Trigger Warning: This article mentions disturbing details about a near-death experience. Reader discretion is advised.
Ever heard of a man’s life being saved because of his daughter’s voice? To begin with, social media is filled with some solid personal stories that go viral when people resonate with them. In a recent video that went viral, Jake Borup, a 36-year-old former Arizona State University pitcher, shared his brutal near-death experience, in which he says he “died” three times during a heart attack and was only pulled back to life by the sound of his daughter’s cries.
Speaking on the Christian podcast Rollercoaster, Borup told about the terrifying day his life altered forever. On October 28, Jake and his wife, Shea, were at the gym when he began experiencing intense chest pain and shortness of breath, prompting them to head to the hospital.
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Jake spoke to CronkiteNews and said, “I started working out and couldn’t catch my breath, so I went to the locker room to sit down,” Borup said. “I texted my wife saying it was getting worse, and we decided to head to the hospital.” Shockingly, after briefly seeming better and deciding against going to the ER, Jake attempted to finish his workout and do some tricep extensions. Still, the pain came rushing back in full force.
As the couple rushed back in their truck after he texted his wife, Shea Borup, at 9:30 pm, she described how Jake’s eyes rolled back and his body went red, numb and stiff. Despite the distress and the panic, Jake reportedly walked himself to the hospital and collapsed moments later.
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Doctors told the family that Jake’s heart stopped multiple times, and he was placed into a medically induced coma. He was almost declared dead and did not wake up until December 5.
Surprisingly, when Jake woke up, he told his wife Hey, I died three times,” he recalled. “She asked me how I knew, and I told her—I experienced it. I remember choosing to let go. But then I heard my daughter’s voice saying, ‘Daddy, no,’ and I couldn’t surrender. I reached through whatever world I was in to come back.” Apart from a daughter, the couple shares five more kids.
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After Jake’s tearful interview, his story was posted by @tyler___hall, a user on TikTok, and went viral, receiving over 20,000 views. Comments flocked to the streaming platform. One user wrote, “Wow, so powerful. Where can I hear the rest of this?” Another added, “As someone who struggles with health anxiety, this really hit home. The will to fight back is so real.”
Many others said that the story brought tears to their eyes. “I am absolutely bawling my eyes out,” and “why am I crying watching this? emotional today,” one user added.
There are several stories of this kind on TikTok that have a strong human sentiment attached to them. Jake Borup’s incredible survival and the love of his wife and his daughter have turned his trauma into a powerful story of hope and resilience.
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It also highlights the special bond between a father and a daughter and how the support, love and belief of a loved one can make miracles happen. Have you ever come across such a heartwarming story?
