Doctor speaks out on Pope Leo XIV’s first recognized miracle involving newborn baby
A Rhode Island doctor reveals details behind the Vatican-confirmed miracle revival of a newborn, attributed to 19th-century Spanish priest Salvador Valera Parra.
In an unprecedented event recognized by Pope Leo XIV, a newborn declared clinically dead was inexplicably revived after his doctor pleaded for divine help from a venerable priest, marking Rhode Island’s first Vatican-confirmed miracle.
On January 14, 2007, at Memorial Hospital in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, Dr. Juan Sánchez-Esteban faced every doctor’s worst nightmare. Born via emergency C-section, baby Tyquan Hall showed no signs of life, barely breathing and losing color by the minute. For nearly an hour, the medical team battled to save him, but finally, his heart stopped completely.
‘Now it’s your turn’
Facing the devastating task of informing the grieving parents, Dr. Sánchez-Esteban made one final attempt—not medical, but spiritual. He quietly whispered a prayer he learned as a child in Spain, calling upon the intervention of Venerable Father Salvador Valera Parra, a 19th-century priest renowned for his selfless care of cholera victims in Andalusia.
“I have done everything I can,” Dr. Sánchez-Esteban recalled saying. “Now it’s your turn.”
Moments later, as the doctor walked through the hospital corridors, he was stopped abruptly by a nurse with startling news: Tyquan had “suddenly recovered,” his heartbeat returning, lungs breathing on their own. The child, who had gone without oxygen for more than an hour—an incident that would typically cause severe developmental disabilities—recovered fully, experiencing no physical or neurological consequences.
The Holy Father Pope Leo XIV has declared a miracle in Rhode Island!
The Holy See announced the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints (@causesanti), with the approval of the Holy Father, has attributed the miraculous recovery of a newborn baby boy in 2007 at the former Memorial… pic.twitter.com/2er6mI5lox
— Diocese of Providence (@dioprovidence) July 18, 2025
Confirming a miracle
After years of rigorous investigation, Pope Leo XIV officially recognized Tyquan’s inexplicable recovery as a miracle—the first of his papacy, and the first ever officially confirmed by the Vatican in Rhode Island.
Reverend Timothy Reilly, Chancellor of the Diocese of Providence, participated in the detailed inquiry. He described the event as “something outside this world.”
“The baby had stopped breathing; he had not taken a breath for 65 minutes,” Reilly told local media. “They kept working on him… Something beyond human explanation is responsible for his healing.”
The path to sainthood
The miracle has now significantly advanced Valera Parra’s journey toward sainthood, an honor that requires the validation of two authenticated miracles by the Catholic Church. With one miracle officially recognized, Valera Parra moves closer to beatification.
In response to this extraordinary event, the Diocese of Providence expressed profound gratitude: “This recognition reminds us of the power of prayer and the intercession of holy individuals. God is indeed close to us.”
Dr. Sánchez-Esteban, who initially hesitated to discuss the case publicly due to patient confidentiality laws, shared carefully chosen words on the Vatican’s recognition.
“As a physician, I witness both the fragility and resilience of life,” he said. “We are honored to be part of stories that inspire hope and remain committed to compassionate care, respecting every individual’s beliefs.”
Whether through faith or science, the outcome remains clear—Tyquan Hall’s return to life defies conventional understanding.
For believers and skeptics alike, Pope Leo XIV’s first recognized miracle invites profound reflection on the mysteries that surround life and faith.
