Tommy admits that he did not believe in God until after a series of protracted events since John's accident, and all he did was pull John from the water. Perhaps that's not surprising, though, since Metz - who plays the mother, Joyce . While his two friends were rescued, Smith slipped under the surface and sank to the bottom where he remained for 15 minutes. It appears that this spiritual transformation is fictional. He proposed to his high school sweetheart, Abby, at Christian High School in OFallon, Missouri. Length: 116 minutes Release date: 18/04/2019 13+ Breakthrough is a faith-based tearjerker based on the miraculous true story of John Smith, who falls into a frozen lake. They called me at 11:52 a.m. to tell me." Legal Statement. "I remember the screams," Smith says. This book told the true story of John Smith by his mother, Joyce Smith. This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 09:22. And thats just one of the things, it wasnt an accident that we were studying about believing God at that point in time. All rights reserved. Thats where we talked about praying. Even so, there are certain doubts that still come up. "Breakthrough" tells the true story of one of the most miraculous recoveries ever. Smith also appeared in the television westerns Cimarron City (1958) and Laramie (1959). "I'm just excited to see how 'Breakthrough' is going to change the world. Friends gathered at the hospital to pray for John. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Chrissy Metz and I DM on Instagram now and then. Josh Rieger's sister Jamie called 911, and the manager of a nearby apartment complex took over the call. It begins to snow, which she believes is an answer. Plus, there is a lot of newfound fame since the film. Behind the scenes of faith-based 'Breakthrough' film: The scene where Joyce Smith's son, John, played by Marcel Ruiz, comes back to life was a challenge for the big screen but Ruiz said it 'gave me goosebumps. John was 14 years old when he fell through the ice in a Missouri lake. Joyce, now 68, began praying loudly over her sons body. Her steadfast belief inspires those around her to continue to pray for John's recovery, even in the face of every case history and . MORE THAN 12,000 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PACK STADIUM FOR JESUS, RAISE $57G FOR ABUSED WOMEN, HOMELESS. But belief, and thats by studying Gods promises, being in His Word, and I think these miracles are available to anyone who will really get in and run after it. "We all thought that we were just going to have fun, to celebrate. As he was searching for answers, waiting and praying to God, he got an answer at a youth camp. He walked out of the hospital. A weeping Joyce cradles her son in her arms, pleading with the Holy Spirit to not let John die, at which point a faint pulse registers. What kind of movies did John Smith appear in? Garrett agrees. I mean, it was undeniably ordained. As for Breakthrough, even more success was recently announced for the film. Nothing. You can listen to the real 911 call. First responders said he was underwater for 15 minutes. 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. Joyce Smith prayed over her son's body after he had been lifeless for an hourand his heart started beating again. The phone call Joyce Smith received on Jan. 19, 2015 was every mother's . John was 14 years old when the ice broke on the lake. I just congratulate her on all the success she has had, he said. John: Yeah, we were out on the ice there (celebrating a win), and I got a phone call from my mom, and of course she asked me if I wanted to go play basketball, so of course I said, Yes, lets hit the gym, and what we figured out was I was walking and talking, so as I was on the phone, I wasnt thinking about where I was going, so the farther I went, the thinner the ice got. Four years later, the story of his. . His mother Joyce prays for his survival, and he slowly begins to recover. Dr. Sutterer had recognized John when he was brought into the ER because his daughter was in John's 8th grade class. Can You Keep a Secret? [18], Metz performed "I'm Standing With You" from the film's soundtrack at the 54th Academy of Country Music Awards alongside Carrie Underwood, Lauren Alaina, Maddie & Tae and Mickey Guyton. ", "My life flashing before my eyes," he said. [14][15] Locations for the 31-day shoot included Winnipeg, Selkirk, and Portage la Prairie. Sutterer recommends transferring John to a better equipped hospital, citing Dr. Garrett (Haysbert) as an expert in cases like John's. .l_name {float: none !important;margin: 0;} Born around 1580 in Willoughby, a