By: Hugh Shelton
ichelle’s Angels. That’s what Michelle Knoll and her devoted husband Herb call all the people who provide selfless assistance in their lives. You see, Michelle was given a seemingly fatal diagnosis of pancreatic cancer less than two years ago. Now she sits comfortably, quite blessed on her breezy back deck off her home in Brentwood, Tennessee, just south of Nashville.
You have cancer. Imagine hearing those words on your birthday. That was the response Michelle received after visiting a doctor on December 23rd, 2004, for what was originally thought to be a simple stomach pull. The doctor instructed her to enjoy the holidays the best she could. Devastated by the grave reality of such news, how was she expected to celebrate that joyous season? But she did. One of the blessings of that holiday was a litter of beautiful golden retriever puppies on Christmas night. The complete diagnosis of pancreatic cancer came just a few days later as New Years’ approached.
Herb had to save his “bride” and grant her the only two things she asked of him: “I want to live long enough to see my son grow” and “get me the best surgeon possible.” Although he didn’t know exactly what to do, Herb undertook her request by reaching out to everyone on his 3,000 name database. As a 30-plus-year veteran of retail banking, Herb, now a Senior Vice President at Bank of America, had a very large network of associates and industry colleagues he routinely maintained contact with. He shared the news of his “bride’s” problem and diagnosis, looking for absolutely anything that might be able to help – “prayers, referrals, manuscripts, medicines, potions or recommendations” – as Michelle needed nothing short of a miracle. His inbox began to light up with responses coming in almost immediately. And the database grew. Herb closed his initial message by asking each recipient to pass on his news and request for help to everyone in their respective contact lists.
Miracles then began pouring in. Michelle’s life was positively affected by decisions crucial to her survival. And the database grew. Mr. Liam McGee, President of Global Consumer and Small Business Banking at Bank of America, called Herb on January 3 and told him that he had just received the news about Michelle and responded, “No matter what it takes, this bank is behind you and Michelle.”
Allies quickly began opening doors for everything that Michelle and Herb needed. Herb called prominent hospitals like Johns Hopkins, Vanderbilt and the world-famous M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Michelle needed effective surgery, and she needed it immediately. Because time was a decisive factor, Herb thought he might be expecting too much in trying to get her the best surgeon who had the most experience and highest success rate. One doctor at Vanderbilt had performed that surgical procedure 65 times in three and a half years, but Herb did not think that was enough. This ten-hour surgery was far too dangerous. Michelle needed the best. She needed a miracle.
M.D. Anderson has six doctors on staff that performed the delicate surgical procedure known as “The Whipple.” Herb was told that the top doctor, Dr. Doug Evans, was booked for at least two months and that they might have to settle for the third or fourth doctor. While continuing his research of John Hopkins and other highly-recommended facilities, Herb received a call from M.D. Anderson – not only would the hospital accept Michelle’s case but Dr. Evans had also accepted it himself. It was the miracle Michelle so desperately needed. Dr. Evans had cleared his calendar. Herb was told to get Michelle on a plane as the clock was ticking and the cancer was growing. Within four hours, Herb sat with Michelle on a flight to Houston. The next day, immediately following his exam of Michelle, Dr. Evans called Herb into a hallway and told him how there was real hope for Michelle and he would perform the life saving surgery the very next week! His calendar was now clear although they had been told this surgeon was booked for more than two months. God is powerful!
Dr. Evans is one of the best surgeons in the world. Of the 40 anesthesiologists on staff at M.D. Anderson, the one assigned to Michelle told her how she was “having some real work done” and added that it was one of the most grueling surgeries any human ever faces. But Michelle was assured by her anesthesiologist that Dr. Evans “was the one guy you wanted.” His complication rate is less than 10% of those experienced by the other surgeons at M.D. Anderson. In so many ways, Dr. Evans (now known as Doug to Michelle and Herb) actually cradled Michelle in his arms. And in appreciation for the successful surgery and care, Michelle presented Dr. Evans with Hank the Tank, the pick of that Christmas litter of golden retrievers. Through this ordeal, the Knolls and the Evans have become friends. Following Michelle’s recovery, the Knolls traveled north to Dr. Evans’ Cape Code, Massachusetts, summer home.
