Paralyzed at Thirteen: Finding God in the Darkness | Ep. 54

Summary

The Miracle Files — Ep. 54: "Paralyzed at Thirteen: Finding God in the Darkness"

Podcast: The Miracle Files
Host: Radio America
Episode: Paralyzed at Thirteen: Finding God in the Darkness
Date: December 15, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this deeply moving episode, sisters Emily Jones and Holly Worthington share the remarkable story of Holden Jorgensen: a young man who, after a paralyzing injury at thirteen, experienced both the depths of despair and the heights of miraculous recovery. Holden’s account is one of hope, struggle, perseverance, faith, and ultimate triumph—not only in walking again, but in finding greater meaning through suffering. The episode explores themes of resilience, spiritual healing, the limits of medical science, and personal transformation.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Accident and Initial Diagnosis

• The Injury (03:23–05:15):
  • During a middle school football game, 13-year-old Holden felt his life shift in a heartbeat:
    • "I remember that feeling of waking up on the sidelines just completely alone and completely numb. And it was really, really an eerie feeling. Like all I felt was my upper half." — Holden Jorgensen (03:23)
  • Doctors diagnosed him with a spinal cord injury at T10 and additional breaks at L3–L5—complete paralysis from the waist down.
  • Multiple professionals told Holden, “It’ll be a great life, but it’ll be life in a wheelchair.” (05:21)

2. Struggles with Rehab and Loneliness

• Rehab Realities (06:29–07:36):
  • Rehab was distinct from physical therapy; it was about "learning to function in your new life."
  • Even basic tasks were enormous challenges; e.g., sneezing and falling out of his wheelchair.
  • The emotional toll was heightened by isolation and a sense of abandonment from friends.
• Darkest Moments and God’s Voice (08:32–09:56):
  • At his lowest, after repeated falls and overwhelming pain, Holden questioned God:
    • “Why would he have put me in this situation that he knew I couldn’t handle?” — Holden Jorgensen (08:32)
  • At this nadir, Holden recalls:
    • “It wasn’t like a voice… but it was words that I really felt…‘You are my son, and I need you to go through this to become who I need you to be.’” (09:56)

3. Choosing Hope and Relentless Effort

• Determined Attempts to Walk (10:17–11:38):
  • Equipped with crutches and braces, Holden began teaching himself to "walk" in a new way, enduring countless falls—(e.g., he once fell 83 times in one day).
  • Despite professional skepticism (“You have to get this out of your head. You’re not going to walk…You’re going to hurt yourself and you’re going to waste your parents’ money.” — Mayo Clinic doctor, 11:11), Holden persisted.

4. Return to School and New Perspective

• Empathy and Emotional Healing (12:43–14:05):
  • Back in school, Holden saw that all peers have struggles—some invisible:
    • “Everyone will face some form of, for lack of a better term, like their own paralysis.” — Holden Jorgensen (13:19)
  • He became more compassionate, recognizing emotional battles others faced, and sought to help classmates.

5. Medical Breakthrough and Real Recovery

• A Second Chance: Neuroworks Clinic (14:05–18:26):
  • Three years post-injury, a nurse recommended Neuroworks, a unique rehab clinic led by Dale Hull, another paralysis survivor.
  • For the first time, therapists told Holden: “There’s hope.” (15:41)
  • Technological therapy (EMG bikes and electrode stimulation) led to a breakthrough: a faint twitch in his hip flexor.
  • Over months, Holden learned to mentally control and contract individual muscle groups, eventually walking without crutches or braces:
    • “After three long years in a wheelchair, Holden did something that his doctors never thought possible. He took one small, shaky step.” — Emily Jones (18:05)
    • "I'm able to walk.” — Holden Jorgensen (18:20)
  • Remarkably, Holden never regained sensation below T10—he moves by commanding “numb” muscles.

6. Becoming a Firefighter — and Moving Mountains

• Passing the Firefighter Test (19:30–21:16):
  • Holden set his sights on becoming a firefighter, a profession demanding peak physical ability:
    • “It’s a super, super physical profession…so I didn’t even apply until I knew I could do it.” — Holden Jorgensen (20:25)
  • He passed all physical tests with flying colors, astonishing himself and others.
• Defining the Miracle (21:16–22:05):
  • “The only explanation that makes sense and feels good in my heart is that…this is really just God’s plan. And…I have no other word to describe what has happened in my life other than a miracle.” — Holden Jorgensen (21:16)

7. Life Beyond the Diagnosis

• Ongoing Health and Adaptation (22:05–22:42):
  • Holden is technically still a paraplegic, with numb legs and a need to check them for injury.
• Personal Fulfillment (22:42–23:28):
  • Holden’s greatest achievement was not becoming a firefighter, but building a family and finding inner peace.
  • “Before my legs healed, I felt that healing in my own heart and in my soul. And to me, that is the greatest miracle.” — Holden Jorgensen (23:30)

8. A Full-Circle Moment

• Helping Others (25:09–25:57):
  • As a firefighter, Holden once transported a patient to the same ER where he was taken after his injury—a moment of “coming full circle.”
• Physical Feats (26:19–27:30):
  • Holden’s resilience:
    • “I trained for a marathon…I ran 22 miles on my own… I just deadlifted 500 pounds.” — Holden Jorgensen (26:19, 26:31, 26:37)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Early Numbness:
  • “I remember waking up on the sidelines just completely alone and numb. And it was an eerie feeling.” — Holden Jorgensen (03:23)
• Hopelessness and God’s Message:
  • “Why would He have put me in this situation that He knew I couldn't handle?...I remember…‘You are my son, and I need you to go through this to become who I need you to be.’” — Holden Jorgensen (08:32–09:56)
• Breakthrough at Neuroworks:
  • “They…looked at me and said, you know, there’s hope.” — Holden Jorgensen (15:41)
• The Mind–Body Connection:
  • “I don’t feel my legs…I’m able to do those things better than I used to. It used to be very robotic.” — Holden Jorgensen (18:54)
• The Miracle Defined:
  • “I have no other word to describe what has happened in my life other than a miracle.” — Holden Jorgensen (21:16)
• Spiritual Healing:
  • “Before my legs healed, I felt that healing in my own heart and in my soul. And to me, that is the greatest miracle.” — Holden Jorgensen (23:30)
• Physical Achievements:
  • “I ran 22 miles on my own...I just deadlifted 500 pounds.” — Holden Jorgensen (26:19, 26:31, 26:37)
  • Hosts' reactions:
    • “He basically ran a full marathon and deadlifted 500 pounds. Do you know how much weight that is?” — Holly Worthington (26:50)

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Important Timestamps

• Injury and Diagnosis: 03:23–05:15
• Lowest Moment and God’s Message: 08:32–09:56
• Determined Effort to Walk Again: 10:17–11:38
• Empathy and New Perspective in School: 12:43–14:05
• Neuroworks Breakthrough: 15:41–18:26
• Walking Again (Miracle): 18:05–18:26
• Firefighter Test and Success: 19:30–21:16
• Spiritual Realization: 23:28–24:47
• Full-Circle ER Moment: 25:30–25:57
• Physical Feats (Marathon, Deadlift): 26:19–27:30

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Tone and Language

Throughout the episode, the tone is warm, sincere, and deeply empathetic. The hosts maintain a conversational style rich in emotional resonance, emphasizing hope, faith, and personal transformation. Holden’s voice is earnest and candid; his humility, humor, and determination are palpable. The hosts, Emily and Holly, balance awe and relatability, providing context, encouragement, and heartfelt responses to each stage of Holden’s journey.

