Latter-day Saint Life

"She’s Definitely a Miracle": LDS Family Shares Faith, Miracles 3 Years After High-Risk Fetal Surgery

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"Not only is her life a miracle, just everything that’s happened before then, we’ve had tender mercies that have nudged us along," Ariel Gilstrap said about her daughter Emma. 

Nearly 10 years ago, Mark Gilstrap walked the streets of Colorado with a name tag and a Book of Mormon in hand. Six years later, Gilstrap returned to his mission area with his pregnant wife hoping that a high-risk surgery could be performed successfully.

Now Gilstrap has returned again, this time walking the halls of that same hospital completing his residency at the Children's Hospital of Colorado.

Life wasn't so content just four years ago, however. Upon learning their first child Emma would be born with spina bifida, the Gilstraps' life became anything but normal. After that 20 week ultrasound, the Gilstraps consulted with doctors, flew to Colorado to complete a surgery and spent weeks in the hospital on bed rest.

Lead image from the Deseret News
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