With 2024 coming to a close, Sports Spectrum is highlighting our most-viewed stories of the year.
When former MLB manager Mike Matheny joined our “Get in the Game” podcast in July, he wasn’t planning on preaching. But he had to share about the goodness of God because it was a miracle that he was even alive to share the story.
About 30 minutes into a Jan. 17 workout, Matheny knew something was wrong. He had a splitting headache and could not open his eyes. He was able to call his wife, who called 911, and paramedics rushed him to the hospital. He initially thought he’d be OK if he could just get back to his house and lie down, but was later told that had he done that, he “would not have woken up.”
Matheny was diagnosed with a subarachnoid hemorrhage. He also later learned that half the people with a subarachnoid hemorrhage don’t make it to the hospital. A third of those who get to the hospital never leave, and another third suffer permanent brain damage. Matheny was thankfully able to avoid all those outcomes, but the challenges did not end there.
Once he was cleared by doctors at the Mayo Clinic, Matheny went to visit family in Arkansas. They were building a house on a lake and while Matheny was there, a tornado ripped off the house’s roof.
“I don’t believe that I’m immune to life because I’m a follower of Jesus Christ, but what I am going to tell you is that I’m the recipient of a peace, I’m the recipient of a grace and a goodness and a love that I don’t deserve, that shows its face so much more in these times of things that we don’t want going on,” he said on the podcast. “So people weren’t looking to get a sermon today. So I’m going to cut it off there but I’m just so eternally grateful.”
A week after the podcast released, we wrote a story about Matheny’s near-death experience, and it captivated readers over the next few weeks. It ends the year ranked No. 5 among our most-viewed stories in 2024:
>> Former manager Mike Matheny grateful for ‘love that I don’t deserve’ after brain hemorrhage <<
Check back soon for No. 4!
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– GET IN THE GAME PODCAST: Mike Matheny – Former MLB Player & Manager
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– Putting his faith first, Mike Matheny hired as K.C. Royals manager
>> Do you know Christ personally? Learn how you can commit your life to Him. <<