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Conclusion

Holden Jorgensen’s story is a testament to the human spirit’s resilience, the mysterious nature of miracles, and the quiet power of faith. After suffering a devastating injury, enduring years of hopelessness and physical limitation, Holden’s journey—through persistent effort, family support, and divine intervention—culminated not just in the improbable act of walking, but in a life of service, empathy, and renewed joy. As both a survivor and a rescuer, Holden’s story brings the episode full circle—reminding listeners that, even in our darkest seasons, miracles are possible and that the most profound healing often begins within.

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Transcript

[Holly Worthington]

This episode is made possible by angel studios. Go to angel.com Miracle Files to show your support.

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[Emily Jones]

Holden could feel his chest and his arms, but from the waist down, nothing.

[Holden Jorgensen]

I remember waking up on the sidelines just completely alone and really an eerie feeling, like all I felt was my upper half.

[Emily Jones]

He saw stars, he threw up, and then he passed out. This is the Miracle Files. I'm Emily Jones.

[Holly Worthington]

And I'm Holly Worthington. We're two sisters who love a captivating true story. But we're also seeking more light in our lives.

[Emily Jones]

So we're on a mission to find and share unforgettable, uplifting stories of God's miracles. We hope you'll join us on this journey.

[Holly Worthington]

Welcome back to the Miracle Files. Before we dive in, if you haven't already, please take a quick moment to subscribe and leave us a review. It truly keeps our podcast growing and we're so grateful for every single one of them.

[Emily Jones]

It helps us so much. So thank you guys. And today we have a story you are not going to forget. I heard this story from my friend Cora, who knew this guy in high school. His name is Holden. And as soon as she told me, I asked for his number and I called him up like that day. This is such a cool story.

[Holly Worthington]

Yeah. When you first told me about it, I could not believe it. I was like, what? This cannot be real. Anyway, such a cool story. So let's get to it.

[Emily Jones]

Let's jump in. It was the day of the test to become a firefighter. It would be a grueling physical test involving challenges like stair climbing, hose dragging, ladder raising, forcible entry, carrying heavy equipment, just to name a few. And here Holden stood. He had a secret. A secret no one here knew about. A secret that could prevent him from ever becoming a firefighter. But our story starts long before this day. It starts back on a Saturday in Wyoming. It was the middle of a football game. Holden Jorgensen was 13 years old, playing linebacker for his middle school team. He remembers the first few plays, remembers breaking through the line and making a tackle. And then nothing. The next thing he knew, he was lying alone on the sidelines. The game was still going. The crowd was still cheering. Maybe everyone thought he would just get up and be fine. But he didn't. He couldn't. His body felt all wrong. Holden could feel his chest and his arms. But from the waist down, nothing. Just a terrifying stillness.

[Holden Jorgensen]

I remember that feeling of waking up on the sidelines just completely alone and completely numb. And it was really, really an eerie feeling. Like all I felt was my upper half.

[Emily Jones]

He craned his neck to look at his legs. Not even sure they were still there. Then the pain in his back hit blinding white hot. He saw Star. He threw up. And then he passed out. When Holden woke again, it was in a hospital bed. As his eyes began to focus, the room felt too quiet. His parents faces looked too sad. The doctor's expression was too serious. Holden could feel the weight of what wasn't being said long before the words came out. The official diagnosis was a spinal cord injury at T10 breaks from L3 to L5 as well. Holden was now paralyzed from the waist down. No feeling, no movement. It felt as if the lower half of his body had simply disappeared. Imagine for a moment being holden, an active 13 year old boy. Before this day, he'd enjoyed hiking and fishing. He ran track and played football. Everything in his life was wrapped around the outdoors and motion. And in what felt like a millisecond, one rough tackle, a single football game, it was all taken away.

[Holden Jorgensen]

I remember not really all the way comprehending like I had had some injuries before that. I mean every, every little boy I think, breaks some bones and some scrapes and bruises and stuff. And I just was kind of operating under the idea that things were gonna work out fine because they always did before.

