The Day the Doctor Died
By Aubrey Beauchamp RN
Special to ASSIST News Service
Dr. Gerry Landry
SAN CLEMENTE, CA (ANS) -- It's my privilege to have known Dr. Gerry Landry and his wife, Denise, for many years while they served with Hospital Christian Fellowship in several capacities in different countries. Dr. Landry's world-wide ministry started after his recovery from a serious heart attack. This is his story:
"Tell Them About My Love"
By Gerard Landry M.D.
It happened on March 24, 1979. Caught for over an hour by an overwhelming fatigue and the unrelenting, vise-like grip of a crushing, nauseating pain in my chest, I gasped.
"Denise, this is serious! Pray!"
As a medical doctor, I'd seen these same agonizing symptoms many times before, and I knew what they meant - myocardial infarction! A massive heart attack.
Denise, my wife, began to pray while calling for an ambulance. Then she called Christian friends to pray. We committed the situation to Almighty God and asked Him to heal me. Immediately, in spite of the excruciating pain, a wave of peace washed over us both, the kind described in the Bible, '.the peace of God that passes all understanding.' Philippians 4:7. All I remember during the ride to the hospital was calling out the name of Jesus, over and over again.
A few years earlier, praying for God's help would have been last on my list of emergency procedures. I was a nominal Christian, devoted to my church, but praying for my patients was not part of my life. One day, when I witnessed a young couple pray for a patient of mine, I actually felt God's presence in the room and was strangely moved. They prayed as though God was their closest friend. I envied them. It started me on a journey, a search for a true, deep, personal relationship with God. Before long, I met Christians who taught and prayed for me to receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Jesus became real to me after that and the words of the Bible became alive!
But now, at 4pm, here I was in the hospital, at only 55 years of age with a massive heart attack in the same Emergency Room where I had treated hundreds of patients. The doctor in charge showed me my electrocardiogram. I had 'knocked out' my inferior coronary artery. The cold clamminess of my hands warned me of collapsing veins. Yet, the sweet presence of Jesus continued to enfold me with His peace.
Suddenly, when I could still hear my wife praying by my side, my heart stopped beating! I became acutely aware of my spirit separating from my body and I died - pronounced clinically dead at 4:13pm.
Instantly, I found myself in a place of dazzling beauty. Somehow, I could see with my spiritual eyes in all directions at once without turning my head. A multitude of radiantly beautiful, transparent people surrounded me, just like the apostle John recorded: . I beheld and lo, a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations, and kindred, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes with palms in their hands. (Revelation 7:9).
Each was dressed in a robe of purest white and carried a leafy crown. Together, we seemed to be floating above a calm and translucent sea of color .a sea of glass like unto crystal. (Revelation 4:6).
In spite of the crowd, I looked around and actually recognized some of my late relatives as well as some historical figures who had preceded me long ago. We were in the Eternal Now, without past or future and I was perfectly at ease, full of joy. Not an alien. I belonged here. This is more real than being on earth, I thought, I'm in Paradise!
I spoke to my heavenly companions, not in words, but by communicating my thoughts: "Who are you? What are you doing here?" The answer was instantaneous and in perfect harmony: "We are those who went on before you, and we welcome you here."
I could share not only their thoughts but also their feelings, all concentrated on the rapturous adoration of God and the inexpressible joy of welcoming yet another entrant into the heavenly realm. It was awesome! Wondrous!
Suddenly, a shaft of light pierced the crowd. In the center of the light, the Lord Jesus appeared to me, alive on the cross of Calvary, with the nails through His hands and feet, and the wound in His side. His face was bloody from the crown of thorns. How strange that I could see Him like that when I knew positively that He is risen from the dead and seated in heaven. .at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)
His first look was upwards, as towards the Father. Then, with eyes full of love and compassion, He glanced at me and called me by my first name. He said,
"Gerry, My peace be with you"
Oh, what a thrill! What ecstasy! Out of the billions He created, He still knows me by name! In that moment, for the first time, I understood the essence, the completeness, the fullness, of the love of God.
"Gerry," he said, "You are healed. You will have no more pain, no anxiety, no shame, no guilt. I want you to go back. You'll be home from the hospital in one week. I want you to tell your family, your friends, your fellowships, everyone whom I will put you in touch with, about My love."
