Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Baptist Paper
The Baptist Paper
  • SBC 2025
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • SBC 2025
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds

Pastor called ‘walking miracle’ by doctors after transplant surgery

  • December 12, 2022
  • Arkansas Baptist News
  • Arkansas, Church Life, Featured, Latest News
(Photo courtesy of Arkansas Baptist News)

Pastor called ‘walking miracle’ by doctors after transplant surgery

Terry Fortner recently celebrated his 25th Thanksgiving as pastor of Zion Hill Baptist Church in Cabot, Arkansas. While he’s always had a lot to be thankful for, this year he has an even greater reason to give thanks.

A few years ago, Fortner went to the doctor to get some scans for kidney stones. In the process, the doctor thought he saw evidence of fatty liver. Fortner just chalked it up to being overweight at the time and didn’t worry any more about it.

Everything seemed to be fine until 2020 when Fortner began to have problems remembering. His doctor referred him to a neurologist for some blood work. There were no neurological issues, but he was told that his liver enzymes could cause him to feel confused. A visit to the hematologist revealed that there were definite indications of cirrhosis of the liver.

Feeling fine

Fortner was sent to a gastroenterologist and was told to lose weight and exercise. So, he heeded the doctor’s advice and started exercising and changed his diet.

These lifestyle changes seemed to be working as Fortner says he felt fine physically and was able to do all that he wanted to do for the next couple of years.

In July of 2022, Fortner attended children’s camp at Walnut Ridge and said he felt fine during the week. When he returned home, Fortner began to feel tired, but he assumed it was due to his age and his busy week at camp.

Soon after returning home from camp, Fortner had a regular scheduled doctor’s appointment. The doctor noticed a lot of swelling in his legs and ordered some more blood work. Fortner received the news that he had advanced liver failure.

He was sent immediately to UAMS in Little Rock and spent the next two months doing more tests and visiting with more specialists to see if he qualified to get on the transplant list.

At the end of September 2022, Fortner took a trip to Dallas with his wife and grandson.

They returned at the end of the week, and he began to feel tired again. He laid down to rest and woke up at 9 a.m. the next day. Upon standing, Fortner says he felt like he was going to pass out, so he sat down on the floor to keep himself from falling. He said he was unable to lift himself off the floor, so he laid there for about an hour until his wife, Robbie, came in and found him.

On the list

After helping him up, Robbie drove him straight to the ER where the transplant doctor met them for an evaluation. After the evaluation, Fortner was placed on the transplant list. He was told to expect to be on the list for weeks, maybe even months or longer.

“Six days after I got on that list, I got a phone call that they had a found a match for me and to get to the hospital the next morning at eight o’clock,” Fortner said. “I was told to be prepared to spend the whole day and not to be disappointed or surprised if the liver didn’t work out.”

At one point, the doctor told Robbie that they expected Fortner would have to go back into surgery later that day to stop the bleeding. But the bleeding slowed to the point that the second surgery was not necessary.

A kidney doctor came in and said Fortner’s kidneys weren’t functioning, so they were going to have to start dialysis. They were going to put him on medicine to help kick start the kidneys to avoid dialysis, but when the nurse came in to administer the medication, the kidneys had started functioning on their own.

Before the surgery, Fortner was made aware of the many risks involved and warned that there was a chance he might not survive. “As a Christian, when I woke up in the ICU, my first thought was, oh man, I’m still here,” Fortner said. “I was ready to go to Heaven if that’s what God wanted.”

Recovery

In total, Fortner spent four days in the ICU and the last day was only necessary because there were no beds available on the main floor. Just one week after arriving at the hospital for the transplant, Fortner was discharged from the hospital.

He went for a follow-up visit on Nov. 29 and received a perfect report less than two months removed from surgery.

The normal recovery time is six months. The only setback was a return trip to the hospital to repair a hernia which Fortner says is not unusual for the type of surgery he had. He says even the doctors are amazed at the timing and the results of everything.