[Emily Jones]

Holden looked to the doctors to give him hope. Instead, the opposite happened.

[Holden Jorgensen]

I had doctors walk in and tell me it'll be a great life, but it'll be life in a wheelchair.

[Emily Jones]

Holden heard that phrase again and again from multiple doctors. It was as if they had practiced saying it in medical school. But even after hearing the words over and over, Holden still refused to believe his future was in a wheelchair. At least for the first month or so. As Holden lay in his hospital bed, his future slipping out of reach, his father poured out his heart to God in prayer, pleading for a miracle, calling on the powers of heaven. He promised Holden that with God's help, someday Holden would walk again. But as Holden stared at his paralyzed legs, he couldn't help but wonder how that would ever be possible. Holden spent three months in the hospital after the injury, longer than he ever wanted to be there. When he was finally Discharged, it wasn't to go home, but to live in a rehab facility hours away, trying to learn how to function in a body that no longer worked the way he remembered.

[Holden Jorgensen]

Kind of over time, it dawned on me that, like, wow, this. This actually is really serious. And I. I actually might not heal from that one. And I really remember that shift happening when once I ended up in rehab because, like, I'd done physical therapy before I had messed up my knee and broken an arm. And I remember the difference of being in rehab as opposed to therapy. It was like therapy. You go with. With the anticipation of, like, you're gonna walk in, they're gonna work their magic, do some voodoo, and you're gonna be okay, right? Like, they're gonna get you back to where you were. And rehab, nobody has that anticipation at all. It is like, we're gonna make you different, and we're gonna learn how to function in your new life. That really hit me hard.

[Emily Jones]

Holden had lost function in his lower abs, so he couldn't even hold up his core enough to brush his teeth without falling over. Everything was a struggle.

[Holden Jorgensen]

I remember sneezing in the wheelchair and, like, just plopping over, and my back hurt like crazy. So sneezes were, like, the worst time of my. Of my day.

[Emily Jones]

Yet as hard as the physical pain was, what was even harder was the loneliness Holden felt. Holden thought he had friends. He thought they would come visit, but most didn't. Not because they didn't care, but because. But because they didn't know what to do. Holden was 13, trapped in a wheelchair, miles from home while the world kept turning without him. He did have one friend who would come and visit sometimes. The rest seemed to have forgotten him altogether. Holden's mom and dad made the drive to visit him as often as they could, but they had other children to care for, and the financial burden was enormous. Meanwhile, alone and discouraged, Holden felt hopelessness overtaking his heart. He remembered his father's prayer that he would walk again, but felt as though God hadn't listened. As the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months, something inside him broke.

[Holden Jorgensen]

I remember finishing up this day of rehab, and I had fallen over and over, and my body hurt. The stuff that I could feel, it hurt. And I remember trying to get back into my bed, so I lock in my wheelchair and trying to shift over, and my wheelchair kind of slipped out. And I remember hitting the ground and. And just laying on the floor. And I remember just, like, staring up at the ceiling in my room and was just thinking, you know, why? What if there is a loving heavenly Father, which is how he's described. It's like, why would he have put me, his. His son, in a wheelchair? Why? Why would he have put me in this situation that he knew I couldn't handle? That was my perspective, at least at the time. Why would he have taken my life? Everything that I loved was gone. And I remember kind of staring at my legs, and they had atrophied, so they were all kind of shrunken and shriveled. And I remember it wasn't like a voice, but. Or anything that I've kind of heard people describe, but it was words that I really felt. I remember the words, you are my son, and I need you to go through this to become who I need you to be.

[Emily Jones]

These words penetrated through the gloom in Holden's heart. He'd felt like everyone had abandoned him, including God. But at that moment, he knew the truth. He was cherished and loved by God, and he had never been left alone. And after that, Holden decided he would do everything he could to stand again.

