Fr. Solanus Casey was an American Capuchin friar who lived from 1870 to 1957. Well-known for his holiness and prayer, Fr. Casey was a source of help and inspiration to many people. One of his most famous pieces of advice was to pray to God with such confidence as to even "Thank God ahead of time".

Around the year 1937, Fr. Casey was visited by a woman named Agnes Juergens. She was afflicted with bone tumor, which had started in her right wrist. The web-like tumor was spreading in her bones, and had developed to such a degree that the doctors said that trying to take the tumor out would only cause it to spread more. There was no choice but to amputate her arm at the elbow.

To lose an arm is a cross for anyone. But Agnes was a wife and mother. Such a loss would be particularly hard for her and her family.

Mrs. Agnes Juergens immediately went to Fr. Solanus Casey, and tells of it in her own words:

"When the doctor said that they would have to amputate, we went to see Father Solanus. Father Solanus took my hand, held the wrist, and his eyes were closed."

She watched him praying fervently. Although his eyes remained closed, it seemed to her that his prayers were becoming something more.

"When he opened his eyes, he said, ‘No, we’re not going to let them amputate.’ I could just feel that he was seeing something like a vision, that he could see that I would not have to have that operation. After that was when the change began."

"The change" in her condition was that the tumor had stopped growing. The doctors were surprised to see this, and after three months of treating the tumor, it went away completely.

Mrs. Juergens related the incredible incident more than twenty years later. The result of her faith and Fr. Casey’s confident prayers was the miracle that she had hoped for, despite the doctors’ verdict.

"They did not have to amputate. They were so amazed that my arm was saved."