A family’s joyful Fourth of July celebration turned into a harrowing brush with death — and a powerful testimony of faith — when 6-year-old DJ nearly drowned at a resort pool in Louisiana. What followed not only restored his life, but strengthened his family’s belief in God’s grace and presence like never before.

A Holiday Turns Into a Life-Changing Moment

Krista Parker of Carencro, Louisiana, and her family were enjoying the day at Paragon Casino Resort when the unthinkable happened. Her son DJ, who had always been afraid of water, was sitting at the edge of the pool with his feet in the water — a seemingly harmless moment.

“I saw DJ sitting by the pool with his feet in the pool, and I was kind of OK with it because DJ is scared of water. He’s not going to just jump in,” Parker told KLFY.

But in a matter of seconds, everything changed. DJ slipped into the pool and was soon unresponsive.

“We just started screaming God’s name first,” Parker said. “We kind of panicked, but something told me to wait — let’s do CPR, let’s try to revive him. And while I’m reviving him, I’m just praying: ‘God, please call your angels. Cover my son in the name of Jesus. Please give me my baby back.’”

Desperate Prayers, a Mother’s Hands — and a Miracle

Krista and her husband, DJ’s stepfather, immediately began CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

“While I’m pumping his body, water is just flowing out of his mouth, and his eyes are still bloodshot red, not blinking. He’s gone,” she said.

But they didn’t stop.

“I’m pumping some more, and [my husband] gave him another breath, and somebody said, ‘Pump his stomach,’ and he just threw up water and started crying,” Parker told KLFY.

Moments later, an ambulance arrived and transported DJ to Rapides Women’s and Children’s Hospital. His oxygen level stabilized at 95.

A child who minutes earlier had no breath in his body was now alert, responsive — and medically stable. The family called it nothing short of a miracle.

“God Is Real”: DJ’s Story of Heaven

What DJ said next stunned his family.

At the hospital, he told a nurse he had been to heaven.

“He looked at me and my husband and said, ‘No, Daddy, no Momma. God is real. I saw him. I saw him and Uncle Quimaine,’” Parker said.

DJ described angels singing, clouds everywhere, and a message from God: “He said I had one more life.”

“He told me how God looks,” Parker said. “He told me God was mixed with every color — white, Black, even Mexican — and it just made me feel like we need to come together. All this dividing, all this hate — we need to love one another and be a unit. God is real. Get closer to God. You seek Him, you shall receive.”

A Second Chance — and a New Name

As part of his transformation, DJ asked to be called “Avir,” the Hebrew word for “air.”

When Parker asked why, he answered, “Because I was with God in the air.”

Remarkably, DJ’s recovery required minimal medical treatment. He received only one shot, and doctors found no signs of brain damage, heart trauma or lung bruising — only some water in the lungs.

A Call to Prepare — and to Believe

Reflecting on the experience, Parker offered a warning and a message of faith.

“I feel like everybody, if you have kids, needs to be CPR certified. Anything can happen in a second,” she said. “My son didn’t have a life vest on, and I regret that to this day. So just — safety first.”

And her faith remains stronger than ever.

“When it comes to God, God is real,” she said. “My son told me, ‘I have proof.’ And I believe that.”

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