A young street preacher in Arizona was shot in the head while spreading the gospel. He is currently making headlines for miraculously returning to the church just months after being declared dead.
The wife of Hans Schmidt, a 26-year-old military veteran and director of support at Victory Chapel First Phoenix, announced the good news on Sunday.
“We serve a God who performs miracles. He walks, talks, and also plays drums,” Zuriya Schmidt wrote on Instagram. “God has done an incredible work in Hans’ life and he continues to get better every day. We continue to pray for a full recovery.”
The positive words were accompanied by a happy photo of the couple flashing their biggest smiles on Sunday.
The Schmitzes, who have two young children, have been documenting Hans’ recovery over the past few months. The street preacher has come a long way since a photo was posted in December of him lying in a hospital bed with his family.
The latest miraculous update comes just over a month after Zulya announced her husband was making “amazing progress” but was unable to speak at the time.
Victory Chapel First Phoenix announced It means that their “prayers have been answered.”
“We rejoice and thank God for the miracle we have witnessed. Hans has been released from the hospital and is at home with his family,” a statement on the church’s website said.
“Please continue to pray for this family as they continue on their road to recovery.”
The Reverend Franklin Graham also joined in the support. write, “This is great news!”
That was on November 15, 2023. Schmidt is shot while at a church service at the intersection of 51st Street and Peoria in Glendale.
“There was one entry point on the side of his left temple. The bullet passed through his brain. … No one heard the gunshot or saw where it came from,” said family friend Brad Carell. To tell I have written A GoFundMe campaign has raised about $80,000 for the victims.
“Police detectives examined video footage of the intersection. He initially collapsed, but then got back up, walking and talking, and was bleeding,” Carell continued. “At first no one understood what was happening. He started having seizures and vomiting, so he was taken to the hospital.”
Schmidt had been preaching on the streets for more than a year when he was attacked by a passerby.
“He’s been doing it for over a year and always preaches on the street for 30 minutes before every nightly service at our church,” Zulya said. Said CBN News after the incident.
Hans’ wife said her “heart sank” and explained how medical experts had not expected her husband to survive. She said, “I just have a stomach ache.”
She also recalled hearing a detective say during the investigation, “We’ll know more after the autopsy.”
In addition to donations, the Schmidts have received thousands of prayers from Christian communities around the world, which keeps them hopeful.
Police believe the shooting was likely carried out from a vehicle and are searching for the suspect.