[Holden Jorgensen]

I ended up getting these hip, knee, ankle, foot orthotics and forearm crutches that we just bought. And I'm very fortunate that I have a wonderful family that kind of helped encourage me during these things. So I got these crutches and leg braces and just kind of went for it on my own. And I fell over and over and over and over again. Eventually, I got to a point where I learned how to be up. Like, I would kind of brace myself with my crutches, then move myself with my upper body. And the leg braces would keep them stiff, so it was like using tree trunks kind of to just. To just be a brace there. And then I'd walk with my upper body. I remember one day when I was trying to go back to school, I fell 83 times. I, like, tallied it up just because that's. That's how my brain works.

[Emily Jones]

Holden fell and got up so many times that he eventually got stress fractures in his forearms.

[Holden Jorgensen]

I remember one guy, he was from the Mayo Clinic, he was like, you have to get this out of your head. You're not going to walk. That's not what happens when you have this kind of injury. You're going to hurt your body. And I remember I was with my mom, and he's like, you're going to hurt yourself and you're going to waste your parents money. I remember kind of thinking about that for a while. I was like, you know what? Screw that. I'm going to figure this out.

[Holly Worthington]

Hey, guys, we have to just take a minute to tell you about this incredible show we've been watching called Miracle from Angel Studios.

[Emily Jones]

Yes. Miracle is amazing. You're going to love it.

[Holly Worthington]

So good. I've been binge watching it with Blake and every episode is about miracles that defies science and reason. And they even have a couple on the show who are scientists who study how prayer impacts medical outcomes. It's so fascinating, so cool.

[Emily Jones]

I love it. And it's so very faith promoting. It's so thought provoking. Plus, at the end of each episode, there's a song that's performed by popular Christian artists that just kind of perfectly wraps up the whole miracle.

[Holly Worthington]

Phil Wickham. It's one of my favorites.

[Emily Jones]

Yes. Yeah. Gives me chills.

[Holly Worthington]

It gives me chills too, so don't miss out. Join the angel guild at angel.com forward/miracle files to stream Miracle, the new series from Angel Studios. Unlock all eight episodes and be part of a movement celebrating faith and Miracles.

[Emily Jones]

That's Angel.com Miracle Files. Seriously, guys, go check it out. And thank you so much for supporting Angel Studios, whose partnership helps bring you this podcast.

[Holly Worthington]

And now back to our story.

[Emily Jones]

Back in school, after five months in rehab, Holden returned in a wheelchair. The stairs in the hallway were uncomfortable and embarrassing at the same time. Something had shifted inside of him. He began to see with eyes that he'd never seen with before, where he'd once expected to see all his friends happy and having the time of their lives in school, Holden realized that was an illusion. He had spent months with very physically challenged individuals in rehab. And yet Holden began to realize that the hardest battles aren't always the physical ones.

[Holden Jorgensen]

And all of a sudden, I'm back with all these people that I used to know and that were my buddies. I was just around people that are super ill, kids that are facing the worst of the worst. And at the rehab center, there were really old people that were like, knocking on heaven's door type of thing. And I went to school with anticipation of, like, these kids have everything now. They should all be so happy. And I remember walking in and, well, rolling, rolling in and really realizing, you know, everybody has their thing. Everyone will face some form of, for lack of a better term, like their own paralysis. Right then, people were sad, maybe more sad than at the hospital. And I realized that, like, I, I was in a spot that I could help.