town in Lincolnshire, England, Smith left home at age 16 after his father's death. It is the people that make the past what it was. Boy, 7, 'Fighting with Everything He Has' After Crash Killed Father and Twin Brother, Mom Says, Bharti Shahani, 22, on a Ventilator and Declared Brain Dead from Injury at Astroworld Festival, Elite Runner Who Had a Heart Attack During Marathon Kept Alive by Spectators: 'They Saved My Life', Chrissy Metz Is a Grieving Mother in Emotional 'Breakthrough' Trailer, 3-Year-Old Girl Whose Heart Stopped Beating for 12 Minutes After Drowning in Pool Survives: 'She Was Without Life,' Says Her Mother. Although being rescued, he is in a coma, and his family must rely on their faith to get through the ordeal. His mother was brought into the hospital room to see her sons body and she began praying loudly. [Thats] Him just calling me to ministry,"John added. How old is the real John Smith from Breakthrough? He remembers being under water and coming up above the ice. 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.. He hears his mother's voice and opens his eyes, with full cognitive ability. 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 . Watch it here. 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. 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. So Joyce Smith (Chrissy Metz) repeatedly tells her moody 14-year-old son, John (Marcel Ruiz). In January 2015, 14-year-old John Smith fell into a frozen lake in St. Louis and made an astonishing recovery despite spending over 15 minutes underwater and almost an hour without a pulse, according to NBC News. The image of Captain John Smith that most people are familiar with is from the Disney animated movie Pocahontas where Smith is depicted as a tall, handsome blond man who fell in love with a beautiful Indian Princess named Pocahontas. Joyce: Sixteen days until he walked out of the hospital, from the time he fell through the water. His story went viral as prayer chains spread through Facebook. On the heels of the nomination, Universal Music Group Nashville announced the label offered Metz a record deal. "Like, when I saw it, it was really powerful. [10] The Easter weekend it was released had the lowest box office receipts since 2005, because studios chose to avoid any major release during that period so as not to compete with Disney's release of Avengers: Endgame the following weekend. 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. Before the accident, I had a lot of issues, says Smith, 18, who was adopted as an infant from Guatemala by his parents Joyce, a homemaker, and Brian, 65, a retired journalist. Suddenly, the ice cracked beneath them and the three boys plunged deep into the sub-zero water. Like in the movie, the doctors were in disbelief and called it a miracle. Five years ago today, John Smith fell through the ice on Lake Saint Louise in Lake St. Louis in 2015. The ending text states how the Smiths still live in Missouri and have a good relationship with Pastor Jason. Credit: Golden Village Cinemas. John Smith, an adopted boy from Guatemala, is a living, breathing, walking miracle and his unbelievable true story is going to the big screen April 17 in the 20th Century faith-based film,. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! John, who was adopted from Guatemala, was 14 years old when he fell through the ice in a Missouri lake. So he got down on one knee and broke the news to John's mom, Joyce Smith: Her son, he said, was dead. Here are four reasons why: Photo courtesy: 20th Century Fox. "You have a purpose. 'Breakthrough' will be released in theatres in April 2019. His pulse miraculously returned. -USA Today. Breakthrough centers around the true story of teenager John Smith, a young man from St. Charles, Missouri. John Smith was dead for an hour after falling into a frozen lake, but made a full recovery in a case that even doctors have described as a "bonafide miracle". We had prayed to God for 17 years that we could have a baby. He says that he tried to push ice to his friends for them to grab on to so they could get out. Just like any other kid his age, John who was adopted by his parents, Joyce and. Could not be more proud and grateful for the incredible cast and crew", "Major Movie Shoot (And Luke Cage) In Winnipeg This Week", "Portage is Again Playing Host to Hollywood Cameras", "Lowest Easter Weekend At The B.O. "Facebook was just blowing up," says his mother, Joyce. As for John, he hopes to one day become a pastor. That is true with the people shown in this collection of photos. After John is transferred and placed in a medically-induced coma, Garrett warns his parents that he has little hope for John's recovery, and that if John were to pull through, he would likely live in a persistent vegetative state. .switcher .selected a {border:1px solid #161616;color:#f7f7f7;padding:3px 5px;width:161px;} A few days later he is discharged from the hospital, returning home and then back to school. Whats going on? And the Lord just started talking with me and said, Dont worry about this. Dierks Bentley performing at World Wide Technology Raceway, St. Louis forecast: Clearing out Saturday, Illinois first responders prepare for what severe weather spring could bring, Local teen's miracle of survival made into motion picture 'Breakthrough', Proposed bill would create parental review boards for public libraries, could result in fines or jail time for librarians, FX show 'Mrs. .switcher .option a:hover {background:#748393;} Smith, a 14-year-old boy, walked out on a lake in his hometown of St. Charles, Missouri, fell through the ice, stayed under for fifteen minutes before his body was recovered by first responders. Even though his mom was a devout Christian, whose bold prayer during the boy's hospital stay is credited with bringing him back to life, John was not a believer at the time of the accident andstruggled with his identity and other issues many high schoolers face. When John Smith ( Marcel Ruiz ), the 14-year-old son of Joyce Smith ( Chrissy Metz ), falls through the ice on a frozen lake in Missouri . ", ALABAMA NAVY ROTC SENIOR CREDITS GOD FOR SURVIVING BRAIN INJURY: 'MEDICAL SCIENCE CAN'T EXPLAIN MYRECOVERY'. "My phone was coming off the wall people praying, people sending me scriptures that they were praying for John." We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Ive got this. [13] The movie was filmed in Manitoba from March to May 2018. Doctor Garrett (Dennis Haysbert) tells the family this in the movie and it lines up with the Breakthrough true story. -Cincinnati.com, "I see three 14-year-old boys who were being dumb on the ice and that fell through, and that the Lord saved us," says John. He recovered only after his mother, Joyce Smith depicted on the big screen by Chrissy Metz of "This Is Us" fame prayed. Hes in class all week but every weekend John travels to churches and high schools across the country telling the story of his death and what his mother calls his resurrection.. When he was 14, Smith drowned in Lake Saint Louis and was dead for nearly an hour. They were preparing to give another kid his heart. John J. Smith House . SSM Health physician Kent Sutterer, played by Sam Trammell in the film, just assumed John wouldn't make it when he arrived at the hospital. At just 14-years-old, John Smith fell through the ice and was without a pulse for almost an hour, yet made a full recovery through the power of prayer. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, And so, when you start praying that stuff, its just amazing. Its inspiring. It's Believable . It recounts the seemingly miraculous survival of John Smith, a 14-year-old boy who fell through ice on a frigid lake in January 2015. 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. He plans attend North Central University Minneapolis. The three boys cracked the ice before stepping on it to see if it was thick enough to walk on. It's a site that collects all the most frequently asked questions and answers, so you don't have to spend hours on searching anywhere else. John Smith (Ruiz) is a 14-year-old Guatemalan boy raised in Lake St. Louis, Missouri by his adoptive parents, Brian (Lucas) and Joyce Smith (Metz). John fell through the ice and spent a minimum of . John was in the frigid water for a total of more than 20 minutes. 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 . Also, in one of her studies, I learned we are created in Gods image, Hes omnipotent, so our words are potent. John Smith, an adopted boy from Guatemala, is a living, breathing, walking miracle and his unbelievable true story is going to the big screen April 17 in the 20th Century faith-based film, Breakthrough. John was 14 years old when he fell through the ice in a Missouri lake. I know Hes had us for 33 years before we even had you, Im going to be okay. That sense of confidence, really, really inspires me to continue to grow in my faith. Jeremy Garrett, who is portrayed by Dennis Haysbert in the movie, called John's recovery a "bonafide miracle." John's friend Joshua Sander managed to pull himself out. Best described as Cirque meets The Passion,The Thorn is an immersive show that has played more than 25 years on, Bestselling author Karen Kingsbury, along