Four years later, the story of his recovery after his heart stopped beating for 43 minutes was been made into a movie, Breakthrough. Here is a look back at our original reporting on that story. When 14 yr. old John Smith drowns in an awful accident on a lake, his mother believes that a miracle is coming for him in spite of impossible odds. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. That was the day my life completely changed and it was never the same after that, John said. The movie recounts the real-life drama of a Missouri teenager, John Smith, who was messing around on a frozen lake with two friends in 2015 when the ice broke, plunging the boys into the frigid . NOTORIOUS GANG LEADER NOW PREACHES JESUS: 'I'M A RADICAL SOLDIER FOR GOD'. 'Breakthrough' movie avoids tough questions about miracles and God Breakthrough: The Miraculous True Story of a Mother's Faith and Her Breakthrough (2019 film) - Wikipedia John reconciles his survival with a renewed sense of purpose in his life and rebuilds his relationships with those he had been alienating. Okay, lets look at these dates. She goes, I have to know because I know if this is Gods miracle, theres Gods numbers on it.. "It's helped me so much in my life," she told Inside Edition, "and I think it's the reason why I'm standing here, you know, at this incredible premiere. While his two friends were rescued, Smith slipped under the surface and sank to the bottom where he remained for 15 minutes. His basketball coach, who had promised him a starting position, warns John that if he gets a failing grade, he will be benched. He doesn't have any seizures. or redistributed. After John succumbed to the frigid lake and drowned, his lifeless body was discovered on the rocky bottom. "In fact, he basically hung up the phone from me and the ice cracked under [him], he went under. John Allen Smith (@johnasmith25) Instagram photos and videos [20][bettersourceneeded], Breakthrough grossed $40.7 million in the United States and Canada, and $9.7 million in other territories (including $5.9 million in Brazil),[21] for a worldwide total of $50.4 million. Director/co-writer Vincent Grashaws debut film isnt based on a true story, but it very well could be. BREAKTHROUGH (04/25/19) | Audio Length: 01:02:40 As for John, he hopes to one day become a pastor. Market data provided by Factset. Joyce is concerned about her increasingly uncommunicative teen and then the unthinkable happens - he falls through the lake ice and drowns. Smith also appeared in the television westerns Cimarron City (1958) and Laramie (1959). Even a blackhearted heathen like myself would feel comfortable calling John's recovery "miraculous." When Joyce Smith's fourteen-year-old son John fell through an icy Missouri lake one winter morning, she and her family had seemingly lost everything. Breakthrough - Meet The Real John SmithBREAKTHROUGH is based on the inspirational true story of one mother's unfaltering love in the face of impossible odds.. John fully recovered and was released from the hospital 16 days after the accident. Streaming Online | Hulu (Free Trial). 'Breakthrough' movie: A true story of unconditional love, prayer, and Breakthrough vs the True Story of the John Smith Drowning Miracle The crews had to use sandbags to keep Ruiz from floating when they dropped the hospital bed in the water. Plus, there is a lot of newfound fame since the film. "A complete healing. Stunning Photos From The 1970s | Groovy History Box Office Preview", "Avengers: Endgame' Rests At $357M+ Opening Record; Eyes $33M+ Monday & Record $180M 2nd Frame; Weekend Biz Hits $401M+ High", "Oscar Nominations 2020: Elton John and Randy Newman Up for Best Original Song, Beyonc and Thom Yorke Shut Out", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Breakthrough_(2019_film)&oldid=1141694745, Chrissy Metz, for her role as Joyce Smith. Chrissy Metz, of NBCs This Is Us fame, portrayed Johns mother in the movie. It took almost 48 hours before John opened his eyes. So, this story really got their eyebrows raised and brought us all closer, and its giving us a chance to witness to them. It appears that this spiritual transformation is fictional. Realizing she cannot control John's outcome, Joyce retreats to the roof of the hospital to pray, asking God for forgiveness and submitting to His will. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. When her 14-year-old son drowns in a lake, a faithful mother prays for him to come back from the brink of death and be healed. How long was the kid in Breakthrough underwater? What is the true story of John Smith? As they are about to give up, one of the rescuers, Tommy Shine (Colter), hears a voice telling him to go back. Her son John had been without a pulse for roughly an hour and the doctors had been trying to revive him for half an hour. They said within about three to four seconds, crack, the ice fell, and the three of us were fighting for our lives. Breakthrough: The Miraculous True Story of a Mother's F He started college at North Central University, a Christian college in Minneapolis. Sam Rodriguez's Film 'Breakthrough' About Modern-Day Resurrection Wins .switcher .selected a {border:1px solid #161616;color:#f7f7f7;padding:3px 5px;width:161px;} Celebs Wiki John Smith fans also viewed: Pawel Lewicki Jason: What Id say, too, for probably eight months before this happened, God had been preparing Joyce. John Smith: Facts, Life & Pocahontas - HISTORY - HISTORY We capture the raw, transparent glimpses into the joys, struggles, triumphs, heartache and tragedy that make up the fabric of an individuals journey. Nikolas Dukic as Reiger, one of John's friends. Metz also performed an emotional tune for the film titled Im Standing With You. The song was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song this month. So, God was preparing her, and she had allowed God to prepare her. And its been a bonding time for everyone who witnessed this miracle. "I