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| The evangelistic newspaper of the modern Jesus Army | 2002 |
SYD MEETS HIS MATCH
Syd had led a life full of adventure but illness struck him suddenly
SYD HAD led his colourful life to the full. He was only 14 when he rode the Wall of Death on a motorbike. He stuck his head in a tiger's mouth in Chipperfield's Circus and was ripped down his back by a leopard.
He was a professional heavyweight wrestler for 11 years, spent three years in the police force and was on duty during the IRA bombings in the 70's.
Then he was told he had 48 hours to live.
Syd had seen the full tapestry of life but nothing could prepare him for what was to follow. He fell sick, getting progressively worse over a short period of time. Despite being a teetotaller he was diagnosed as having complete liver failure and his GP advised him not to make any plans for Christmas. The only halt to this disintegration would be death - or a donor liver.
Syd was rushed into hospital. The "harvesters" were notified there was a suitable liver ready for collection from Dublin and flew to get it - only to discover in the lab that the donor was a practical joker - and an alcoholic.
Syd was told he had 48 hours to live but at the last moment another liver was found and he was operated on immediately. He was on the operating table for 15 hours.
Finally, released from hospital, Syd suffered a complete relapse and stopped breathing for seven minutes.
"I was aware of an overwhelming inner peace and never wanted it to go. I floated down a warm line between heaven and earth; I could see light, hear laughter and general merriment, see the faces of loved ones - including my father who said 'no, not yet'."
Someone tapped Syd on the shoulder - a glorious figure with shafts of light coming from his eyes, who told him gently but authoritatively to return. Syd was convinced it was Jesus. Before he could protest, a sharp stabbing pain forced him back - two paramedics shocking him back to life.
In the ambulance Syd heard the paramedics tell each other "he's gone again". He had - for 9 minutes this time - but reluctantly returned, feeling cheated of the glories he'd seen.
Syd had always believed in a Superior Being, but said he would never believe in a personal God unless he met him - and he did, in the form of Jesus and in a way he could never have possibly anticipated doing.
Syd is now a Christian and has no shadow of a doubt that Jesus is the way.
 Syd later met a man in Outpatients who described how he had been clinically dead for 4 minutes. Syd was silent as he listened to a carbon-copy account of his own experience. The surgeon said the chances of both of them hallucinating on the same subject - whilst dead - was nil.
This article has been extracted from Streetpaper, published by Jesus Fellowship
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