The Miraculous Recovery of Ryan Corbin, Grandson of Pat and Shirley Boone

Dan Wooding : Sep 30, 2010 : ASSIST News Service

"He was in such critical condition that they couldn't even scan his brain. But what I heard inside of me was: 'To live and not die; to declare the glory of God' and that was more real to me and I had a real peace and I never shed a tear. I never felt fear. It's what you call 'The presence of God' being with you.'"

(Beverly Hills, Ca.)—Tuesday, June 19, 2001, was the worst day in the lives of veteran American entertainer Pat Boone and his wife, Shirley, for it was then that they received the shocking news that their eldest grandson, Ryan Corbin, then 25 years old, had fallen through a skylight on the roof of the condo where he was living in Southern California, and came extremely close to losing his life.

His skull was crushed as he fell three stories to a cement floor. Many thought he would never awaken from the deep coma of his mind. Then, there was the dreaded fear that he would survive at best in a vegetative state.

But then, the ASSIST News Service, and many other media outlets and individuals, including veteran TV host, Larry King, launched prayer campaigns for Ryan, whose mother is Lindy Boone Michaels, one of the four Boone daughters.

While on a Larry King show, Pat Boone and Lindy, talked about Ryan's recovery, healing and wellness as though it had already taken place and Pat shared with the Jewish host about the "power of prayer and faith."

Ryan's grandmother Shirley Boone, has been at his side from day one and so it was no surprise to spot Shirley, who was attending the 12th Annual Media Fellowship Praise Brunch at the historic Beverly Hills Hotel last Saturday (September 25, 2010,) along with Pat, sporting a huge badge with Ryan's picture on it.

So I sat down with Shirley, the daughter of country music great Red Foley and his wife, singer Judy Martin, for a rare interview about how Ryan is doing today and she began by saying, "We are now into our tenth year since the accident after which the doctors told us that Ryan wouldn't live and if he did, he'd be a 'vegetable', but I am glad to report that he's far from that.

Pat Boone and Ryan "He's improving slowly and we really appreciate the prayers of everybody because we know that's why he is coming back."

I then asked Shirley, who married Pat Boone back in 1953, how she first heard about Ryan's dreadful accident.

She said, "His roommates called me and asked me to meet them at the hospital but they didn't tell me what was wrong with him. When I got there, I saw the paramedics and, as I got out of the car, I said to them, 'I think you just took my grandson in' and one of them said, 'Lady, don't get your hopes up.

"Well you don't take my 'hope 'away and so I went inside and a roommate told me how serious it was, but then, the emergency room doctors came out and started to tell me everything that was wrong with Ryan.

"They said that his spleen had ruptured his lungs which had then collapsed and they couldn't stop the bleeding. It took 36 pints of blood to keep him alive. He was in such critical condition that they couldn't even scan his brain. But what I heard inside of me was: 'To live and not die; to declare the glory of God' and that was more real to me and I had a real peace and I never shed a tear. I never felt fear. It's what you call 'The presence of God being with you.'"

Was she angry at God?

"Never, never," she said firmly. "I know God doesn't waste anything. 'All things work together for good' and we all go through trials and tribulations in our lives."

Shirley then spoke about Ryan's present condition. "He's getting his sense of humor back," she said as a huge smile lit up her face. "He's wonderful and his personality is coming back and we are seeing more of the old Ryan every day.

"He was in a coma for six months and he didn't speak for fifteen months as he had a tracheotomy, a feeding tube and pumps, shunts and all of that was coming out of his body. Now, he's learning to walk and he wants to get out of his wheelchair. Another good sign is that he is now feeding himself, where before he couldn't even do that."

Click on the link provided to read more of this interview, including questions regarding the Boone's marriage.

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