The Rev. Rodney Ryle has been senior pastor of Milford Bible Church in northeast Pennsylvania for the last 19 years.  While he was changing light bulbs in the new sanctuary of his busy church, the lift he was riding toppled over and he fell 40 feet. He was airlifted to Lehigh Valley Medical Hospital in Allentown in critical condition with broken bones, internal injuries and massive brain trauma.

During the next three weeks, Pastor Ryle surprised his doctors by surviving, and then by showing signs of regaining consciousness.  His next stop on the road to recovery was Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, where he was an inpatient for five weeks in hospital's highly respected Emerging Awareness Brain Injury Program.  He continued as an outpatient in the hospital's Day Treatment Program for an additional four months.  His wife, Cathy, was beside him every step of the way. 

Today, he preaches every Sunday morning, teaches a Bible study during the week and has resumed most of his administrative duties, visitations and counseling.  In May during National Hospital Week, he was invited by the Hospital Association of Pennsylvania to speak at the Capitol Building in Harrisburg about the importance of continued state support for Pennsylvania hospitals. 

"I am very happy to be here today to publicly thank the dedicated medical professionals at Lehigh Valley Hospital, who literally saved my life, and those at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, who saved the quality of my life," he told about 200 hospital executives and reporters at a news conference.  "Without their patience, persistence and knowledge, I would not be here today, sharing this day with you."