Then He instructed me to study the gospel of John, the first two letters of John and all of Revelation. He said, "John is My friend. He knows all about My love. Go back?" I did not want to leave Him ever! But even as I protested that I did not want to return to earth, I sensed my spirit return to my body. According to the attending doctors I remained in ICU and, during the next ten hours, drifted in and out of a deep coma. At times, I was aware of other people but unable to respond except for one time when Denise came in. I awoke and wept when I told her I had seen the Lord Jesus face to face. "And Denise," I said. "He looks just like you and me - and He told me He loves. He loves!"
At 3:00am, on Sunday, March 25, 1979 I finally woke up completely. At that precise moment, a brother from our praying fellowship was awakened when God spoke to him, "He shall live and not die, for I shall raise him up to tell about My love."
Exactly as Jesus told me, one week later, I was home and, to the amazement of my physicians, completely healed. Soon after this, I received a letter from a Christian brother halfway around the world - an Arab pastor we had met in Israel. He had a vision of me appearing pale and sickly. At the precise time I was rushed to the ER, he was on his knees in intercessory prayer over 7,000 miles away!
Five weeks after returning home, I resumed my work as staff physician at the University of Texas Health Center in Tyler, Texas. There, I shared Jesus' love with many critically ill patents and their families. Also, just as He promised and because I was a medical doctor, God opened doors for me in many foreign countries to share my testimony of Heaven, and to speak with medical colleagues about the importance of caring for the whole person and sharing Gods love.
Since this experience, I can assure you that death holds no terror for those who trust in Jesus as Savior and believe that God, the Father, has raised Him from the dead. (Romans 19:9). At the moment of our death, we emerge from this body much as a butterfly from a cocoon, to soar into the presence of our Creator. Death and hell have no claim on us.
I thank God that He allowed me the privilege of seeing first-hand the reality of John 11:25-26 where Jesus says: ".I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whosoever lives and believes in Me will never die."
Post Script from Aubrey: On October 22, 2002, after 23 years of telling the world about God's love that surpasses our understanding, Gerry Landry returned to his heavenly home. This time he stayed.
By Aubrey Beauchamp RN
Special to ASSIST News Service
Dr. Gerry Landry
SAN CLEMENTE, CA (ANS) -- It's my privilege to have known Dr. Gerry Landry and his wife, Denise, for many years while they served with Hospital Christian Fellowship in several capacities in different countries. Dr. Landry's world-wide ministry started after his recovery from a serious heart attack. This is his story:
"Tell Them About My Love"
By Gerard Landry M.D.
It happened on March 24, 1979. Caught for over an hour by an overwhelming fatigue and the unrelenting, vise-like grip of a crushing, nauseating pain in my chest, I gasped.
"Denise, this is serious! Pray!"
As a medical doctor, I'd seen these same agonizing symptoms many times before, and I knew what they meant - myocardial infarction! A massive heart attack.
Denise, my wife, began to pray while calling for an ambulance. Then she called Christian friends to pray. We committed the situation to Almighty God and asked Him to heal me. Immediately, in spite of the excruciating pain, a wave of peace washed over us both, the kind described in the Bible, '.the peace of God that passes all understanding.' Philippians 4:7. All I remember during the ride to the hospital was calling out the name of Jesus, over and over again.
A few years earlier, praying for God's help would have been last on my list of emergency procedures. I was a nominal Christian, devoted to my church, but praying for my patients was not part of my life. One day, when I witnessed a young couple pray for a patient of mine, I actually felt God's presence in the room and was strangely moved. They prayed as though God was their closest friend. I envied them. It started me on a journey, a search for a true, deep, personal relationship with God. Before long, I met Christians who taught and prayed for me to receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Jesus became real to me after that and the words of the Bible became alive!
But now, at 4pm, here I was in the hospital, at only 55 years of age with a massive heart attack in the same Emergency Room where I had treated hundreds of patients. The doctor in charge showed me my electrocardiogram. I had 'knocked out' my inferior coronary artery. The cold clamminess of my hands warned me of collapsing veins. Yet, the sweet presence of Jesus continued to enfold me with His peace.