with her son, Tyler Russell, have adapted the novel,A Thousand Tomorrows, into a six-episodeseries from, Jesus Revolution takes in $15.5 million in the domestic box office debut and completely out performs the originally projected $7. John was right on the edge of the ice shelf. Follow. We were saying over here, everything was within a moment. ' he says. America' highlights St. Louis native Phyllis Schlafly and her fight against feminists, RELATED: Spotify will now make a playlist for your pet. Why is John Smith always used? It wasnt until the next day when we got together and one of the nurses said, Okay, I have to ask this question. Legal Statement. Breakthrough. First responders said he was underwater for 15 minutes. John J. Smith - barber, abolitionist, and state legislator - lived at 86 Pinckney Street from 1878 to 1893. Chrissy Metz Is a Grieving Mother in Emotional, Whats to Come in This Is Us Season 3: Her Is Revealed, Nickys Fate and Kates Baby Boy, How the Mom in 'Breakthrough' Credits the Power of Prayer for Bringing Her Son Back from the Dead, Chrissy Metz Says She 'Could Relate' to Mom in 'Breakthrough' Who Believes God Saved Her Dying Son, Megachurch Pastor and Former OWN TV Star John Gray Hospitalized Due to 'Severe' Pulmonary Embolism, Archbishop Recounts Emotional Phone Call Survivor of Migrant Smuggling Tragedy Had with Mom: 'I Am Alive', Dad Warns Parents After Son, 12, Dies from 'Blackout Challenge': 'Check Out' Your Kids' Phones, Jamie Lynn Spears Shares Chilling Details from Daughter Maddie's Near-Death Accident in New Memoir, N.Y. When Joyce Smith's adopted son John falls through an icy Missouri lake, all hope seems lost. Shed been studying Believing God by Beth Moore. The band quickly gained a following for their raw and energetic sound, with Jett's powerful . "Doctors told us that John wasn't going to live through the night," says Joyce Smith. What did John Smith look like in real life? This weighs on John's mind, he returns to the lake. After John still fails to register a pulse, the attending physician Dr. Sutterer gives Joyce a chance to say goodbye. I mean, it was perfect. First Responders retrieved his lifeless body and transported him to nearby St. Joseph Hospital West where CPR was performed for an additional 43 minutes to no avail. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. "It gave me goosebumps." Marcel Ruiz, the 15-year-old actor who plays John in the film, said he was "nervous" for the scene depicting John's miraculous journey from death to life because of the pinnacle moment.. "No spontaneous respirations. John was 14 years old when the ice broke on the lake. "We could still step on it, but it was startin' to give way and water was going on top of it," recalled John. Dive deeper into the true story behind Breakthrough by watching an interview with mother and son Joyce and John Smith. [16][17], An official trailer for the film was released on December 5, 2018 and received more than 30 million views within two days, becoming the most-viewed trailer for a religious film within that timespan. Movie Info. In this interview, Joyce talks about standing at her son's bedside asking the Holy Spirit to give her back her son. He had probably 10 things going on that shouldve killed him. After time and a lot of prayer and mentoring, I eventually saw that God is the only way to get through something like this., In the years since, Smith has traveled around the country to speak to young people and plans to attend a Christian college in Minnesota in the fall, but hes also a typical high schooler, adds the teen, who also coaches youth basketball. "I knew there were a lot of . But as John lies lifeless, Joyce refuses to give up. A hour later, however, the basketball-loving 14-year-old was miraculously revived through the power of prayer" The True Story of 'Breakthrough' Joyce wrote a book about her son John Smith's drowning and resurrection, titled The Impossible, which became the basis for the Breakthrough movie. Market data provided by Factset. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, .switcher .selected a:hover {background:#3a3a3a} Maddy Martin as Abby Sutterer, Kent Sutterer's daughter and John's love interest. And when it didn't wear off, John realized it really was God speaking to him. ', John Smith is a walking miracle, after he literally went from death to life after 40 minutes, and his incredible story is now featuredin the faith-based film"Breakthrough.". Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. [23] The film made $1.9 million on its first day and $1.5 million on its second. My brothers arent serving the Lord. .switcher .selected a:after {height:24px;display:inline-block;position:absolute;right:10px;width:15px;background-position:50%;background-size:11px;background-image:url("data:image/svg+xml;utf8,");background-repeat:no-repeat;content:""!important;transition:all .2s;} But Joyce was not ready to give up on her son. He is now 19 years old and since the movie "Breakthrough" was released in April 2019, several things have . Im not always going to be perfect, Im still going to screw up, but I definitely want to influence my generation.. The story was turned into a book and soon after, the blockbuster movie Breakthrough.. -CBN, Yes. The story is impossible. And one of the things we tell in the story is, the heartbeat was just the beginning, because when we got to the hospital in St. Louis, he was brain-dead. This is Us star Chrissy Metz felt drawn to play Joyce Smith in the new movie Breakthrough. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. is a fabulous retro-themed wine bar and lounge with a tiny secret vintage boutique, housed in an historic Woolloongabba building. Yes. In essence, he was cold and he was dead. "[I was] constantly fighting God and Him just saying, 'Keep listening to Me, just pay attention, just walk where I need you to walk.' The real Pastor Jason Noble admitted that this scene is fictional. It was "a feeling as though someone were next to him guiding him." "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. "The only factors medically that were really in John's favor is that this was a cold-water drowning," said Dr. Jeremy Garrett (portrayed by Dennis Haysbert in the movie). Like Joyce, he regards John's progress as divine intervention. 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. There he sees Tommy Shine, and thanks him for saving his life. Doctorsbelieved that he would definitely have brain damage. John's made a full recovery after his mother, Joyce, said a prayer over him at the hospital. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? The incredible true story has been. Stephen Curry and Samuel Rodriguez are executive producers. He said that though the argument never happened, it did represent what they were going through as a church at that time. Though his heartbeat had returned, John only had brainstem function and his blood oxygen levels were critical. Gordon Tootoosis acted as Chief Powhatan in Pocahontas: The Legend (1995). I had three older children, and we lost two children. John was in the frigid water for a total of more than 20 minutes. John Smith (baptized 6 January 1580 21 June 1631) was an English soldier, explorer, colonial governor, Admiral of New England, and author. I was getting irritated at the doctors because they werent on the same page as me. -FOX 11. Market data provided by Factset. If he did that he would be a vegetable for the rest of his life. Yes. If it wouldve been a minute longer in the water, they would have put the rescue team in. [4] The film was written by Grant Nieporte, based on the Christian book, The Impossible, an account of true events written by Joyce Smith with Ginger Kolbaba. "In fact, he basically hung up the phone from me and the ice cracked under [him], he went under. At 64 years old, John Smith height is 6 ft 3 in (191.0 cm). The Real John Smith: Inspiring True Story Behind the Movie Breakthrough, Cirque Meets The Passion: The Thorn Creator on This Immersive Show, Bestselling Author Karen Kingsbury Writes the Scripts for A Thousand Tomorrows Series with Son Tyler Russell, Jesus Revolution: Red Carpet with Joel Courtney, Anna Grace Barlow, Savannah & Cole LaBrant, Breakthrough Red Carpet with Chrissy Metz, Purpose, Positivity & Prayer: Breakthrough with Chrissy Metz . Im more solo that day because Im reflecting," he said. "It was one of my favorite scenes," Ruiz said. .switcher .selected a.open:after {-webkit-transform: rotate(-180deg);transform:rotate(-180deg);} -NBC News. Join Helping Hand of Home as we Breakthrough into 2022! In St. Louis, just about every day I will get recognized. It was literally within minutes every time. "The doctors said that there was a 1 percent chance that he would make it overnight. The lives people live, decisions they make, and things they accomplish are all woven into the tapestry of history and tell the story of the time period. A friend of mine called me. He is walking out of this place. And thats exactly what he did. There was a presence there with you. And she said the whole atmosphere of the room changed, even the temperature of the room changed. Trapped underwater for 15 minutes, the boy had no pulse after 43 minutes of CPR.