[Emily Jones]

Holden became a compassionate friend and positive role model for his fellow students. But his condition didn't improve. Like, he still Hoped it would. Three years went by. Holden split his time between his wheelchair and his wobbly, arduous leg braces. And then one day, Holden went in for an angiogram appointment to map out the blood flow in his spine. At that appointment, doctors got an even clearer picture of what had happened to Holden in that football game years before, when Holden had been crushed and folded in half by opposing players and an artery and a vein in his spinal cord were severed. As his body tried to heal, those vessels reconnected incorrectly, forming a spinal arteriovenous fistula. Blood flowed in but couldn't escape, slowly suffocating part of his spinal cord over time. But it wasn't the angiogram that changed Holden's story. It was what happened at the end of his appointment when a nurse leaned over and spoke a name to Holden he hadn't heard before. Neuroworks. The nurse suggested Holden check it out. It was a rehab clinic in Sandy, Utah, founded by a man who had once been completely paralyzed. That man, Dale Hull, had broken his neck in a trampoline accident. He had started in a puff and sip wheelchair and eventually learned to walk again. Now he helped others do the same. Anything was worth a try. So at 16 years of age, Holden lumbered into Neuroworks using braces and crutches. It wasn't pretty. He stumbled constantly, but he was determined.

[Holden Jorgensen]

I remember walking in there and kind of showing him what I could do, and it had my hopes risen and dashed so many times. I really kind of walked in, not sure what I was going to think. And they kind of saw what I had done on my own. And they were the first people that. They kind of looked at me and they said, you know, there's hope.

[Emily Jones]

Holden immediately moved in with a cousin to be near the clinic and started going every single day. One hour of therapy. Then he'd work on his own the rest of the day.

[Holden Jorgensen]

At Neuroworks, they put me on this EMG bike where they put electrodes on my major muscle groups and would hook me up to this bike. And then there was a computer that would sequence my muscle contractions. So, like, I had electrodes on my hip flexors and on my quads and on my hamstring and on my butt. And this computer would sequence it so I would be pedaling this bike.

[Emily Jones]

One day, after hours on the bike, Holden rested his tired hand on his hip flexor and saw the strangest thing. Was his mind tricking him. He swore he saw it twitch. He froze, staring. He pressed in again, and it twitched Once more, his mind raced to make sense of it. Had he done that? How had that happened? But after a minute or two, he pressed in on his hip flexor, and nothing happened. He told himself it must have been involuntary, a random spasm, the kind paralyzed patients often get. But later that day at his cousin's house, something told him to try again. He pressed on his hip flexor once more, and this time, the muscle answered. A small, undeniable twitch. He couldn't feel it, but his own body responded for the first time in years.

[Holden Jorgensen]

Then I figured out that if I had my hand on my hip flexor, I could get it to twitch like it wasn't a contraction, but I could get it to kind of shake. So I took that back to my therapist, and they were like, okay, we can run with that. Eventually, I figured out that if I had my hand on my hip flexor, I worked on it more, I could get it to fully contract. And then I went to each individual muscle group and kind of figured out that if I had my hand there, I could get that one to flex on its own. And then I learned how to do it without my hand.

[Emily Jones]

After months of therapy and learning how to retrain his muscles after three long years in a wheelchair, Holden did something that his doctors never thought possible. He took one small, shaky step.

[Holden Jorgensen]

And then I learned how to sequence those muscle contractions. So I'm able to walk.

[Emily Jones]

You heard that, right? Holden could walk. No crutches or braces. Truly walk. The prayer his father had spoken in faith so long ago that God would help his son walk again was finally being fulfilled. He never regained sensation. He remained completely numb from T10 down. But he got to the point where he could somehow miraculously tell his muscles what to do and they would actually do it.

[Holden Jorgensen]

It's a huge mind game. And it was for a really, really long time. Like, I don't feel my legs. I feel like I'm just kind of hovering around. And that's why I think I've got to have a little bit of proprioception, because I. I'm able to do those things better than I used to. It used to be very robotic, but for a long time, it was a lot of, like, if I saw a rock that I needed to step over, I had to consciously make the decision to flex my hip flexor more to bring my leg up higher so I could step over it. So that's still how I work. It just. I've done it for long enough now that I don't have to think about it as much.

