Day in and day out, he lies in the bed still and stiff. He cannot move, he cannot speak and he cannot swallow. The only two things he has left are the abilities to breath and think. The pain is visible in his bright blue eyes. Like a baby crying for help, he is so helpless. His thick dark hair is still just as beautiful as ever, but now lies flat on his head with the lack of hair gel that used to spike it up to20perfectly sharp points. His face is now drawn and hollow, but his handsome features still break through. His smile, although not as strong, can still light up a room and give off the essence of genuine happiness regardless of his state. The strength that keeps him moving forward is in his soul; this man has the courage and motivation to beat all odds. His name is Steven Stein, and he is my father.

Some people have to face and overcome a life-altering health obstacle in their lives where they don’t know if they will survive, but my father has had two. He has already battled and defeated testicular cancer and is now in the process of fighting ALS, which is commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He started seeing the signs of this deteriorating disease about three years ago. It was at this time that he had noticed a limp in his walk and his right arm and hand were having functional problems. It progressively got worse. As time went on it began affecting all areas of his body and slowly shutting down his nervous system, which has prevented him from moving and speaking.

My father once was the epitome of perfect health. He had less than 2% body fat and was strictly lean muscle. He participated in triathlons, qualified for and attended world championship Ironman races and trained seven days a week. He was an exceptional athlete. The Ironman races that he competed in had a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike followed by a 26.2-mile run. At that time in his life, he never stopped moving.

His body has since transformed from that of a perfect athlete, to a skinny figure that simply consists of skin and bones. Before he got sick, he only used to eat healthy food like grilled meat and lean vegetables (with the occasional chocolate graham cracker snack) because he was so health conscious. Now, he has to be fed nutrients through a tube that was inserted in his stomach because he isn’t capable of swallowing anything on his own. He has also been put on a ventilator, which controls his breathing patterns and oxygen levels.

My father owned and ran his own cosmetic dentistry practice in which he worked sixty-hour weeks. His practice was one of the top successful practices on Long Island. He had a very artistic hand, and did delicate dentistry work everyday while creating new and beautiful smiles. He is an extremely intelligent man who has a lot to say and a lot to contribute to the world. That makes his situation all the more horrible because he is unable to fully express these ideas, and they all accumulate in his mind. It is frustrating for him, and it is frustrating for us as his family because we want to hear his thoughts and emotions again. Even though he is able to vaguely type them on his special computer, it is not the same as hearing the sound of his deep voice.

Right now, he is simply waiting for his miracle. After seeing all the best doctors in the United States we were given the worst answer that anyone would want to hear about someone they love; there is nothing they can do. It was at the lowest point that we found the light at the end of the tunnel. Through mutual friends, we were introduced to a woman named Jenny who is a psychic and does spiritual and energy healing. She was a gift from the heavens because she not only gave us hope because of her positive psychic visions, but also has definitely given signs of improvement in his mobility and overall physical state. She introduced us to a man named John of God, who is one of the most powerful energy healers in the world. My parents have traveled several times to see him in Brazil at what is known as “the casa”, and have stayed there for months at a time to be in his presence for guidance and healing.

My father has described the feeling, the best that he could. He explained how he is able to feel the spirits, known as “healing guides”, working on him at all times throughout the day. He can feel the heat and pressure in his body, and said that it is as though they are performing a physical operation without any incisions. This may sound completely irrational to most people, but it is with an open mind and an open heart that we embrace this chance for a miracle regardless of how the methods may appear to others.

Recently, a woman named Bianca has entered our lives and has created the most remarkable improvements. After working on my father a few times, we have begun witnessing God’s work through her hands. After not being able to move his muscles at all for the past few years, my father has moved his hand and lifted it off of the bed on his own. It was so amazing because my family and I saw the muscles in his arm moving and vibrating as if they were coming back to life. He is also now able to remain stable off of the ventilator for gradual increments of time. All of these positive enhancements are happening slowly but surely step by step.

My family and I are so grateful to everyone who has given us some of his or her love, support, positive energy and magic. We are especially thankful to Jenia, our personal living angel. Without her care, my father’s feet would not be as strongly planted on his road to a hopeful recovery. She is his guiding light. We are also so appreciative for all of his dedicated and warm-hearted nurses who always go above and beyond. Lastly, I can speak for my mother, my sister and myself when I say that we don’t know what we would do without the help and love from my wonderful boyfriend Adam. He has always stepped up when we needed him the most in every situation. Whether it is an actual emergency, being the man of the house while my father can’t be or simply being a pillar of strength who helps us all get through the emotional times.

Experiencing the struggle of a man’s life, especially one that I love more than anything else in this world, is something exponentially greater than anything else I have had to endure. This experience changes you as a person, teaches you lessons and builds your character. It strengthens your heart and heightens your faith. It alters your entire world by making you appreciate the little things in life. I will never be the same.

It is at times like these when people need to find their spiritual selves and be open to all types of beliefs. My family and I thrive on the hope and live each day on the possibility of tomorrow for him. After he gets through this second battle, he will come out as a newly revived human being. He will have a miraculous story filled with the doubt, hope, faith and courage of a man who never gave up. I know that he will come out on top, just as he always has. His inner strength will outweigh is current lack of physical strength, and he will accomplish the impossible. I believe.

Alicia Stein is from Long Island, NY. She is currently a student at Hofstra University studying Print Journalism. Writing is a passion of hers and is a way to open up her soul and share her thoughts, feelings and stories with others. Her father is a cancer survivor and is currently struggling with ALS. Her work is based on his inspirational story, and she hopes that it gives hope and faith to all who read it.