All he could do is turn the wheel.

It was just a screeching sound, and it was over.

A car lost control, crossed the median,

and slammed into a mini van, which

was carrying a family of five.

In the van were Pastor Raul de la Matta, his wife Elizabeth,

and their three children.

I was just so disturbed by the sight in my eyes.

And the first thing I did was cry out to the Lord

for his help.

Elizabeth and the younger children

had minor injuries, while their teenage daughter

suffered some broken bones but would recover.

Raul, on the other hand, was airlifted to Loyola hospital

in critical condition.

They said, I'm sorry.

Your husband is between life and death.

I felt helpless.

Raul suffered multiple fractures

in his arm, femur, and pelvis.

But the doctor's main concern was keeping him alive.

His blood pressure was at critical levels,

a sign there was internal bleeding.

Doctor Michael Stover was his lead orthopedic surgeon.

When you have injuries to your pelvis,

especially in a car accident, that's

kind of a marker for other organs to be injured.

After hours of searching, doctors

found a vein in his pelvis that had been severed.

They stop the bleeding and waited for him to stabilize.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth called on their church to pray.

They were praying for life.

That he not die, that he live.

That he'd be able to walk.

That he be able to continue preaching.

It was hours before Elizabeth was

allowed to see her husband, who was

in and out of consciousness.

I was devastated with the sight that I saw.

I couldn't recognize him, at all.

I held my tears, and I wanted to be his strong wife.

And I told him, Honey, we are all OK.

We love you.

We're praying for you.

And you're going to get through this.

And you're strong.

You're a conqueror.

Prayer continued throughout the night.

And by morning, Raul had stabilized.

Doctors began repairing the fractures

and searching for signs of internal damage.

Elizabeth remembers getting the news.

No internal organs were punctured.

When the doctor told me that, he said it's just broken bones.

We can work with broken bones.

That, for me, was very peaceful.

And I said thank you, Lord, because you've

heard our prayers.

But Raul still faced a long, hard recovery.

In the span of seven days, he went

through numerous reconstructive surgeries.

Afterwards, he woke up, and was coherent for the first time

since the accident.

Dr. Stover came in.

All I remember him saying is, you were involved

in a very severe car accident.

And you're not going to be able to walk for at least two years.

It felt like I put all my dreams in a firecracker

and they just blew up.

Literally I said, what am I going to do with my life?

Not to be able to stand up, not to be

able to play with my children, not to be able to play tennis

with my son.

It felt hopeless.

It felt like either the Lord does something or that's it,

my story's done.

Raul, his family, and others prayed

as he began a rigorous physical therapy.

It was such a hard process to see him go through that.

But he was very strong, and he decided to get better.

Raul progressed faster than anyone expected.

Then, after only 11 months of therapy,

he was back on his feet.

From the walker to the crutches.

From the crutches to the cane.

Then from the cane to holding on to someone.

And then I was finally able to walk.

Not two years, as the doctors had said.

Today, Raul walks without any issues.

And when he and Elizabeth aren't Pastoring their church

in Illinois, they're traveling the world sharing their story.

It doesn't matter how dark the situation looks,

the love and the light of Jesus will pull you through.

Cry out to God, our Savior, and he will help us.

He will help you.

And he will meet you at your situation.