It Was Supposed to Be an Ordinary Baptism — Until Our Baby’s Heart Stopped (3 of 3)

I felt my knees give. My husband grabbed my elbow, holding me up. My mind was spinning so fast I could barely form a thought. “What do you mean it stopped?” I heard myself shouting. “He’s breathing! He’s moving!”

Father Callahan shook his head, trembling now. “I’ve been doing this forty years,” he said hoarsely. “I’ve never felt—” He stopped, unable or unwilling to finish.

Then, in front of everyone, he pressed two fingers to our baby’s neck, closed his eyes, and began to pray. The words tumbled out in a desperate rush, Latin syllables spilling into the silent church. My baby’s hand stayed on his chest, serene as ever. For one impossible moment, I thought the world had split open.

And then our son opened his eyes and smiled.