Joyce, now 68, began praying loudly over her sons body. And she said, When you prayed for your son. . -FOX 11, Yes. They called me at 11:52 a.m. to tell me." After doctors attempted to revive him for 45 minutes, Joyce Smith, his Spirit-filled mother, was brought into the Emergency Room to say goodbye. Joyce wrote a book about her son John Smith's drowning and resurrection, titled The Impossible, which became the basis for the Breakthrough movie. How has it changed the whole family, even the people who have heard this story, to pray for bigger things? Doctor Garrett (Dennis Haysbert) tells the family this in the movie and it lines up with the Breakthrough true story. He is now 19 years old and since the movie "Breakthrough" was released in April 2019, several things have . "Usually you'd like it to be colder and you'd like the victim to be smaller actually," said Dr. Garrett, "because what you really need to have happen is for the brain to get cold before the blood flow stops to the brain. Were checking in with John Smith 5 years later about what life has been like since his story was told on the big screen. I know Hes had us for 33 years before we even had you, Im going to be okay. That sense of confidence, really, really inspires me to continue to grow in my faith. [Thats] Him just calling me to ministry,"John added. After being rescued from the frigid waters, John was rushed to a local hospital, where, with no pulse for. Now, still a teenager, at 19 years of age, Smith has embraced the platform God has given him and is excited about what the future has to hold. "It was one of my favorite scenes," Ruiz said. Viewers should be aware that this movie deals with adoption in extremely stereotypical ways. John Smith, 14, fell through the ice at Lake Sainte Louise, and was submerged for 15 minutes. Plus, there is a lot of newfound fame since the film. Chrissy Metz Says She Could Relate to Mom in Breakthrough Who Believes God Saved Her Dying Son. He has more than brainstem function, because he is looking around the room and he knows who people are. Motivational speaker Servant of Christ Husband to @abigail_elise_smith Father His mother, Joyce, played by Chrissy Metz from "This Is Us," prayed to God to bring back her son. So, when you start speaking the Scriptures, Satan stops hearing evil and starts hearing Gods voice. The faith-based feature film Breakthrough, now playing in theaters, tells the real-life story of John Smith, a 14-year-old who fell through the ice at a St. Charles, Mo.-area lake in January 2015, was deprived of oxygen for more than 15 minutes and had no pulse for nearly an hour.Despite enormous odds, the teen went on to make a full recovery in . John was 14 years old when the ice broke on the lake. When John Smith ( Marcel Ruiz ), the 14-year-old son of Joyce Smith ( Chrissy Metz ), falls through the ice on a frozen lake in Missouri . Now, still a teenager, at 19 years of age, Smith has embraced the platform God has given him and is excited about what the future has to hold. He's completely the same boy that he was before." Parent Movie Reviewby. Join Helping Hand of Home as we Breakthrough into 2022! Based on a book by Joyce Smith titled The Impossible, Breakthrough tells the true story of how Joyce's son, John Smith, fell through the ice and drowned, and was declared legally dead. What did John Smith look like in real life? After John succumbed to the frigid lake and drowned, his lifeless body was discovered on the rocky bottom. This is somewhat dramatized in the movie. Yes. It wasnt until the next day when we got together and one of the nurses said, Okay, I have to ask this question. Even a blackhearted heathen like myself would feel comfortable calling John's recovery "miraculous." John Smith's true story of drowning and his miraculous recovery is told in the new film "Breakthrough." Smith sits down with Encounter to talk about the mov. Born around 1580 in Willoughby, a town in Lincolnshire, England, Smith left home at age 16 after his father's death. This boy was our gift from God. Faith, prayer, community and the Holy Spirit. Suddenly, the ice cracked beneath them and the three boys plunged deep into the sub-zero water. Why Do Cross Country Runners Have Skinny Legs? ' he says. Example video title will go here for this video, Jan. 19 marks the 5-year anniversary since a St. Charles boy drowned and came back to life. Okay, the heartbeats just the beginning and were not giving up until this boy walks out. Five years ago today, John Smith fell through the ice on Lake Saint Louise in Lake St. Louis in 2015. Joyce, who had been adamant about saving John's life at all costs, suggests stopping treatment and bringing him out of the coma, stating that she is ready for whatever fate brings. John Smith (Ruiz) is a 14-year-old Guatemalan boy raised in Lake St. Louis, Missouri by his adoptive parents, Brian (Lucas) and Joyce Smith (Metz). He is now 19 years old and since the movie Breakthrough was released in April 2019, several things have changed for John. I mean they were starting an organ transplant. The lives people live, decisions they make, and things they accomplish are all woven into the tapestry of history and tell the story of the time period. The 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment film featuring Chrissy Metz, from "This Is Us," as his mother, is already on Digital