[Emily Jones]

Holden had literally seen God move mountains in his life. But Holden wasn't satisfied with just walking or riding a bike. He had another goal in mind that no one ever dreamed he would. He wanted to be a firefighter. Now, if you know anything about firefighters, they have to be in extremely good shape. They go through strenuous testing to even become firefighters. And then their job takes an immense toll on their bodies. How on earth would a paraplegic become a firefighter? There's no way that's possible, right? Well, here's where determination met faith. And here's where Holden stood ready to go through the firefighter physical test, nervous, hiding that secret that could be his undoing. He didn't tell anyone. He was technically paralyzed from the waist down. He wanted to prove himself capable first. He had trained for years, and this was his moment.

[Holden Jorgensen]

It's a super, super physical profession, and one that, like, people count on your body to work, right? So I didn't even apply until I knew I could do it. And then once I applied, I kind of just didn't particularly bring that information up.

[Emily Jones]

Holden had to walk. He had to run. He had to be able to lift the dead weight of another human if necessary. He had to climb ladders and perform all the responsibilities that a firefighter is required to do. And Holden Jorgensen passed every single test, not just without difficulty, but with flying colors. If you're like us, you're asking the question right now, how? How is that possible? And there seems to be only one explanation to that question.

[Holden Jorgensen]

Science says nerves are amitotic, so those cells don't divide at all. They become damaged or broken to a spot where they don't really heal. They don't really regrow. So my nerves were damaged. And I don't really know how things have gotten to where they are now. But it's a tricky thing for me to kind of describe because it's not like I earned anything. I mean, I put in a lot, but a lot of people do. The only explanation that makes sense and feels good in my heart is that, you know, that this is really just God's plan. And. I have no other word to describe what has happened in my life other than a miracle.

[Emily Jones]

And still, if you asked a doctor looking only at Holden scans, they'd say he's paralyzed.

[Holden Jorgensen]

I've been injured a few times. Like, I broke a tibia when I was trying to figure out how to walk and move. And I had no idea for, like, three weeks. So I check out my legs. Like, I got off shift this morning. And so when I got home, I went through and made sure I didn't have any blisters or sores or anything on my legs. It's all a little weird, but you can stretch someone else's leg and feel someone else's muscles, and you can kind of tell when things are messed up when they're not. And I check them out a lot.

[Emily Jones]

Holden has overcome odds that should be impossible to overcome. But becoming a firefighter wasn't even his greatest achievement. He fell in love, got married, and he and his wife, also a firefighter, now have a baby boy. Today, Holden doesn't like calling himself a paraplegic anymore, even though technically he is. The word doesn't quite fit the reality, but he also doesn't pretend it never happened. He still looks back at that moment when God came to him at his lowest of lows, lying there on the floor of a hospital, staring at the ceiling, broken, done. That moment, more than any therapy or brace or muscle twitch, changed his life.

[Holly Worthington]

Life.

[Holden Jorgensen]

So Christ with the man with the palsy is in my head a lot. And when I say the only way that I can describe what's happened in my life is a miracle, I think it really mirrors that story really well. Before Christ heals his infirmity, like his physical deformity, he tells him that his sins have been forgiven and that. And that he's been made whole. Of course, it was a physical miracle as well, but that is what I really feel, and that is something that's available to everybody. Like, my situation has been awesome, and I love it. But I. Before my legs healed, I felt that healing in my own heart and in my soul. And to me, that is the greatest miracle. You know, if I had been asked to stay in that wheelchair for the rest of my life, I got to a point where I really, truly believed that I would be okay with that. And life can be just as good, you know, and it's a different life, and there's. There's things that are. I don't know. As much as I hate that those. Those doctors that that saying was true, it kind of is. I mean, it completely is, really. I mean, the things that I value the very most in my life right now, I love my wife and I love my baby, and I love to be able to help people. You can do all those things.

[Emily Jones]

As a firefighter, Holden now steps into homes where people are having their very worst days. And he helps them and can sincerely tell them he's been there, too. And there is light on the other side of darkness, Holden's legs are still numb. But his life, it's full of meaning. And that is a miracle.

