This 4-year-old's heart stopped beating for 14 hours. Then, the impossible happened.

Miracles often come when we need them the most, reinforcing our faith in the beauty of life. Destiny Anderson and Dominique McDaniel experienced such a miracle with their 4-year-old son, Catier McDaniel. His heart suddenly stopped beating, leaving them in shock, per NBC News. For 14 hours, doctors struggled to revive him, making them fear the worst, per PEOPLE. Cartier had been a lively, energetic child, so the sudden tragedy was a complete shock.

What began as a mild fever on April 8th quickly escalated into a serious condition the next day. Cartier's hands and feet turned cold, his mouth became blue, and he developed dark circles under his eyes. His breathing grew heavier by the second. He was rushed to the emergency room at Children’s Hospital Colorado, where he suffered a cardiac arrest. The parents were overwhelmed, experiencing a whirlwind of fear, shock, and guilt, per KDVR-TV.

Dr. Aline Maddux, an associate professor of pediatrics in the intensive care unit, explained that Cartier's heart stopped beating, and despite their best efforts, they initially believed he wouldn't survive. He had contracted strep A, which led to sepsis and organ failure. Since CPR didn't work, they placed him on life support known as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a machine that supports failing hearts and lungs. “The longer the period the heart isn’t beating, the more concerned we are that it’s not going to restart,” she added.

“It was the worst moment of my life. The whole hospital room was spinning. I was shaking. I couldn’t believe it was happening,” Anderson explained. Cartier had no heartbeat for 14 hours and many family members visited the hospital to say their final goodbyes. While Anderson leaned on her husband to go through this time, McDaniel held onto faith. He had full faith in God and awaited a miracle from god. So, he prayed with his wife for Cartier's life and within an hour, the child's heart started beating again after 14 hours. “Everybody else was jumping up and screaming and everything,” the mom said. “I just still couldn’t process what was going on like you gave me the worst news of my life to the best news of my life.”

“God got the last say,” McDaniel said. “I know that God is real. I’m a firm believer in Jesus Christ.” A medical expert said that the future effects of the cardiac arrest on the boy's health are currently unknown. The child is still in hospital recovering from the condition. His family is taking one day at a time.

This article originally appeared 4 months ago.