Mom-Of-4 Lost Sister, Then Her Husband A Day Later, But Says God Carried Her Through It All
February 26, 2021
All at once, Angela Mencl, a mother of four, found herself without both a sister and a husband. But God was there. He was always there.
Angela Mencl found strength in her faith. She had to after two back-to-back deaths in her family. One came suddenly with her husband Gary, and the other was totally unexpected. One right after the other.
RELATED: Couple Trusts In God As They Take In 5 Sisters Following The Tragic Loss Of Their Mother
Imagine the heartache. Two loved ones, both gone a day apart. And she still has four children to love and support.
A Phone Call Changed Everything For Angela Mencl
Angela Mencl said her “world turned upside down” after a single phone call. The 39-year-old mother was receiving a call from her husband at the time.
What he told her on the phone was that he felt “off.” Then away they went to the hospital along with the kids. Angela ended up having a friend come pick them up to avoid what was turning into a very emotional time.
Her emotions though had yet to climax. Her husband spent hours in the ER before she was approached by a doctor.
RELATED: Husband Leaves A Heart-Wrenching Goodbye Letter To His Wife And Then He’s Gone
“I pointed my finger at her and told her to tell me right now what is wrong with my husband. The words she uttered took my breath away. ‘He has a tear in his aorta. It is catastrophic.’”
“My husband was conscious, I had to deliver the news to him. His job now was to remain calm and keep his heart rate from elevating. The more it pumped, the more he bled out. He couldn’t freak out but that didn’t stop me from falling to the floor and crying as hospital personnel walked around me. “
Gary was taken to be air-lifted to another hospital for heart surgery.
“I thought to take a video of Gare for the kids, we started the video but he couldn’t finish. The thought that he would have to say goodbye was upsetting him too much.”
Husband's Condition Grows Worse
That was the last time Angela Mencl saw Gary conscious. They did talk on the phone as he was in the air, and she was making a four-hour drive to the next hospital. They expressed their love for one another over the phone.
RELATED: Woman Senses Something’s Wrong Then Finds Out Her Mom Has Been Murdered
At their destination, Angela inquired about Gary’s condition. Initially, she received no answers. Eight hours passed before she finally heard something comforting. She pressed the nurse’s button and was greeted by employees. After asking about the surgery she was told that the procedure was successful, but then she heard something else also.
“The surgeon came out minutes later and stripped away all the joy and hope that filled the room. He informed me that Gary was conscious, entering the OR but as soon as they got him under anesthesia his aorta tore completely and he coded. They performed CPR as they were opening him but he was without oxygen for five minutes.”
The hospital staff let Angela into the room to see her husband and the sight made her tremble.
“They told me that hearing is the last thing to go so to talk to him, tell him to keep fighting. I sat next to his lifeless body and encouraged him to keep fighting, that I would never be okay without him.”
RELATED: Overcomer Jen Lowright Has Miracle Baby After Deadly Illness & Husband’s Death
Angela Mencl remained by her husband’s side, speaking love and words of encouragement. Eventually, nurses moved her to the waiting room so that more surgeries could be performed. Her anxiety was far from resolved.
Another Tragedy Hits
Thankfully, Angela’s mother arrived, another presence to give her comfort. But this is when Angela would receive even more bad news. This was the moment she learned her sister died.
“It took a few minutes before my brain could register the words my mom was speaking. I walked back into the room and screamed ‘MY SISTER DIED!’ and I chucked a cup of water across the room. A wave of relief washed over me as I thought now that my sister is gone, there was no way God would take my husband too.”
More time passed. Then doctors instructed Angela to say a final goodbye to her husband. More pain. Angela had her children brought back to the hospital and they said their final words to their dad. Angela spent an extra bit of time with Gary as he was taken off of life-support.
“The man showed up to take his body to the hospital morgue and I looked at him directly and said, ‘I know to you he is just another body, but to me and my children this body means everything, please take good care of him.’ He reassured me he would and gave me a hug.”
Angela Mencl Story Shows Light In The Darkness
Despite all the tragedy she has faced, Angela Mencl knows there is light, and that light is God.
“This is when I realized that all the clichés are true. You learn that God truly carries you when you cannot walk yourself. You learn that the people around you are his hands and they never leave you alone. I have survived because of the kindness and selflessness of friends, family, church members, and complete strangers.”
Life moving forward will look differently. And yet, God’s love is everlasting. May that truth bring comfort to Angela and her family during this time. And may that truth bring light to your life if you, too, are suffering a loss.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: A Mother Shows Incredible Faith As She Sees Miracle During Tragedy
“The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:3
“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.” Psalm 126:5
LISTEN: Mom Leaves Baby in Hospital And Nurse Lifts His Blanket to See No Arms or Legs
h/t: Love That Matters
Featured Image Credit: Facebook/Gary Jay
Aaron D'Anthony Brown is a freelance writer, hip-hop dance teacher, and visual artist, living in Virginia. He currently contributes to Salem Web Network’s Crosswalk platform and supports various clients through the freelancing website Upwork. He's an outside-the-box thinker with a penchant for challenging the status quo.