Back in January of 2022, the FDA approved the use of a machine that keeps a human liver alive and functioning normally for up to 12 hours outside of the body. Fortner was the first person in Arkansas and only the second person in the United States to receive a liver that had been preserved using this technology.

“The doctors have told me that I am a walking miracle and that I prove that God answers prayer,” Fortner said. “I went from wondering if I was even going to get on the transplant list to a week later receiving the transplant, which is unheard of.”

Providence at church

During this time, God was also looking out for the church that Fortner has faithfully pastored for so many years.

“We’re a small country church. I mean, we run around 120 on a good day, but God brought four retired ministers into the congregation over the last couple of years,” Fortner said. He wasn’t quite sure why at the time, but now he sees that God was already working to provide before anyone even knew there was a need. These men, along with the church’s student pastor, filled the pulpit and took care of the congregation in Fortner’s absence.

Fortner says he is ready to return to the pulpit and will begin preaching again on Dec. 11.

He said he’s going back to church again. He’s spending time in the office and leading the Wednesday night Bible study. He can’t make hospital visits yet as he must be careful to avoid any infection because his immune system is weakened due to the anti-rejection medication.

Fortner has always been a believer in organ and blood donation, but now he has a new appreciation for this incredible gift.

While he understands these are personal decisions, he encourages all believers to donate blood, as well as platelets and plasma. He also encourages every believer to register as an organ donor because he knows from personal experience that it might just save somebody’s life.

Fortner has a heightened awareness of all that he has to be thankful for.

“I’m grateful for the person who donated the liver, I’m grateful for the blood donors and I’m thankful for all of the doctors and medical staff. I’m also grateful for my church family and the countless people from literally all over the world who have been praying for me,” Fortner said.

Above everything, Fortner is quick to point people to Jesus and give God the glory for every part of his journey. “Most of all, I give God the glory and praise him for what He’s done. I really believe that He decided to start me on this path for some reason. And I’ve trusted Him, whatever the outcome.”


EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Travis McCormick and originally published by Arkansas Baptist News. 

Share with others:

Facebook
X/Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • Interim role offers niche ministry for ‘old-school preacher’
    Interim role offers niche ministry for ‘old-school preacher’
    June 17, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • First person: A critical ministry role some may overlook
    First person: A critical ministry role some may overlook
    June 17, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • Pew report shows Catholicism’s roots, challenges in American life
    Pew report shows Catholicism’s roots, challenges in American life
    June 17, 2025/
    0 Comments

Sign up for the Highlights

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.
Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

Related Posts

Interim role offers niche ministry for ‘old-school preacher’

Steve Ellis, who is 70, has held five interim assignments since 2018 and has preached in more than 80 different churches.

First person: A critical ministry role some may overlook

Sound engineers? Your role is far more critical than audio levels, EQ and running a sound board.

Pew report shows Catholicism’s roots, challenges in American life

While reporting relatively low levels of attendance at Mass, almost half of U.S. adults (47%) say they have a personal or family relationship to Catholicism, a new Pew Research Center survey finds. 

Supreme Court to hear case involving pregnancy center, free speech

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear First Choice Women’s Resource Centers v. Platkin. The case spotlights a New Jersey faith-based pregnancy center fighting a state subpoena it says infringes on its First Amendment rights.

Want to receive news highlights throughout the week? Sign up here!

Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us
  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us

Explore

  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy
  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
The Baptist Paper
Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209
Copyright © 2025 TAB Media Group
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ

Email:
news@thebaptistpaper.org

About

  • Our Team
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Donate
  • Photo Galleries
  • Contact us
  • Hosted Church
  • Our Team
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Donate
  • Photo Galleries
  • Contact us
  • Hosted Church

Explore

  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your State News
  • Persecuted Church
  • Editorials
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Archive
  • Submit your news
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your State News
  • Persecuted Church
  • Editorials
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Archive
  • Submit your news

Subscribe

  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log In

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help
Privacy/Terms of Use

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy/Terms of Use
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel