15-year-old recovering from shooting gets early Christmas present from local church

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Sunday, the joyful sounds of Christmas could be heard throughout Bread of Life World Outreach Ministries church. Pastor Zanthia Turner told the congregation, they have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season.

No one is more thankful that Patrice Leonard. Her 15-year-old son Christian Savage joined her Sunday for a special blessing at the church. This comes after Christian spent 108 days in the hospital fighting for his life after he was shot while playing video games in his family’s apartment earlier this year.

“Some nights I would just turn to the window and look out and just pray because I didn’t know what tomorrow would be,” Leonard said.

Even though Christian is now blind in one eye and suffering from a traumatic brain injury, his recovery has been nothing short of a miracle.

“The doctors said he would never walk. He walks. thank God for letting him survive first of all, but life has been different,” Patrice said.

The church wanted to help in the healing process. The congregation teamed up with others in the community to give Christian and his family a Christmas they won’t soon forget. They presented him with a check of $1,500.

“We’re just glad to be a part of this to bring hope and you know it’s Christmas and Christmas is all about hope and joy and love and here at Bread of Life we’re going to do just that,” Pastor Turner said.

As this family continues to fight through adversity, they know this gift from the church is a blessing. That’s why they continue to live by faith knowing, as the scripture says, “every good and perfect gift is from above”.

“I just thank God for all that he is doing for us. I told God I don’t know why we’re on this journey, but we are here to ride it out,” Patrice said.

The family also received a gift card from Queen Ester’s Closet. Artist Ahmad Austin painted a picture for Christian of this favorite athlete Kevin Durant.

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