But how did Dr. Evans learn of Michelle? And why did he and the hospital suddenly accept the case? No one knows. When Herb appealed to his large database, three people (remember, Michelle and Herb call them Angels) who responded on Michelle’s behalf had contacts at M.D. Anderson. Herb does not know which Angel was able to influence Michelle’s case to be accepted. Herb just calls it another miracle in a string of miracles Michelle so desperately needed and received.
One of the three Angels is Walter Elcock, a senior officer at Bank of America, who hardly knew Herb at the time, yet responded immediately upon hearing of Michelle’s plight. Walter also wanted the Knolls to meet a former Bank of America employee named Carrie Wood, who was a survivor of breast cancer living in Houston. As a volunteer at M.D. Anderson, Carrie frequently visits the hospital and provides hope to other breast cancer survivors by disrobing and displaying the reconstructive surgery brilliance of the M.D. Anderson doctors. In the waiting room during Michelle’s procedure, this angel named Carrie Wood unexpectedly walked in, sat beside Herb and held his hand in hopes of giving him the strength he needed during this extremely difficult and frightening time. She told him, “You don’t see it now, Herb, but there is a blessing down the road for you and Michelle.” How right Carrie was.
Following the surgery, Michelle was told that she had to keep moving if she was to have any chance of survival. When Herb returned to the hospital early the morning after the surgery, he found Michelle was not in her bed. She had already begun walking the floors, taking painful six-inch steps one at a time. Herb was astounded. He exclaims, “Michelle’s blessings continued as God had provided her with the courage and strength to do what must have been a painful act.”
Back online, Herb shared how his bride’s blessings kept coming! When every door opens for you at just the right time and just the right order, you can’t help but feel the intervention of the Lord. Prayers were coming in from all over the world. From Australia to Japan and from Tibet to Peru, Michelle’s Prayer Angels were hard at work all over the globe. One woman contacted Herb from Ukraine, explaining how she’d heard about Michelle over her short-wave radio. Coincidentally, Michelle’s family is Ukrainian!
Several amazing and simple events provided further proof of divine intervention. The first was a few words from a complete stranger in the Houston airport. Michelle, sitting exhausted and discouraged after a negative report of spots on her lungs following a checkup in October 2005, heard those devastating words once again – “Do you have cancer?” Confused and surprised, Michelle turned to see a woman. This woman was supposed to be on an earlier flight, but she said that she knew there was a reason she was delayed, and the reason was so she could tell Michelle “everything was going to be alright.” This woman was another one of Michelle’s Angels. She shared how she had survived multiple cancers.
The second was a positive statement emblazoned on a bumper sticker on a vehicle in front of Michelle while she drove home after taking her son to the airport. All it stated was “Good Happens.” Although she was feeling really bad a few days after her treatment, she understood the message and said “Okay, Lord, I hear you.” The stranger at the airport and that message on the bumper sticker cemented her belief that the Lord was definitely involved in her healing. She and Herb’s perception of the situation and every small yet important detail of it all enabled them to see an orchestration from above… and delivered by Michelle’s Angels.
The Knoll’s neighborhood is full of angels. A terrible winter storm scattered debris in the area before Herb brought Michelle home from the hospital. By the time they returned, the youth in the neighborhood cleared the Knoll’s yard and took pictures to share their love and support. Herb also dubbed a few of the area ladies as his “Senior Angels.” They kept the house clean and refrigerator stocked, helped in arranging appointments and took Michelle to her doctor visits. Another neighbor and Senior Angel Ariane Montemuro, an artist specializing in angels, upon hearing of Michelle’s condition, presented Michelle with an oil painting of two angels gently placing bouquets of flowers into the heart of a woman bearing Michelle’s features. This painting instantly became the logo for Michelle’s Angels on the website.
