Podcast Summary: The Truth with Lisa Boothe – Dr. Marc Siegel on ‘The Miracles Among Us’

Podcast: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show – The Truth with Lisa Boothe
Date: November 25, 2025
Host: Lisa Boothe
Guest: Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News medical analyst, physician, and NYU Langone professor
Main Topic: Exploring faith, healing, and medical miracles as chronicled in Dr. Siegel's new book, The Miracles Among Us

Episode Overview

This deeply personal and reflective episode dives into Dr. Marc Siegel’s new book, The Miracles Among Us, just in time for the holidays. Using gripping real-life cases—including miraculous recoveries, near-death experiences, and stories of faith’s role in healing—Lisa and Dr. Siegel discuss what constitutes a “miracle” in modern medicine, how families and faith influence outcomes, and why some recoveries defy medical explanation. The conversation also touches on Dr. Siegel’s criteria for choosing the stories, his views on integrating spirituality in practice, and memorable high-profile stories from his career and the wider world.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Story of John Smith and Defining Miracles (04:07–08:59)

• Lisa introduces the inspiration for the episode: the miraculous recovery of 14-year-old John Smith who revived after being pulseless for nearly an hour following a drowning accident—featured both in Dr. Siegel’s book and the movie “Breakthrough.”
• Dr. Siegel explains his process in selecting and investigating miraculous stories, emphasizing the importance of verification and multiple perspectives (medical, spiritual, eyewitness).

Notable Points:

• The rescue: An emergency responder is mysteriously guided by a voice to the boy’s location (“Go 15ft to the right”), though the supposed speaker was not at the scene.
• Medically, John Smith remained pulseless for 45–55 minutes—far longer than what science supports for recovery.
• His mother’s unwavering prayer—refusing to let doctors stop resuscitative efforts—coincided with his sudden return of pulse.

“There’s just no other explanation for this story than divine intervention, which is not to say that all the stories in my book are like that…but you can’t fathom this story without bringing God in.”
— Dr. Marc Siegel (08:48)

2. The Intersection of Faith and Medicine (09:25–11:19)

• Lisa asks how medical professionals reconcile rigorous science with stories that appear miraculous.
• Dr. Siegel argues for a holistic view: that spirituality and scientific protocols can coexist, and most doctors privately hold religious or spiritual beliefs.
• He shares concern that ignoring this balance can lead to a “god complex” or premature decisions regarding end-of-life care.

“You can’t look inside the body … without believing it’s divine. I mean, it’s so incredibly sophisticated, just living one day.”
— Dr. Marc Siegel (10:30)

3. Choosing Which Stories to Feature (11:19–13:04)

• Dr. Siegel describes a dual process: evaluating if a story presents cumulative miracles and whether it withstands verification.
• Editors pushed for clear definitions of “the miracle” per chapter, but Siegel preferred a more nuanced, narrative buildup.
• Cases with questionable sources or unverifiable claims were excluded, highlighting his commitment to credibility.

4. Patterns in Miraculous Recoveries: Family, Faith, and Community (17:16–18:43)

• Lisa asks about common threads among survivors.
• Dr. Siegel identifies:
  • Undying family support, particularly parental love
  • Deep faith and belief in the spiritual destiny of loved ones
  • Spiritual communities often rallying around individuals

“There’s a commonality…parents are involved with an undying love and a great faith and belief in the spirituality of their children.”
— Dr. Marc Siegel (19:20)

5. The Power of Will to Survive (19:40–21:36)

• Personal will is cited as a scientifically and spiritually meaningful factor in survival.
• Dr. Siegel relates it to personal observations (his centenarian parents) and studies on shared fate among long-married couples.

“Your will to live is the predominant issue of how long you survive. It’s connected to prayer, it’s connected to faith, it’s connected to being uplifted.”
— Dr. Marc Siegel (20:39)

6. High-Profile Cases: Brett and Amy Baier’s Son, Shannon Bream, and Damar Hamlin (21:36–29:03)

a. Brett & Amy Baier’s Son, Paul: Miraculous Series of Heart Surgeries

• A by-chance diagnosis by an off-duty doctor led to life-saving intervention for their infant; ongoing parental presence, faith, and intuition threads through the story.
• Paul “outgrows” surgical implants, requiring multiple heart operations, and is now thriving.

b. Shannon Bream: Personal Health Struggles

• Suffered from severe, undiagnosed dry eye syndrome which caused significant depression; eventually found relief, another example of hidden struggles and medical breakthrough.

c. Damar Hamlin: Cardiac Arrest on the NFL Field

• Exclusive insight: The system that saved him was rehearsed after the team physician, Leslie Bisson, encountered a previous sports accident. Routine emergency drills directly contributed to Hamlin's survival.
• Defibrillation and CPR began within one minute, a critical window for outcome.
• Recovery was gradual but complete, highlighting preparation, teamwork, and perhaps fate.

“That’s how miracles work, Lisa. They’re not always directly connected.”
— Dr. Marc Siegel (27:04)

7. Dr. Siegel’s Personal Reflections: Writing the Book (32:31–34:17)

• He shares the joy and learning from weaving narrative nonfiction—interviewing a wide range of people, structuring stories for immediacy, and balancing his own experiences with those of others.
• The book includes a special section of healing prayers, connecting faith and medicine for readers.

Notable Quotes

• Dr. Marc Siegel (on faith and medical practice):
  “Most doctors are religious, 70%, and most believe in miracles…by not giving up and acknowledging what they learned in medical school, that we all have a spiritual reality.” (10:10)

• On parents’ role in recovery:
  “With parents…they’re involved with an undying love and a great faith and belief in the spirituality of their children.” (19:20)

• On persistence and humility in medicine:
  “We have to…keep in mind God’s will and God’s presence, because it makes us humbler and it makes us cherish life more.” (11:04)

• Lisa Boothe (on hidden struggles):
  “If you watched Brett on air every day and Shannon, you would have never had any idea…just goes to show that, you know, we’ve all got things that we’re dealing with in our lives.” (24:43)

Memorable Moments & Timestamps

• Lisa’s emotional connection to 'Breakthrough' (John Smith's story): 04:07–04:49
• The mysterious “voice” guiding the rescue: 07:00–07:52
• Dr. Siegel’s reflection on the mother’s prayer and John Smith’s revival: 08:32–08:59
• Discussion of spiritual reality in anatomy and medical training: 10:10–10:30
• Family support and faith as recurring elements: 18:43–19:20
• Damar Hamlin’s “hidden miracle” behind his on-field survival: 25:20–29:03
• Book-writing techniques and the “present tense” immediacy tip: 34:00–34:17

Tone and Language

Throughout the episode, Lisa Boothe and Dr. Siegel maintain a sincere, compassionate, and curious tone. Their conversation is punctuated by honest reflection, occasional humor, and mutual respect. The language is accessible, combining medical insight with layperson terms and personal anecdotes.

Summary

Perfect for listeners interested in faith, the mysteries of medical recovery, and the human stories that defy explanation, this episode presents a heartfelt, interdisciplinary look at “miracles” today. Dr. Marc Siegel’s stories, carefully chosen and deeply vetted, demonstrate the power of belief, family, and persistence in the face of overwhelming odds—reminding us that sometimes, what seems impossible is simply unexplainable by science alone.
Recommended for anyone seeking inspiration, reflection, or a fresh perspective on life and healing.

For full context and more stories, listen to the complete episode, or find Dr. Siegel’s book, The Miracles Among Us.