Boy Declared Lifeless After Beach Drowning Comes Back to Life Following Family's Prayer

Levi Floyd and his family during a cherished Fourth of July vacation at Holden Beach, North Carolina, shortly before the miraculous events that would forever strengthen their faith. Image generated with AI. Screenshot from YouTube.

I just love stories of miracles, don't you? It encourages me so much to know that God still performs miracles today. I do not think we talk enough about these stories. Today, we have this miracle story of Lindsay and Jared Floyd and their son Levi.

Every year, Lindsay and Jared Floyd pack up their family and embark on a journey to Holden Beach, North Carolina, to celebrate the Fourth of July with their beloved cousin, Leah Snyder, and her family. This annual gathering holds a special place in their hearts; it has become the highlight of their year, a tradition that they anticipate and plan there year around. For as long as they can remember, the Fourth of July has been synonymous with joyful memories shared together on the beach, making it what they call their "Snyder-Floyd beach trips."

Levi Floyd enjoys a carefree day in the ocean at Holden Beach, North Carolina, shortly before a life-threatening accident that led to an extraordinary story of prayer, faith, and hope. Image generated with AI. Screenshot from YouTube.

On the final day of their 2019 vacation, twelve-year-old Levi Floyd splashed in the shallow waters alongside his cousin. The adults kept a watchful eye, enjoying the moments of laughter and play. However, in a heartbreaking instant, they noticed Levi’s body floating unnaturally on the surface of the water, motionless. Panic surged through the family as Jared, Levi's dad, swiftly made his way to Levi.

Jared recalls this moment: 

"I grabbed him as quickly as I could, but when I pulled him up, he just slipped under again. I flipped him over, and what I saw was terrifying, Levi was blue, his skin a deep purple, completely lifeless." 

Jared's heart raced as he described the horror of seeing his son in that state. 

"His eyes were bulging and bloodshot, and his pupils were fixed. It felt like an eternity, but maybe it was just a minute. He looked like he had been submerged for a week."

First responders and bystanders worked tirelessly to save Levi Floyd after a near-drowning accident at Holden Beach, while family members prayed and hoped for a miracle. Image from Adobe.

Leah, who was studying nursing, immediately leaped into action, rushing to the water’s edge. Her training kicked in as she began administering CPR, while the reality of the situation began to sink in with the rest of the family.  The family gathered around, hearts heavy with despair, praying fervently for a miracle. 

Leah recalls the details of that dreadful moment.

"You can tell instantly that it's bad. There was no life whatsoever; it was horrifying, He was gone; there was no pulse. I started rubbing Levi's feet and praying harder than I ever had in my life. I remember practically begging God. 

Leah cried out to Jesus, asking Him to have mercy on her family. She remembers looking at Levi and pleading with God. “God, don’t you remember the promises you’ve made to me? I’ve never needed you more. You give and take away, and I can’t do anything except ask you to change Your mind.”'

This moment in the story reminds me of this passage in Psalm 30:2

"Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me."

As the minutes drained away, two nurses who were also on the beach rushed to assist Leah. They joined Leah in trying to revive Levi, continuing CPR,  but hope seemed to be slipping away.

Leah recalls this moment:   

"He's never coming back. That’s absolutely what I thought. I really believed he was gone. We were alternating, pushing on his chest and giving breaths. It felt like an eternity."

As loved ones prayed and CPR continued, Lily Floyd began singing worship songs on the beach, creating a powerful moment of faith that her family would never forget. Image generated with AI. Screenshot from YouTube.

Suddenly, amidst the chaos and despair, a beautiful voice broke through, Levi's younger sister, Lily, began to sing. Her voice resonated across the beach, filling the space with the powerful chorus of "I'm gonna sing in the middle of the storm." The shaky but passionate Lily was creating a state of worship that felt electric; everyone could feel the presence of God!

Let me pause for a moment. In the middle of a crisis, we tend to lose control, we are run by our emotions, but what if instead we did what young Lily did and worshiped God?

Acts 16:25-26

"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God..."

Jared recalls that moment when Lilly started singing:

"I'll never forget that moment, I urged them to worship louder, to sing as powerfully as they could, and they all joined in, pouring their hearts into the chorus. That’s when everything changed. Then, we heard it 'He has a pulse! He has a pulse!'"

After Levi Floyd regained a pulse on the beach, paramedics rushed him to the hospital where family, doctors, and friends continued to pray for his recovery. Image from Adobe.

In that miraculous moment, what came to Jared’s mind was a simple but heartfelt declaration: "He’s Yours, God; forever and always, he's Yours." Even though Levi remained unconscious, the paramedics arrived and immediately transported him to the hospital which was a 45 minute drive.

Upon arrival at the hospital, the doctor met with Lindsay and Jared, expressed the severity of Levi’s condition. "We’re not out of the woods yet," he cautioned them. "This situation can worsen before it improves because of the saltwater and everything else he has going on." 

Against all odds, Levi Floyd regained consciousness in the hospital after a near-drowning accident, giving his family renewed hope and gratitude for answered prayers. Screenshot from YouTube.

Jared and Lindsay stood by Levi's side. Lindsay laid her hands on Levi, feeling helpless yet peaceful, and they began to pray together fervently, holding onto hope. To their astonishment, the doctor at New Hanover Hospital stood up and joined them in prayer, pleading the blood of Jesus over their son with sincerity and earnestness.

In the midst of the chaos and uncertainty, they held onto hope even though the doctors had warned that Levi might suffer brain damage from the extended lack of oxygen. 

Just when their hearts felt they might lose all hope, another answered prayer occurred: as the medical staff carefully lifted Levi from the transport bed to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) bed, he suddenly stirred. "He was my Levi, articulate and exactly as I remembered him," Jared said, his voice filled with relief and joy as he witnessed his son come back to consciousness. 

Following his remarkable recovery, Levi Floyd and his family continued to share their testimony of faith, gratitude, and the power of prayer that carried them through their darkest moment. Screenshot from YouTube.

Levi made a full recovery, with no side effects. This was truly a miracle! In closing, I will leave you with this verse which I feel sums up this beautiful story.

Matthew 19:26

"With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."