and will be available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD July 16. "The only factors medically that were really in John's favor is that this was a cold-water drowning," said Dr. Jeremy Garrett (portrayed by Dennis Haysbert in the movie). Plus, John said he continues to share his story as an example of faith and Gods amazing power. And I think her belief is what God had grown and what shed been working on. He said that though the argument never happened, it did represent what they were going through as a church at that time. On my way to the hospital, I just started praying to God, You gave him to me. I just congratulate her on all the success she has had, he said. Box Office Preview", "Avengers: Endgame' Rests At $357M+ Opening Record; Eyes $33M+ Monday & Record $180M 2nd Frame; Weekend Biz Hits $401M+ High", "Oscar Nominations 2020: Elton John and Randy Newman Up for Best Original Song, Beyonc and Thom Yorke Shut Out", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Breakthrough_(2019_film)&oldid=1141694745, Chrissy Metz, for her role as Joyce Smith. Meet the miracle survivor whose story is being told in the new movie 'Breakthrough'. Cast John Smith was a slender and muscular young man who had fair skin, shoulder-length light blond hair with fringes on each side, and blue eyes. However, his religion is never discussed in the book. Youll even find a tiki bar. A 19-year-old Princess Diana looking like she would like to be elsewhere in 1980. Thats extraordinary faith that your mother had. -USA Today. He just woke up, eyes open. I don't wanna die!'" Joyce: Ill preface this with Ive prayed for more people who have died than have lived. Friends gathered at the hospital to pray for John. This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 09:22. Garrett agrees. But instead of saying goodbye, the Holy Spirit rose up in her giving her the boldness to ask God to bring him back. John Smith, 18, fell into a frozen lake in St Charles, Missouri, in January 2015 and was underwater for 15 minutes First responders tried to revive him for nearly 45 minutes, but were. First is the cultural status of John Smith as a placeholder name. John and Smith together form a name often used to refer to an archetypal everyman. (Another example, of course, is John Doe.). John's friend Joshua Sander managed to pull himself out. When Joyce Smith's 14-year-old adopted son John fell through an icy lake in Missouri one winter morning three years ago, if could have been a tragic ending to a life cut short. Breakthrough centers around the true story of teenager John Smith, a young man from St. Charles, Missouri. This film is emotionally-charged and inspirational. He recovered only after his mother, Joyce Smith depicted on the big screen by Chrissy Metz of "This Is Us" fame prayed. Watch Can You Keep a Secret? It's a site that collects all the most frequently asked questions and answers, so you don't have to spend hours on searching anywhere else. This week, the unbelievable, miraculous story of John Smith, a boy who died and was prayed back to life, will be shared with millions throughout the world in the film Breakthrough spearheaded by Hollywood producer and minister DeVon Franklin and starring Chrissy Metz, Josh Lucas, and Topher Grace. I just had no doubt that God was going to bring him back. So that was around 11:30 a.m. Watch it here. Tommy pulled John to the surface. Though his heartbeat had returned, John only had brainstem function and his blood oxygen levels were critical. The website's critics consensus reads, "Like its lead character, Breakthrough is fiercely focused on faith but its less subtle elements are balanced by strong performances and an uplifting story. www.people.com He had been declared dead, after failed attempts of Dr. Kent Sutterer and his medical team to revive John. Maddy Martin as Abby Sutterer, Kent Sutterer's daughter and John's love interest. 95,557 Views | 2:24 | Uploaded on Dec 05, 2018. "I'm thinking to myself, 'They're wrong. It was "a feeling as though someone were next to him guiding him." On Jan. 19, 2015, Smith, then 14, was playing with two friends out on the frozen Lake Sainte Louise in St. Charles, Mo., when they fell through thin ice into the frigid water below. "Breakthrough" tells the true story of one of the most miraculous recoveries ever. "[I was] constantly fighting God and Him just saying, 'Keep listening to Me, just pay attention, just walk where I need you to walk.' The image was published on Smiths map of New England, which was created in 1616 after Smith explored New England for the first time. "And really he used it in his way to save other people, not just the three of us." Thanks to the Acting. John said he became friends with Metz during filming and they keep in touch. He proposed to his high school sweetheart, Abby, at Christian High School in OFallon, Missouri. Smith, along with his mother, Joyce Smith, were keynote speakers at the 59th Annual Minnesota Prayer Breakfast on April 25. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! After John is transferred and placed in a medically-induced coma, Garrett warns his parents that he has little hope for John's recovery, and that if John were to pull through, he would likely live in a persistent vegetative state. Though they are loving and supportive, John struggles with feelings of abandonment from his birth parents, and rebels against his parents and teachers. But up here in Minnesota, Im pretty incognito, he said. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. I believe God can do what He says He can do. Best described as Cirque meets The Passion,The Thorn is an immersive show that has played more than 25 years on, Bestselling author Karen Kingsbury, along with her son, Tyler Russell, have adapted the novel,A Thousand Tomorrows, into a six-episodeseries from, Jesus Revolution takes in $15.5 million in the domestic box office debut and completely out performs the originally projected $7. In 2015, 14-year-old John Smith fell through an icy lake and seemingly drowned. It recounts the seemingly miraculous survival of John Smith, a 14-year-old boy who fell through ice on a frigid lake in January 2015. We talked with Smith about his story being told on the big screen, his relationship with his family, and navigating this situation in the most formative years of life. The book is called The Impossible, right? ", Murdaugh Murders Timeline: Investigations, Deaths and the Collapse of a Powerful South Carolina Family, 8-Year-Old Arkansas Boy Raises More Than $65K for His Favorite Waffle House Waiter, Who Walks Miles to Work, Bryan Kohberger Decries 'Pervasive and Grotesquely Twisted Nature' of Idaho Murders Coverage in Court Document, Family Discovers Kentucky Vacation Rental House Has Secret Underground Bunker and Was Site of Grisly Murder, Lindsay Clancy: Timeline of Events in the Case of Massachusetts Mom Accused of Killing Her 3 Children, Fiance of Slain Orlando TV Reporter Plans to Have His Baby After Harvesting His Sperm Post-Mortem. "It was as if the Holy Spirit walked through the door and started John's heart back up,"Sutterer said. Could not be more proud and grateful for the incredible cast and crew", "Major Movie Shoot (And Luke Cage) In Winnipeg This Week", "Portage is Again Playing Host to Hollywood Cameras", "Lowest Easter Weekend At The B.O. 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved My parents are older, so I think, When I leave for college, are they going to be well enough that they dont need me? But mom has always came back with, We are going to be okay, Im not worried. You cant be taking him away from me. [citation needed], Breakthrough was released in the United States by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (through their subsidiary 20th Century Fox) on April 17, 2019; it is also the first film from Fox under the ownership of The Walt Disney Company after its acquisition of 21st Century Fox on March 20, 2019. .switcher .option::-webkit-scrollbar {width:5px;} "That was the day my life completely changed and it was never the same after that," John said. Immediately, John's heart started beating. No. Okay, lets look at these dates. She goes, I have to know because I know if this is Gods miracle, theres Gods numbers on it.. .switcher a:hover img {opacity:1;} Breakthrough is a biographical Christian drama about a boy who made a miraculous recovery after falling into an icy lake. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. In the winter of 2015, the lakes of Missouri had been frozen over, leaving frigidly cold water underneath the thin ice. Joan Jett, a musician in her 40s, made a name for herself in the 1970s as a pioneering figure in the world of rock music. King World Productions Inc. 2023 Inside Edition Inc. and CBS interactive Inc., Paramount companies. He plans attend North Central University Minneapolis. She said, I love you, and I said, I love you too, Mom, and I hung up. Yes. John: Regarding my family, its brought everybody closer. So Joyce Smith (Chrissy Metz) repeatedly tells her moody 14-year-old son, John (Marcel Ruiz). Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The phone call Joyce Smith received on Jan. 19, 2015 was every mother's . . This is Us star Chrissy Metz felt drawn to play Joyce Smith in the new movie Breakthrough. Four years later, the story of his recovery after his heart stopped beating for 43 minutes was been made into a movie, "Breakthrough." Here is a look back at our original reporting on that story. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Producer DeVon Franklin helped the Smith family find a literary agent and then develop the book in a film after it was published. John Smith was playing on the frozen Lake Sainte Louise in St Charles, Missouri, with two friends in January 2015. Something we didnt find out until after we had written the book was that the charge nurse there, said, When you walked into the room there was something else that walked into the room with you. The real John Smith was a short, bearded, brown-haired man and the relationship between him and Pocahontas was most likely just one of friendship. first assistant hair stylist They were preparing to give another kid his heart. But belief, and thats by studying Gods promises, being in His Word, and I think these miracles are available to anyone who will really get in and run after it. As for John, he hopes to one day become a pastor. Josh Rieger's sister Jamie called 911, and the manager of a nearby apartment complex took over the call. ", "My life flashing before my eyes," he said. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. We went in and prayed like crazy. "It gave me goosebumps." Im talking about reading Gods Scriptures and knowing His promises and His truth through them. "It's almost unbelievable. Written by Heather Thompson April 15, 2019. I was getting irritated at the doctors because they werent on the same page as me. No heart tones. He didnt even take the wheelchair. I mean, it was perfect. A few days later he is discharged from the hospital, returning home and then back to school. You know, God is restoring everything back to this child,'" recalls his mother, Joyce.John was released from the hospital on February 4th, 16 days after rescuer Tommy Shine pulled him up from the bottom of the icy lake. Legal Statement. Inside Edition's Megan Alexander spoke to the real John, who still can't believe he's alive. .switcher .option::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb {border-radius:5px;-webkit-box-shadow: inset 0 0 3px rgba(0,0,0,.3);background-color:#888;}. It is the studio's first feature film after the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney. Travis Bryant as Jonah, one of Johns friends. 150-Year-Old Bible Survives Church Fire Unscathed, Bibles, Crosses Miraculously Survive Church Fire Untouched, Mom Gives Kidney to 8-Year-Old Girl She Met at Vacation Bible School. There he sees Tommy Shine, and thanks him for saving his life. Yes. Boy, 7, 'Fighting with Everything He Has' After Crash Killed Father and Twin Brother, Mom Says, Bharti Shahani, 22, on a Ventilator and Declared Brain Dead from Injury at Astroworld Festival, Elite Runner Who Had a Heart Attack During Marathon Kept Alive by Spectators: 'They Saved My Life', Chrissy Metz Is a Grieving Mother in Emotional 'Breakthrough' Trailer, 3-Year-Old Girl Whose Heart Stopped Beating for 12 Minutes After Drowning in Pool Survives: 'She Was Without Life,' Says Her Mother. I know that you have five. One is, but the other two arent. This image of Smith couldnt be further from the truth. The chart-topping single features vocals from Justin Bieber and Danish singer M although they are nowhere on sight in the video. The other boy, Joshua Rieger, was trying to get out by pushing onto the ice and pulling himself, but the ice kept breaking. A Home Office source said: 'We obviously couldn't sustain these numbers of people coming in. All rights reserved. Early Life and Military Exploits. The real Pastor Jason Noble admitted that this scene is fictional. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? It was then that she began to pray out loud desperately. John was right on the edge of the ice shelf. Market data provided by Factset. [Photo via 20th Century Fox] After time and a lot of prayer and mentoring, I eventually saw that God is the only way to get through something like this., In the years since, Smith has traveled around the country to speak to young people and plans to attend a Christian college in Minnesota in the fall, but hes also a typical high schooler, adds the teen, who also coaches youth basketball. "Doctors told us that John wasn't going to live through the night," says Joyce Smith. As John fights for his life, his mother, Joyce, endures a test of faith as she hopes for God to restore h. Joyce Smith prayed over her son's body after he had been lifeless for an hourand his heart started beating again. Now, John Smith. Celebs Wiki John Smith fans also viewed: Pawel Lewicki John plans to pursue a life in the ministry while also coaching basketball. John Smith was an English explorer, soldier and writer best known for his role in establishing the first permanent English colony in the New World at Jamestown, Virginia. Our Breakthrough fact check confirms that John Smith was under water for approximately 15 minutes before rescuers, including Tommy Shine, found him on the rocky bottom of the lake and pulled him to the surface. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. -NBC News. Lifeless for 45 minutes. .switcher a {text-decoration:none;display:block;font-size:12pt;-webkit-box-sizing:content-box;-moz-box-sizing:content-box;box-sizing:content-box;} Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. It stars Chrissy Metz, Josh Lucas, Topher Grace, Mike Colter, Marcel Ruiz, Sam Trammel, and Dennis Haysbert with a cameo by Phil Wickham and Lecrae. Ill take care of this. Now, I didnt know what Ive got this meant, other was I just knew that He wasnt going to take John. Joyce is concerned about her increasingly uncommunicative teen and then the unthinkable happens - he falls through the lake ice and drowns. And then finally, after I started to realize that the earthly idols that I have been chasing are coming to an end, it's time to be chasing toward the heavenly gold, John told the Christian Post. EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie. But then something remarkable happened: He woke up. As for Breakthrough, even more success was recently announced for the film. Streaming Online | Hulu (Free Trial). [19] In its second weekend the film fell 39% to $6.8 million, finishing fourth. [11] The film garnered a nomination at the 92nd Academy Awards for Best Original Song.[12]. John knows God has a purpose for saving his life and he wants to share the message of God's. When 14 yr. old John Smith drowns in an awful accident on a lake, his mother believes that a miracle is coming for him in spite of impossible odds. That was the day my life completely changed and it was never the same after that, John said.