Michelle was very sick and very weak in the spring of 2005. She came dangerously close to dying had it not been for a loving God and the care of her principal oncologist Dr. Mace Rothenberg and Clinical Director Dr. Jordan Berlin. Fulfilling God’s wishes, these medical angels were able to provide Michelle with an astonishing recovery from a life-threatening infection. The miracles kept coming. Herb continued e-mailing updates of her health status to the ever-growing database. More and more people responded with messages, prayers, pictures and their stories of inspiration and hope. Michelle received so many good wishes from around the world that Herb placed a “prayer map” next to her recovery bed and placed pins to indicate the many locations all the prayers originated from. Today, the map is referred to as Michelle’s Angels Prayer Map. To handle this growing level of e-mail communication, Herb’s nephew Brad McNamara of Buffalo, New York, created a website called Michelle’s Angels, and that site has continued to grow with pictures, stories, updates and prayers.
Upon seeing the Michelle’s Angels Prayer Map, people from around the world started writing Michelle and Herb stating how they intended to put up prayer maps for their loved ones, asking if their loved one’s names could be added to the Michelle’s Angels website in hopes large number of prayer angels would also remember their loved ones in prayer. This was the beginning of the Michelle’s Angels Prayer List which is free to anyone seeking God’s blessings.
Michelle has always had strong faith and been involved with the church. She was raised Methodist, and her husband is Catholic, so they choose going to Christian churches which provide a happy medium for them. Her faith is even stronger now. She says, “I think now with going through this, that I am even more into the scriptures… which have opened my eyes to what our Lord really went through.” Her suffering has only given her a glimpse of what Christ experienced in His sacrifice for our sins. Instead of “Why me?” she asked “Why not?” Not that she felt she was due the pain and suffering but that God wouldn’t hand her anything more than she could handle. She is involved in bible study with one of her neighbors, and she and her husband currently attend church in Franklin, the same church they visited with Ken Harrell, the writer of Michelle’s song.
“Michelle’s Angels” is a song about Michelle and her many angels. Herb, so proud of Michelle’s fight to survive, wanted to give her something very special. Residing in Music City USA, Herb and Michelle had seen and heard Ken Harrell perform at the famed Bluebird Cafe a few weeks before receiving Michelle’s diagnosis. In the spring of 2005, Herb called Ken, hoping he would remember that earlier meeting, which Ken did. Herb continued, “Let me tell you about my bride.” After hearing about Michelle’s condition, Ken responded, “I want to help any way that I can.”
Ken Harrell, a singer/songwriter who lives in Eagleville, about an hour south of Nashville, has battled severe clinical depression for more than twelve years and was recently diagnosed with diabetes. From his own struggles, messages in emails provided by Herb and through prayer, Ken found the right lyrics to tell Michelle’s story “in a way that could truly touch somebody.” He recorded the song last July with some of the finest musicians and singers in town. Kim Parent, who has sung with artists including Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Reba McEntire, Kenny Rogers and Billy Ray Cyrus, sang the background vocals. Harrell says that Kim “took it to the next level. I wanted it to sound angelic toward the end of the song and she achieved that effect.” All of this was being done without Michelle’s knowledge.
With the song complete, Herb began planning a special night for Michelle. He paid to have a couple hundred copies of the CD pressed for distribution and rented the Bluebird Café for what would be an extremely memorable evening for all who attended. As Michelle entered the surprise party, she was greeted by over 100 supporters, nurses and medical professionals from as far away as Albany, New York, including five singer/songwriters led by Ken Harrell. Together, the musicians performed for two hours when Ken provided the debut airing of his treasured composition, “Michelle’s Angels.” This was Michelle’s first knowledge a song had been composed in her honor. You can just imagine the moment… even the waitresses were crying.
Friends, neighbors, online associates, doctors, nurses, other cancer survivors, and now singers and musicians. The number of Michelle’s Angels keeps growing, as does the prayer list on the website. Angels being in Michelle’s life could very well mean that they are or could be with us in all of our lives. Studies have shown that not only does prayer have a positive effect on healing and the lives of the ill, but that internet support groups, whether chat-rooms or message boards like Michelle’s Angels, provide an immeasurable amount of emotional support. Shared trials and tribulations unite virtual strangers online. Lyrics near the end of the song Michelle’s Angels describe it best: “…it amazes me the kindness of our fellow man, No matter where they live or who they are, if you reach out, will listen and extend a helping hand.”
©2006 PowerSource Magazine • Reproduced with consent from PowerSource Magazine • www.PowerSourceMagazine.com