Heaven Sent: Part II‘Why did you bring me back?’

Christian Aldrich, 8, was riding his snowmachine near Soapstone Road Nov. 13, 2010, when he collided with a truck. The vehicle came to rest with its left rear wheel on the boy’s chest, which collapsed his lungs and stopped his heart.

His father, Jim Aldrich, used his vehicle with a boom and winch to lift the truck straight up and off his son so paramedics could extricate Christian and begin CPR. The boy had no pulse and was not breathing for about 40 minutes before paramedics restored his heartbeat.

Christian was airlifted to Anchorage, where doctors at Providence Alaska Medical Center told parents Jim and Amber Aldrich that his injuries were so severe he likely wouldn’t live through the night.

But Christian survived, and after four days in a coma, he regained consciousness and began telling his family and doctors about what he experienced during the days when he was unconscious.

When he regained consciousness, Christian began describing a series of recollections about what happened during that transition period.

“I remember the stairs were just super beautiful,” Christian said April 22 in an interview at the Palmer Pentecostal Church where the family attends.

Christian told his father Jim about sitting in Jesus’ lap and about telling Jesus he was going to go downstairs now.

“He woke up once and was angry. ‘Why did you bring me back?’” Jim said.

Christian said he’s still upset he’s not in heaven.

Once he jolted awake and asked, “Am I at home?”

“No honey. You are in the hospital,” his mother Amber said.

“No, am I home on earth, or in heaven?” he asked.

Then he grabbed her, “Why did you take me away from Jesus?” Christian turned away and wouldn’t even look at his mother for a while.

Another time he woke up yelling, “I’m dead. I’m dead. Please pull me out,” Amber said.

He also has described watching a man smack his chest, flashing lights and people standing in the road. “I saw Daddy and his big truck and he was pulling the other truck,” Christian said.

He still has new memories returning. Two weeks ago he told his mother that he remembers coming downstairs.

“What’s upstairs?” she asked.

“God,” Christian answered.

He described glowing white stairs with rubies and diamonds, and says he had a strong impression of his brother Jason holding his hand, helping him down the stairs. Jason was 18 when he died of an unexplained heart attack seven weeks before Christian was born.

“Did he talk to you?” Amber asked.

“He said he’d see me again someday.”

Jim said the whole experience has profoundly affected the family.

As an innocent 8-year-old child, his father says he has no doubt the boy’s stories are true and that he is just relating what happened to him.

“It confirmed for us that there is something after death for believers,” Jim said.

Every day is Thanksgiving

The Aldrich family said they have two reasons for sharing their story: to say thank you and because they say they believe telling the story is part of what God intended when he healed Christian.

“I’d like very much to tell everyone thank you,” Amber said. “The love was felt and the prayers were answered. Thank you to the doctors, nurses and emergency services crews. In my heart they are all heroes.”

His neurologist and cardiologist both say Christian has made a full recovery, Amber said.

“The doctors themselves have all told me that they are absolutely amazed at his recovery,” she said.

The Aldrich family also credits God and the thousands of people across the nation who were praying for Christian.

“It was felt and the prayers were heard and answered,” Amber said.

On Thanksgiving, Christian was still in the hospital, so the family brought the meal to him. It’s also memorable as the day Christian was moved out of ICU. And the day Coal, a companion dog, came to visit.

“When they brought the dog in, that little boy lit up like a Christmas tree,” Amber said. “That was the happiest Thanksgiving. What more could we have asked for on Thanksgiving Day? Of course, every day is Thanksgiving now.”

Christian left the hospital Thursday, Dec. 2, and Sunday, Dec. 5 he was in the front row at church in his wheelchair with his tambourine.

The last piece of the puzzle

The severe injuries to his leg are the last pieces of the puzzle, Amber said.

Christian has had five surgeries, so far, to complete a skin graft, bone graft and it may be he will need another surgery for a second bone graft.

For now, he uses a walker to get around and can put a little weight on the leg.

His mother is teaching him at home while he recovers.

Christian said the hardest part is not being able to do all the things he is used to doing — like tae kwon do classes, horseback riding, fishing, riding bikes and shooting his bow.

“There is no doubt at all in my heart, my baby was in Jesus’ arms and Jesus gave him back to us,” Amber said.

Visit the family’s online journal at caringbridge.org/visit/christianaldrich.

Contact Heather A. Resz at 352-2268 or heather.resz@frontiersman.com.

Part I of Heaven Sent: http://www.frontiersman.com/articles/2011/04/24/local_news/doc4db3ad155ebdb311835116.txt