Get in touch with him at aarondanthony.com and check out his debut short story anthology Honey Dreams on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Today's Devotional
A Prayer to Deepen and Strengthen Your Faith - Your Daily Prayer - October 25
What does it take to deepen and strengthen our faith? 2 Timothy 4:7 likens our faith to running a race: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
Today's Devotional
A Prayer to Deepen and Strengthen Your Faith - Your Daily Prayer - October 25
What does it take to deepen and strengthen our faith? 2 Timothy 4:7 likens our faith to running a race: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
Past Stories
- An Iguana Hitches a Ride on a Garbage Truck in Tennessee, Now Trying to Find Its Owner
- 6-Year-Old Starts 'Poop Scooping' Business to Help Animals and Adopt One of His Own
- Bride's Dad Drops During Father-Daughter Dance, but Things Lined up Perfectly to Save His Life
- Young North Carolina Father Risked His Life To Save a Couple and Dog From a Sinking Truck
- UPS Driver Jumps into Action As He Spots Elderly Woman on the Ground & Says It Was All God
- Rescuer Braces for the Worst After Spotting Kitten on the Side of the Road, Then Sees a Paw Move
- AJ Griffin Gives Up High-Paying Career with NBA to Follow God
- These Former Conjoined Twins Finally Go Home After Their First Birthday
- Teenager From Iowa Uses His Flying Skills to Help Hurricane Helene Victims
- Son Saves For 9 Months and Surprises Mom By Paying Off Her Mortgage
- Woman's Home is Surrounded By 100 Raccoons, and They Aren't Leaving Anytime Soon
- Dog Saves Her Owner's Life By Sitting in the Middle of the Road
- Widower Shares the Last Thing His Wife Told Their Son Before She Passed Away From Cancer
- A Nurse Saved Her Life 35 Years Ago, Now, She is Surprising Her With a Visit
- These Twin Sisters Have An Important Message To Share On Their 102nd Birthday
- This Brave 5-Year-Old Saved Her Mother's Life By Calling 911
- 79-Year-Old Broke Her Ankle After Scattering Her Mom's Ashes, Then Strangers Save the Day
- Dad Travels Through Mud and Debris to Walk His Daughter Down the Aisle
- Owner's Trip to the Vet with Unwell Dog Results in the Craziest X-Ray
- After Getting Lost in Yellowstone, This Precious Cat Made His Way Back Home To California
- Mom's Funny Response To Daughter's Dirty Sock On The Floor Goes Viral & Ends Up Doing Good
- A Kidnapped Boy Is Found After 70 Years and Reunited With His Family
- This Puppy Was Found With a Note That Read 'Help Me,' Now He's Looking For a New Home
- Excited Mom Couldn't Wait to See Son's Back to School Pictures, but Funny Results Make Her LOL
- When This Police Officer Pulled Her Over, He Changed Her Life Forever
- She Just Met Her Vietnam Veteran Father After 50 Years, Now He is Walking Her Down the Aisle
- Fearless Father Waits on Porch to Catch the Stranger Peeking in His Daughter's Window
- This 5th Grade Teacher Eats Lunch In the Cafeteria Every Day
- Amy Grant Has a New Perspective After Losing Her 'Superpower' in Bike Accident
- 'God Did It' Says 18-Year-Old After Waking Up From a Coma Following a Crash
- These Four Sisters Share a Birthday, Which is Quite the Miracle
- Dad Harmony Sings a Beautiful A Cappella Rendition of ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love'
- Couple's Outstanding Boogie Woogie Dance Performance
- Siblings’ Cover of Dolly Parton’s Classic ‘I Will Always Love You’ Is Incredible
- Pastor and Wife Were Killed in a Car Accident, But Their Kids Have a Message of Hope
- Outstanding 'Amazing Grace' Cover Music Video by Celtic Woman
- Carrie Underwood Helps With Leading Worship at Tennessee Church
- 8-Year-Old Kid's To-Do List Goes Viral As a Wholesome Reminder for Us All
- 'Holy Forever' Lyric Video by Chris Tomlin and CAIN
- Elementary Teacher Talks About the Power of Words and Kindness By Using Toothpaste
- Prayers Pour in for Loretta Lynn's Family After the Death of the Late Singer's First Grandchild
- Dennis Quaid Singing 'On My Way To Heaven" is an Inspiring Performance
- Charming Elderly Couple Share Sweet Dance to 'Have You Ever Seen The Rain?"
- Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick Adorably Sing a Sassy Duet to Celebrate 36 Years of Marriage
- Rory Feek Performs Beautiful Tune 'I Do' After Finding Love Again
- Driver Shows Up to Deliver Pizza to Elderly Man's House, Then Comes Back with His Lawnmower
- What Parents & Grandparents Don't Know About 'Easy' Recipe Trend Could Be Dangerous
- Nearly 1,500 Students Gather to Worship Jesus at Texas A&M Revival
- 96-Year-Old Shares the Secret to a Happy Life and His Words of Wisdom Are Truly Inspiring
- In God's Divine Timing, Wedding Ring Is Returned to Man's Widow After It's Lost for 60+ Years
Top Artists
Top Music Videos
CCM Magazine Steven Curtis Chapman Shares the Heartfelt Message that Helped While Grieving His Daughter
Crowder Crowder Moving Official 'Somebody Prayed' Music Video
The Statler Brothers 'Til the Storm Passes By' The Statler Brothers Live Performance
Mandisa Mandisa - Shackles (Praise You)
Anne Wilson Anne Wilson 'The Cross' Powerful Lyric Video
Blogs
At GodTube, you’ll find daily inspirational videos to lift your spirits and encourage you in your walk with God. Popular videos include worship music from your favorite Christian artists, cute videos with adorable kids and animals, hilarious videos from Christian comedians, user-uploaded videos, and clean viral videos to brighten your day.