knew there were a lot of . [citation needed], Breakthrough was released in the United States by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (through their subsidiary 20th Century Fox) on April 17, 2019; it is also the first film from Fox under the ownership of The Walt Disney Company after its acquisition of 21st Century Fox on March 20, 2019. The surname Smith is particularly prevalent among those of English, Scottish, and Irish descent, but is also a common surname among African Americans, which can be attributed either to black slaves having been given the surname of their masters, or to being an occupational name, as some southern American black people . As he was searching for answers, waiting and praying to God, he got an answer at a youth camp. Does Eerie Photo From Scene of Deadly Crash Show Stairway to Heaven. John Smiths other film credits include Circus World (1964) and Justin Morgan Had a Horse (1972). One is, but the other two arent. BREAKTHROUGH (04/25/19) Breakthrough follows the true story of fourteen-year-old John Smith, who miraculously showed signs of life after falling into a frozen lake and drowning. Legal Statement. makeup trainee Travis Marszalek . This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, .switcher .option::-webkit-scrollbar {width:5px;} Breakthrough: Miracle Story of John Smith | Encounter Written by Heather Thompson April 15, 2019. John J. Smith - barber, abolitionist, and state legislator - lived at 86 Pinckney Street from 1878 to 1893. In the movie, Josh's sister Jamie is not present at the lake. The Real People Behind the 'Breakthrough' Miracle Story Even so, there are certain doubts that still come up. The film tells the story of a St. Louis teenager who slipped through an icy lake in January 2015 and was underwater for 15 minutes before resuscitative efforts were started. [Photo via 20th Century Fox] Can You Keep a Secret? -CBN. The band quickly gained a following for their raw and energetic sound, with Jett's powerful . The faith-based feature film Breakthrough, now playing in theaters, tells the real-life story of John Smith, a 14-year-old who fell through the ice at a St. Charles, Mo.-area lake in January 2015, was deprived of oxygen for more than 15 minutes and had no pulse for nearly an hour.Despite enormous odds, the teen went on to make a full recovery in . -FOX 11. John's pastor, Jason Noble, got to the hospital right after Joyce prayed and he felt like God had called him to stay byJohn's side for seven days, 18 hours a day. Legal Statement. GARY SINISE, KJ APA WILL STAR IN FAITH-BASED FILM 'I STILL BELIEVE' ABOUT SINGER JEREMY CAMP. When Joyce Smith's adopted son John falls through an icy Missouri lake, all hope seems lost. The website's critics consensus reads, "Like its lead character, Breakthrough is fiercely focused on faith but its less subtle elements are balanced by strong performances and an uplifting story. 4 Reasons Breakthrough Is One of the Most Inspiring Movies You'll Ever See Joan Jett, a musician in her 40s, made a name for herself in the 1970s as a pioneering figure in the world of rock music. "I'd talked to him moments before he went into the water," Joyce Smith said. It's Believable . This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, It was literally within minutes every time. John Smith, 14, fell through the ice at Lake Sainte Louise, and was submerged for 15 minutes. He has more than brainstem function, because he is looking around the room and he knows who people are. We went in and prayed like crazy. There was a presence there with you. And she said the whole atmosphere of the room changed, even the temperature of the room changed. We didnt know that until later. However, his religion is never discussed in the book. Joyce, now 68, began praying loudly over her sons body. "'Breakthrough' is a true miracle story of a mother who prays her son back to life," Franklin said on a recent episode of PureFlix.com's "Pure Talk." "He died, John Smith, when he . "It's almost unbelievable. My brothers arent serving the Lord. Leadership Team - Breakthrough The three boys cracked the ice before stepping on it to see if it was thick enough to walk on. www.people.com He had been declared dead, after failed attempts of Dr. Kent Sutterer and his medical team to revive John. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. "Like, when I saw it, it was really powerful. .switcher .option::-webkit-scrollbar-track{-webkit-box-shadow:inset 0 0 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);border-radius:5px;background-color:#f5f5f5;} In the winter of 2015, the lakes of Missouri had been frozen over, leaving frigidly cold water underneath the thin ice. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 09:22. John, who was adopted from Guatemala, was 14 years old when he fell through the ice in a Missouri lake. Nothing. Legal Statement. He is now 19 years old and since the movie "Breakthrough" was released in April 2019, several things have . Gordon Tootoosis acted as Chief Powhatan in Pocahontas: The Legend (1995). John Smith was a slender and muscular young man who had fair skin, shoulder-length light blond hair with fringes on each side, and blue eyes. Early Life and Military Exploits. Yes. His mother, Joyce, played by Chrissy Metz from "This Is Us," prayed to God to bring back her son. John shows some signs of consciousness: he is able to hear Joyce and Noble and to respond with squeezes to the hand, and a tear trickles from his eye as a crowd gathers outside the hospital to sing and to pray for his recovery. 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NASHVILLE, TN - MARCH 14: (L-R) Actress Chrissy Metz, Producer DeVon Franklin and Singer/Songwriter Mickey Guyton attend the 'Breakthrough' VIP . Missouri teen's 'miracle' recovery after underwater for 15 minutes He said that though the argument never happened, it did represent what they were going through as a church at that time.