Ten years after tragic ATV accident
It’s been 10 years since Christian Mayberry suffered severe head injuries in a tragic ATV accident that nearly claimed his life.
And while the story of his miraculous recovery has been shared thousands of times over the past decade, at age 26, he can now add contributing author to his list of triumphs.
Mayberry’s story has been published in Navigating Your Storm, a book made possible by United Men of Honor. The book shares the obstacles that Christian and others faced after unexpected events were thrown their way, giving a glimpse of how God works in victorious ways.
Mayberry’s mother, Kim Mayberry, said it all started when Christian met a man in Palm Beach at a Men’s Prayer Breakfast.
“The man, visionary author Ken A. Hobbs II, asked Christian if he’d like to be in a book and he (Christian) was quite thrilled,” she said.
The book was published the first of November, and Kim said the book contains a chapter on Christian’s story. The book also contains 27 other stories from different contributing authors.
“The book contains stories that tell how the Lord can help you get through the storms and trials of life,” she said. “There are a lot of good stories in there, and a lot of hope.”
Kim said she and Christian just got back from a men’s conference in Florida, where the book was made available and Christian was able to sign books.
Christian will tell you right off that the book went to No. 1 the first day on Amazon. “Let me tell you about my Jesus. He’ll make a way when there ain’t no way, and let my Jesus save your life,” Christian said, as he continues to witness to others about the extraordinary healing and power that he has received from above.
“The Lord told me that I would bring thousands to Christ. As time went by, I thought Lord, thousands is beautiful, why not make it millions. I know that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” Christian said in a previous interview. “Plus, I believe in the unexpected.”
Kim said her son went to heaven where God was “asking my son do you want to stay with me, or go back. He’s cried many times and asked himself ‘why did I come back.’” Since Christian’s horrific accident, he has had to learn how to do ‘every day’ things again – such as talk, eat and walk.
Kim and Christian’s late father, John, were by his side the entire time, advocating for the treatment and physical therapy that he badly needed but couldn’t receive in Oklahoma. Christian was reportedly in multiple different facilities in six different states, and was in a coma for a month.
He spent a month in a Tulsa hospital, and went to two rehabs before returning back to the hospital for surgery to put the bone plates in his head.
The family was told after his surgery that he would be in there for about a week, but he was in there for two months after infection set in, following the surgery.
It was at that time, Kim said the family was told that their Oklahoma Medicaid would not pay for out-of-state care and Kim was told her son would either be in a nursing home or home, which Kim said meant, ‘no more rehab.’
Kim said that wasn’t acceptable and contacted former state representative John Bennett.
She said Bennett, former Senator Mark Allen, and Christian’s advocate, Julie Weintraub of Tampa and founder of Hands Across the Bay, and some others were able to help Christian travel to Florida to receive the medical care he needed to improve after being deprived of oxygen for hours after the accident.
“I thank God daily for these three that were so instrumental in getting Medicaid to change their mind so we could take him someplace and get him proper rehab,” she said.
“When John visited Christian and saw him in the bed, he said the Lord told him to do whatever it took to get him out of there because Christian was going to have a platform,” she said.
Bennett continues to be a part of both Christian and Kim’s lives. He is now pastor of Vian Assembly of God Church, where Kim and Christian attend church.
“Christian was completely paralyzed on his left side, and I was told he was going to be a vegetable and he would always be in the bed, never have a job, never have a wife…” Kim said.
“But ever since Christian was a little boy, he has always said that HE (JESUS) WILL MAKE A WAY WHEN THERE AIN’T NO WAY. LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY JESUS.”
But the doctors were wrong, and through faith and prayer, Christian survived and thrived.
“Christian now shares his story with others,” Kim said. “That’s his purpose in life and you’d be surprised to see how many people approach Christian. They will often say they don’t know why, but they are drawn to him. We hear it all the time; there’s just something about him.”
Christian also enjoys speaking to schools, youth groups, churches and at other functions and events.
“We just met a retired principal who was immediately taken by Christian and his story,” Kim said. “She said she wants to get us into schools because kids need to know that it’s not just what they are doing – but they need to think about who they are doing it with. They could be the wrong people and this is part of Christian’s message.”
“I thought the people who were involved in my incident were people I trusted but they were not, they were bad people. They left me laying in a ditch for three hours before calling for help after I got hurt,” Christian said. “I’ve been through hell and I want people to be followers of Christ, and I hope my story touches them.”
Kim said the book is available in both paperback and hardback, and can be purchased through Amazon.
“Or, if you would like a signed copy, you can contact the Pray for Mayberry Facebook page by sending me a private message,” she said. You can also email her at K.mayberry777@gmail.com.
“We go around and deliver them here and there, but I can also mail you one,” she said. “Please pray with us as we are getting Navigating Your Storm into the hands of those who need it.”
