A Life-Changing Experience
Because of a horrific accident.
By Tek and Goldie Chong
Our church cell had a picnic/outing to a persimmon farm in Perth. There we met the farm manager Tony Ng.
Tony is a straight talker, tough and rough. He appeared stern and strict, a down to earth man who loves the good brown earth. He rode a small motorised machine. When we met him, he was busily directing the many cars which were visiting the farm. We saw that he was using a cane and limped. He told us he had a broken leg.
Tek said, “ you must have a screw inserted there.”
Surprised, he asked, “How do you know?”
Tek replied, “Because I am a doctor. How did you fracture your leg?”
“It was a miracle that I am alive.”
We sensed he must have an exciting story, so we prayed for him and requested he joins us for lunch to tell us more about his experience.
Tony was originally from Penang. He later worked on Christmas Island. From there, the whole family migrated to Australia. He works as a farm manager at W.S.O. Farm in Bedfordale, Perth. This is his story:
How it happened
On 6 Jan. 2021, while picking persimmons from a cherry picker, it toppled over, and from a height of six meters, I fell to the ground. A persimmon branch broke and stopped the impact of my fall. I don’t know how long I lay on the ground, but when I opened my eyes, instead of the ceiling ( I thought I was at home), I saw the sky and tree branches. Next thing I wondered was why my body was aching all over. It was then I realised where I was. I started to scream for help. Nobody came. I thought I would surely die. Then I saw my mobile beside me. I took it up and tried to use my left hand to press. How come my hand did not come? Then to my horror, I saw a bone protruding out of my arm. Using my right hand, I dialled a friend. No answer. I then called my boss. After five or six rings, finally he picked up his phone.
In the hospital
The ambulance came in 25 minutes. When I was lifted onto the stretcher, I was screaming in pain and fainted. We went to the nearest District Hospital, where the duty doctors opened a hole in my chest to suck out the blood. Another tube was inserted to supply me with oxygen. I was then transferred to Royal Perth Hospital in the city. It was already 2 or 3 am. The doctor asked my wife to sign some documents before anaesthetic to do some major emergency surgery. “He will likely wake up in ten days,” he warned.
Later I was told 80% of my ribs were broken; one rib punctured my lung, and it missed my heart by a few centimetres. Falling from six meters and landing on my back, I fractured my left arm and left leg. A tree branch broke my fall, and this saved me from severe head and spinal column injuries.
Drifting
My family and my church members prayed fervently, pleading for my life. In my coma, I heard their prayers—I drifted in and out of consciousness.
In two days, I woke up. I remember when I opened my eyes, I saw a man; I couldn’t recognise him. He asked, “do you know who I am? Let me pray for you.” He was my pastor Rev. Albert Chiew. I said amen to his prayer.
Although I was put on an intravenous pain drip machine, still I was in excruciating pain, especially at the site of my left rib case, where there were three fractured ribs. Any slight movement sent a sharp shooting pain to my whole body. When nurses tried to change my lying position, it was absolute torture.
I was drifting in and out of consciousness. At one moment, I was among the many blinking medical gadgets in the I.C.U. Ward and in the next moment, I was in a vast ocean with a dark shadow, a dark hole. Then I found myself surrounded by a very bright light. I became flooded with peace and joy. I have never been so happy. I didn’t know why I was so happy. Then I was back in the I.C.U. Ward, then back to the dark hole again.
At one moment, I was beside a freshly dug hole. A voice said, “look, this hole would have been your grave.” I trembled.
Next, I was again full of joy. I remembered the words, “even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil because you are with me, your rod and staff comfort me”.
I was back in the ward again. I could hear people praying for me. I joined in their prayers, begging God to save me, heal me. As I was praying in Chinese, a nurse walked past and asked, “are you OK?” I didn’t like her disturbing my prayer, so I continued to pray aloud in English. Hearing I was praying, she left.
In front of my eyes
In one of my praying sessions, an unusual thing happened. I saw a light resting on my broken left arm that was immobilised by a tight bandage. The light started from my elbow, then moved down my arm. My whole arm shone. I could feel strength coming into my limb. Slowly I could move my fingers then my hand. I knew God was healing me.
Although my body was in great pain, every move, every breath was excruciating, but a cheerful heart is good medicine. The hospital staff thought I was complaining, but actually, I was praying! When I prayed, my tears just flowed. I felt God was so good to me. I should have died, but He gave me a second chance. Every single day I give thanks to God.
P.S.: Tony had a quick recovery; after six weeks, he was discharged from the hospital and started to work on his farm. Since then, he has sought every opportunity to share his near-death miracle and testify to his transformed life.