[Holly Worthington]

I think Holden is absolutely amazing. And I love stories of people who turn their pain into purpose and use that to bless others lives. And Holden sent us a text after he read this story, and he said, you guys made me sound way cooler than I am. And I was like, no, we didn't.

[Emily Jones]

No, we didn't. He is that cool.

[Holly Worthington]

He really is.

[Emily Jones]

He shared with us in his interview that, you know, as a firefighter, he's now able to rescue people, he's able to save lives. But the most powerful moment for him was when he took a patient to the very ER that he was taken to after he had his spinal injury. And it was just this full circle moment for him that, you know, he was able to do something for someone else that someone had done for him. I mean, he's been there, he's lived it.

[Holly Worthington]

Yeah.

[Emily Jones]

Yeah.

[Holly Worthington]

It's so true. I love that. And can we just talk about the fact that he didn't walk for three years? Three years he was in a wheelchair.

[Emily Jones]

Yeah. And he's been through hard things.

[Holly Worthington]

Firefighter. Do you know how freaking hard it is to become a fighter? Firefighter?

[Emily Jones]

It's crazy. It's insane that he's able to do that. He actually shared a sound bite with us that we have to share. Yeah. So cool.

[Holden Jorgensen]

I trained for a marathon. I. I had a friend pass away back home. So I didn't run in the actual race, but I ran 22 miles on my own.

[Holly Worthington]

Holy cow.

[Holden Jorgensen]

Not part of a race or anything. I just deadlifted £500.

[Emily Jones]

What?

[Holden Jorgensen]

Thank you. What? Yeah. That's been a big bucket list thing and I got it this year.

[Holly Worthington]

Holy cow.

[Emily Jones]

Holy cow, Right? I love it when you say that.

[Holly Worthington]

No, seriously, like, that's crazy. He basically ran a full marathon and deadlifted £500. Do you know how much weight that is?

[Emily Jones]

I know. Well, I went to a CrossFit class and I just lifted £100.

[Holden Jorgensen]

Yeah.

[Emily Jones]

And I herniated a disc in my back and I couldn't do any activity for like three months. I was in so much pain. And he lifted £500.

[Holly Worthington]

£500?

[Emily Jones]

Yeah. Crazy.

[Holly Worthington]

I can't believe it. And it's amazing how far he's come since he was in a wheelchair. Really could not walk. But I just have to add that I think it's incredible that he got to the point where he was happy even if he stayed in his wheelchair. For the rest of his life.

[Emily Jones]

Isn't that incredible? Yeah, it's amazing.

[Holly Worthington]

It really is.

[Emily Jones]

Well, we want to thank Holden for sharing this inspiring story with us. And if you haven't subscribed, make sure you do like and share and we'll see you next time.

[Holly Worthington]

See you then. Thank you for joining us. If you have a miracle to share, contact [e-mail] or find us on Facebook.

[Emily Jones]

We're now releasing multiple episodes each month, so subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and YouTube for amazing video content as well.

[Holly Worthington]

Join us next time as we discover more of God's miracles. And don't forget to look for his light in your own lives.

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[Emily Jones]

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[UnitedHealthcare Advertisement Voice]

Deborah had to have surgery.

[Emily Jones]

I had hip surgery in November of 2024.

[UnitedHealthcare Advertisement Voice]

Her UnitedHealth Care nurse Crystal checked on her.

[Holden Jorgensen]

We do a routine call after surgery and I could tell that she was struggling.

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Deborah needed help.

[Emily Jones]

My infection markers were through the roof.

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And Crystal knew what to do.

[Holly Worthington]

I called the hospital and said she's.

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Coming in and got Debra the help she needed.

[Holly Worthington]

Crystal and UnitedHealthcare saved my life.

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Hear more stories like Deborah's at uhc. Com. Benefits, features and or devices vary by plan. Area limitation and exclusions apply.