Suddenly, when I could still hear my wife praying by my side, my heart stopped beating! I became acutely aware of my spirit separating from my body and I died - pronounced clinically dead at 4:13pm.
Instantly, I found myself in a place of dazzling beauty. Somehow, I could see with my spiritual eyes in all directions at once without turning my head. A multitude of radiantly beautiful, transparent people surrounded me, just like the apostle John recorded: . I beheld and lo, a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations, and kindred, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes with palms in their hands. (Revelation 7:9).
Each was dressed in a robe of purest white and carried a leafy crown. Together, we seemed to be floating above a calm and translucent sea of color .a sea of glass like unto crystal. (Revelation 4:6).
In spite of the crowd, I looked around and actually recognized some of my late relatives as well as some historical figures who had preceded me long ago. We were in the Eternal Now, without past or future and I was perfectly at ease, full of joy. Not an alien. I belonged here. This is more real than being on earth, I thought, I'm in Paradise!
I spoke to my heavenly companions, not in words, but by communicating my thoughts: "Who are you? What are you doing here?" The answer was instantaneous and in perfect harmony: "We are those who went on before you, and we welcome you here."
I could share not only their thoughts but also their feelings, all concentrated on the rapturous adoration of God and the inexpressible joy of welcoming yet another entrant into the heavenly realm. It was awesome! Wondrous!
Suddenly, a shaft of light pierced the crowd. In the center of the light, the Lord Jesus appeared to me, alive on the cross of Calvary, with the nails through His hands and feet, and the wound in His side. His face was bloody from the crown of thorns. How strange that I could see Him like that when I knew positively that He is risen from the dead and seated in heaven. .at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)
His first look was upwards, as towards the Father. Then, with eyes full of love and compassion, He glanced at me and called me by my first name. He said,
"Gerry, My peace be with you"
Oh, what a thrill! What ecstasy! Out of the billions He created, He still knows me by name! In that moment, for the first time, I understood the essence, the completeness, the fullness, of the love of God.
"Gerry," he said, "You are healed. You will have no more pain, no anxiety, no shame, no guilt. I want you to go back. You'll be home from the hospital in one week. I want you to tell your family, your friends, your fellowships, everyone whom I will put you in touch with, about My love."
Then He instructed me to study the gospel of John, the first two letters of John and all of Revelation. He said, "John is My friend. He knows all about My love. Go back?" I did not want to leave Him ever! But even as I protested that I did not want to return to earth, I sensed my spirit return to my body. According to the attending doctors I remained in ICU and, during the next ten hours, drifted in and out of a deep coma. At times, I was aware of other people but unable to respond except for one time when Denise came in. I awoke and wept when I told her I had seen the Lord Jesus face to face. "And Denise," I said. "He looks just like you and me - and He told me He loves. He loves!"
At 3:00am, on Sunday, March 25, 1979 I finally woke up completely. At that precise moment, a brother from our praying fellowship was awakened when God spoke to him, "He shall live and not die, for I shall raise him up to tell about My love."
Exactly as Jesus told me, one week later, I was home and, to the amazement of my physicians, completely healed. Soon after this, I received a letter from a Christian brother halfway around the world - an Arab pastor we had met in Israel. He had a vision of me appearing pale and sickly. At the precise time I was rushed to the ER, he was on his knees in intercessory prayer over 7,000 miles away!
Five weeks after returning home, I resumed my work as staff physician at the University of Texas Health Center in Tyler, Texas. There, I shared Jesus' love with many critically ill patents and their families. Also, just as He promised and because I was a medical doctor, God opened doors for me in many foreign countries to share my testimony of Heaven, and to speak with medical colleagues about the importance of caring for the whole person and sharing Gods love.
Since this experience, I can assure you that death holds no terror for those who trust in Jesus as Savior and believe that God, the Father, has raised Him from the dead. (Romans 19:9). At the moment of our death, we emerge from this body much as a butterfly from a cocoon, to soar into the presence of our Creator. Death and hell have no claim on us.
I thank God that He allowed me the privilege of seeing first-hand the reality of John 11:25-26 where Jesus says: ".I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whosoever lives and believes in Me will never die."
Post Script from Aubrey: On October 22, 2002, after 23 years of telling the world about God's love that surpasses our understanding, Gerry Landry returned to his heavenly home. This time he stayed.
