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Dead man wakes up in a body bag at funeral home
28 Feb 2014 at 21:34hrs | Views
A man declared dead by doctors later woke up in a body bag as he was about to be embalmed at a funeral home.
Walter Williams was pronounced dead by the coroner in Lexington, Mississippi, on Wednesday evening.
The 78-year-old was transferred to a funeral home where workers were preparing to embalm him when he started to move.
The manager of the funeral home said: "I've never experienced anything like it."
The coroner said he had checked Mr Williams' pulse at around 9pm and found no heartbeat.
He said he suspected his pacemaker had likely stopped for a brief period and then started up again.
His nephew Eddie Hester said: "I stood there and watched them put him in a body bag and zip it up.
"That was at 10:30pm, and at 2:30am, my cousin called me and said 'Not yet' and I said 'what do you mean not yet'."
"He said, 'Daddy still here'."
When Mr Williams, whose nickname is Snowball, began kicking his feet inside the body bag they quickly rushed him to hospital where he remains.
His family said he has told them he is "happy to be alive".
Mr Williams' daughter Martha Lewis said: "Seemed like he had more life in him again.
"And then we had just stopped talking, he told us 'what did you all stop talking for?' Hallelujah, thank you, Jesus."
"It was not my daddy's time.
"I don't know how much longer he's going to grace us and bless us with his presence, but hallelujah, we thank him right now."
Eddie added: "I don't know how long he's going to be here, but I know he's back right now and that's all that matters."
Byron Porter, of Porter and Sons Funeral Home, said it was the first time he had seen anything like it.
He said: "He was not dead. Long story short."
Holmes County Sheriff Willie March said: "I asked the coroner what happened, and the only thing he could say is that it's a miracle."
Williams had been a long time farmer and had worked for the local school board. He was described by his family as a "fighter".
The coroner could offer no medical explanation.
Walter Williams was pronounced dead by the coroner in Lexington, Mississippi, on Wednesday evening.
The 78-year-old was transferred to a funeral home where workers were preparing to embalm him when he started to move.
The manager of the funeral home said: "I've never experienced anything like it."
The coroner said he had checked Mr Williams' pulse at around 9pm and found no heartbeat.
He said he suspected his pacemaker had likely stopped for a brief period and then started up again.
His nephew Eddie Hester said: "I stood there and watched them put him in a body bag and zip it up.
"That was at 10:30pm, and at 2:30am, my cousin called me and said 'Not yet' and I said 'what do you mean not yet'."
"He said, 'Daddy still here'."
When Mr Williams, whose nickname is Snowball, began kicking his feet inside the body bag they quickly rushed him to hospital where he remains.
Mr Williams' daughter Martha Lewis said: "Seemed like he had more life in him again.
"And then we had just stopped talking, he told us 'what did you all stop talking for?' Hallelujah, thank you, Jesus."
"It was not my daddy's time.
"I don't know how much longer he's going to grace us and bless us with his presence, but hallelujah, we thank him right now."
Eddie added: "I don't know how long he's going to be here, but I know he's back right now and that's all that matters."
Byron Porter, of Porter and Sons Funeral Home, said it was the first time he had seen anything like it.
He said: "He was not dead. Long story short."
Holmes County Sheriff Willie March said: "I asked the coroner what happened, and the only thing he could say is that it's a miracle."
Williams had been a long time farmer and had worked for the local school board. He was described by his family as a "fighter".
The coroner could offer no medical explanation.
Source - Mirror
