Here is the full statement of Dr. Kent Brantly, one of the American aid workers released from Emory University Hospital today after recovering from Ebola virus disease.
“Today is a miraculous day. I am thrilled to
be alive, to be well and to be reunited with my family. As a medical
missionary, I never imagined myself in this position. When my family and
I moved to Liberia last October to begin a two-year term working with
Samaritan’s Purse, Ebola was not on the radar. We moved to Liberia
because God called us to serve the people of Liberia.
“In March, when we got word that Ebola was in
Guinea and had spread to Liberia, we began preparing for the worst. We
didn’t receive our first Ebola patient until June, but when she arrived,
we were ready. During the course of June and July, the number of Ebola
patients increased steadily, and our amazing crew at ELWA Hospital took
care of each patient with great care and compassion. We also took every
precaution to protect ourselves from this dreaded disease by following
MSF and WHO guidelines for safety.
“After taking Amber and our children to the
airport to return to the States on Sunday morning, July 20, I poured
myself into my work even more than before – transferring patients to our
new, bigger isolation unit; training and orienting new staff; and
working with our Human Resources officer to fill our staffing needs.
Three days later, on Wednesday, July 23, I woke up feeling under the
weather, and then my life took an unexpected turn as I was diagnosed
with Ebola Virus Disease. As I lay in my bed in Liberia for the
following nine days, getting sicker and weaker each day, I prayed that
God would help me to be faithful even in my illness, and I prayed that
in my life or in my death, He would be glorified.
“I did not know then, but I have learned
since, that there were thousands, maybe even millions of people around
the world praying for me throughout that week, and even still today. And
I have heard story after story of how this situation has impacted the
lives of individuals around the globe – both among my friends and
family, and also among complete strangers. I cannot thank you enough for
your prayers and your support. But what I can tell you is that I serve a
faithful God who answers prayers.
“Through the care of the Samaritan’s Purse
and SIM missionary team in Liberia, the use of an experimental drug, and
the expertise and resources of the health care team at Emory University
Hospital, God saved my life – a direct answer to thousands and
thousands of prayers.
“I am incredibly thankful to all of those who
were involved in my care, from the first day of my illness all the way
up to today – the day of my release from Emory. If I tried to thank
everyone, I would undoubtedly forget many. But I would be remiss if I
did not say thank you to a few. I want to thank Samaritan’s Purse, who
has taken care of me and my family as though we were their own family.
Thank you to the Samaritan’s Purse and SIM Liberia community. You cared
for me and ministered to me during the most difficult experience of my
life, and you did so with the love and mercy of Jesus Christ.
“Thank you to Emory University Hospital and
especially to the medical staff in the isolation unit. You treated me
with such expertise, yet with such tenderness and compassion. For the
last three weeks you have been my friends and my family. And so many of
you ministered to me not only physically, but also spiritually, which
has been an important part of my recovery. I will never forget you and
all that you have done for me.
“And thank you to my family, my friends, my
church family and to all who lifted me up in prayer, asking for my
healing and recovery. Please do not stop praying for the people of
Liberia and West Africa, and for a quick end to this Ebola epidemic.
“My dear friend, Nancy Writebol, upon her
release from the hospital, wanted me to share her gratitude for all the
prayers on her behalf. As she walked out of her isolation room, all she
could say was, ‘To God be the glory.’ Nancy and David are now spending
some much needed time together.
“Thank you for your support through this
whole ordeal. My family and I will now be going away for a period of
time to reconnect, decompress and continue to recover physically and
emotionally. After I have recovered a little more and regained some of
my strength, we will look forward to sharing more of our story; but for
now, we need some time together after more than a month apart. We
appreciate having the opportunity to spend some time in private before
talking to some of you who have expressed an interest in hearing more of
our journey. Thank you for granting us that.
“Again, before we slip out, I want to express
my deep and sincere gratitude to Samaritan’s Purse, SIM, Emory and all
of the people involved in my treatment and care. Above all, I am forever
thankful to God for sparing my life and am glad for any attention my
sickness has attracted to the plight of West Africa in the midst of this
epidemic. Please continue to pray for Liberia and the people of West
Africa, and encourage those in positions of leadership and influence to
do everything possible to bring this Ebola outbreak to an end. Thank
you.”
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