PF.After coding and nearly dying, Parker Humber receives two new lungs and proves miracles still happen in real life.
He’s climbing back. Slowly, steadily, against all odds. Months after coding, months after his family watched him slip toward death, Parker Humber is returning to life—breath by precious breath. His story is nothing short of miraculous, a testament to faith, resilience, and sheer determination.
“It’s God,” his father, Tracy, says, voice trembling with awe. “It’s all God.”
Parker, 27, a lifelong Alabama fan with a love for bass fishing and the outdoors, had only recently celebrated one of life’s happiest milestones: marrying his wife Katie on August 21st. But the joy of newlywed life was soon eclipsed by one of the darkest trials imaginable.
Last fall, Parker was involved in a workplace accident that led to chemical-induced pneumonia. His lungs, assaulted by toxic exposure, began failing, sending him on a perilous journey through hospitals across two states. From Statesville, North Carolina, to Helen Keller Hospital in Sheffield, Alabama, each new facility brought both hope and fresh worry. A blood clot in a lung appeared, his condition worsened, and by August, Parker was admitted to North Alabama Medical Center for a fungal infection.
“He was going downhill fast,” Tracy recalled.
By October, Parker arrived at Ascension St. Thomas Medical Center in Nashville. There, he relied on an ECMO machine—a device outside his body doing the work his lungs could no longer manage. He was clinging to life with the help of technology, each breath a battle, each heartbeat a fragile victory.
Then came the moment that could have ended it all. During a procedure, Parker’s blood pressure plummeted. Doctors and nurses began CPR while Tracy watched in horror. Minutes felt like eternities. Four… five… six. Parker’s heart was unresponsive.
“Parker’s pericardial sack was filled with blood,” Tracy said. “A nurse drew it out with a needle. His heart came back. It was all God.”
From that terrifying brink, Parker’s fight continued. Last November, he was transferred to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he would face the monumental challenge of needing not one, but two new lungs. After passing the grueling tests for eligibility, Parker was placed on the transplant list on November 23rd. Less than 24 hours later, his miracle arrived: two new lungs, a second chance at life, and a Christmas gift unlike any other.
The recovery has not been easy. Parker endures pressure sores and persistent pain in his legs, arms, and shoulders. But each step, each struggle, is a triumph over the darkness that once threatened to consume him. And with every passing day, he grows stronger, closer to the life he nearly lost: fishing by the water, cheering for his beloved Alabama teams, and enjoying moments with Katie that now feel infinitely precious.
“There’s still a long road ahead,” Tracy admits, hope and awe mingling in his voice. “But Parker has already shown what resilience and faith look like. He’s coming back. Slowly, but surely.”
In a world too often defined by tragedy, Parker Humber’s journey reminds us of the extraordinary power of hope, love, and unwavering faith. From nearly losing his life to emerging with new lungs, a renewed spirit, and a determination to embrace every day, Parker stands as a living testament to miracles in motion. His fight is far from over—but already, it is one for the ages.
