NORTH SMITHFIELD/BURRILLVILLE – From major family health problems resolved in the most unlikely of ways, to tiny prayers answered nearly every day, Beverly Munyon says she has seen many miracles over the years.
A parishioner at St. Theresa’s Church, Munyon says she’s watched as seemingly hopeless situations came to positive ends, as prayers for, “a sign,” were answered, and as faith guided her, and her loved ones, through incredibly difficult times.
It was Munyon’s desire to share the hope she’s found through that faith that led her to publish a story about her experiences, and later this month, locals will have the chance to hear it first-hand at a reading and book signing.
“God provided for little things and big things every step of the way,” Munyon told NRI NOW.
Her book, titled, “The Boy of Many Miracles: And My Spiritual Journey as a Result,” chronicles, in part, medical challenges during the early years of her first grandson’s life.
Grandson Samuel was born with Neonatal hemochromatosis, a liver disease associated with the accumulation of excess iron in the liver and other areas of the body. The rare and life-threatening condition took months to diagnose, and could only be cured through an immediate liver replacement – the odds and success of which doctors told the family was nearly nonexistent.
Still, Munyon’s tale documents how the most unlikely of scenarios saved Samuel’s life not once, but twice.
She wrote about the experience in her personal journal, along with other stories that gave her hope and confirmed her faith as the family overcame challenges again and again.
“I had no intention of having it made it into a book,” Munyon said.
It was at a roundtable discussion with another author visiting the Burrillville church, also the home of the Shrine of the Little Flower, that the first thoughts of sharing her story began to take shape.
“I sent her a rough draft and she said, ‘you have to think about publishing this,'” Munyon said of the visitor. “I thought, ‘who would want to read this anyway?'”
Munyon ultimately sent the story to Covenant Books with low expectations, knowing that the publishing company receives thousands of manuscripts.
“They called me right away and said, ‘this is exactly what we’re looking for,'” Munyon said.
Samuel’s lung would collapse four times. He was in a coma, and Munyon prayed hard as the family prepared to say their goodbyes – when his eyes suddenly opened and his internal bleeding stopped. He received a new liver from a miraculous source in an operation expected to take 22 hours, which somehow took only 12.
Years later, he would undergo a second liver transplant. He’ll turn 23-years-old this April.
And that, Munyon said, is just the start of her story.
It was a similar stroke of luck – or something more – that led to the family finding their dream home in North Smithfield, where they’ve lived since 2005.
Such stories of, “tiny miracles that shouldn’t have happened,” Munyon said, may help others.
“If one person – just one – receives hope,” she said, it will have been worth it. “God is waiting to show love mercy in every area of your life. He’s ready to do miracles. It happens a lot.”
The parish at 35 Dion Drive will hold a reading and signing of Munyon’s book on Saturday, March 11 following the church’s 8:30 a.m. morning Mass. The event will include a roundtable discussion with the author, and coffee and light refreshments will be served.
The book costs $16.95 and can be purchased at the event, via Amazon, Kindle, barnesandnoble.com or by emailing Munyon at dave.bev@cox.net.
“I’m hoping what people get out of it is hope,” Munyon said.” A lot of people – at least in my life – lost hope during Covid and this was my way of trying to get it back.”
