We often hear remarkable stories of near-death experiences, where individuals come back with tales that leave us questioning what happens after we die. But what makes Max McKee’s story extraordinary is the fact that he was only a two-year-old toddler.
It happened one fateful day when Max fell into the family swimming pool. Unbeknownst to anyone, he remained at the bottom of the pool for quite some time. His mother, Courtney, who works as a registered nurse in Louisiana, had left Max and his older brother, Brody, at her mother’s house while she was at the hospital.
Then came the phone call that shattered Courtney’s world. Max’s grandmother and aunt were playing in the pool with the kids, and after they finished, they removed Max’s floaties and moved on to another activity. Little did they know, Max had returned to the pool.
Courtney explains, “I think he went back to the pool to get some water and a small bucket to play with, they’re not really sure. When he leaned over to get the water, that’s when he might have fallen in.”
Accidents happen, and sometimes even with our best intentions, we can’t account for everyone’s every move. It was a heartbreaking incident, but amidst the tragedy, there was a glimmer of hope.
When Max was found at the bottom of the pool, he was unresponsive. They immediately started CPR and called emergency services. Meanwhile, Max’s older brother, Brody, dropped to his knees and fervently prayed for his little brother’s life.
“The only thing I could do was pray,” Brody recalls. “So, I dropped on my knees and I said, ‘God, can you help my little brother? Can you just save him? Can you put your guardian angels around him, Lord?’”
When Courtney received the phone call, she was overcome with emotions. Her coworkers surrounded her, and one of them even spoke on her behalf because she couldn’t find her own words.
Max was revived and rushed to the hospital, but the uncertainty hung heavy in the air. They didn’t know if he would make it or if being underwater for so long had caused significant damage.
However, the next morning brought a glimmer of hope. Max showed signs of improvement, slowly returning to his usual self. Though agitated by the cords and wires surrounding him, he was communicating, letting them know that he would be okay.
A few days later, Courtney sat down with Max and listened in disbelief as he recounted his experience. “When I was in the pool, I wasn’t scared… When I was in the pool, Jesus held me.”
She asked Max to repeat what he had said, needing assurance that her ears hadn’t deceived her.
Now six years old, Max still holds the memory of what happened that day in the pool. While we can’t fully comprehend what goes through a person’s mind during a near-death experience, Max’s words have given his family faith in the unknown.
