Regional Medical Center on Monday morning. Davis' condition began to deteriorate throughout last week up until Friday evening when his condition began to improve vastly. “He’s my Lazarus,” Didi said. “The doctors are looking at him as a miracle.”
A Thompson Falls couple are rejoicing over what they consider to be a Good Friday miracle, complete with a hospital-room wedding and a stunning medical recovery.
Jimi “JD” Davis, 56, suffered a hemorrhagic stroke on Palm Sunday, April 17.
By Friday his family was notified that Davis had only a couple of hours to live.
That prompted a last wish from Davis: He wanted to get married to Didi, 50, who has been with him for nearly eight years.
The couple were married Friday morning at Kalispell Regional Medical Center — and by that evening his condition improved. By Monday he was well enough to begin speech therapy.
“He’s my Lazarus,” Didi said. “The doctors are looking at him as a miracle.”
Davis had been flown by helicopter to Kalispell Regional from Clark Fork Valley Hospital in Plains on April 17.
“They didn’t think I would make it to the hospital,” JD said. “I’m the luckiest man in the world. We’ve been wanting to [get married] for seven years. It took this to get it done.”
His new bride explained that Davis basically was incoherent most of last week after “the whole side of his head was blown like a head gasket.” There was too much blood on the right side of his brain, she said, noting it “flooded.”
The couple’s three children came in from Oregon, Washington and Thompson Falls during the week and had gone home by the time the turnaround happened, Didi said Monday. Now they have a “laugh-a-thon” when they talk on the phone.
“Now he’s sitting up, feeding himself. He’s talking. He told me to change the cat box,” Didi said. He started eating solid food on Monday.
JD is scheduled to begin physical therapy today that should continue for a month. He will re-learn how to sit, walk, catch a ball and talk properly, Didi said.
Monday also brought JD his first cup of coffee since his stroke.
“It was awesome,” he said, and Didi noted that the couple always shared many cups of coffee every day.
Although the couple is rejoicing, their financial situation is dire, Didi said. “It’s a reality check when your only breadwinner goes down and you have nothing.”
JD had been working as a forklift driver in Okanagan, Wash. They sold their home in Omak, Wash., for $105,000 a month ago, Didi said. They owned it for 15 years, but only made $500.
The couple has been renting a home in Thompson Falls.
Those who want to help the couple can call their son Ian Davis at (509) 322-2004 or send assistance to P.O. Box 2543, Thompson Falls, MT 59873.
“The whole hospital has wrapped itself around us,” Didi said.
Nurse Cami Kennedy-Collins got chaplain George “Eddie” Nye to perform the Good Friday wedding. Kennedy-Collins served as a witness and got the couple flowers and a boutonniere.
Didi found a ring in the hospital gift shop. “They gave it to us,” she said. The hospital also gave JD a ring.
“It’s gettin’ better every day,” said JD, who also serves as president of the Desert Drifters Motorcycle Club.
Reporter Caleb Soptelean may be reached at 758-4483 or by email at csoptelean@dailyinterlake.com.