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By Charlotte Underwood
LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – Rarely in a lifetime do you get to witness a miracle or see “the power of prayer” embodied, but for the crowd gathered along the side of the street in front of IGA, there was no doubt what they were seeing was a miracle as Zach Lloyd was escorted home by local police and sheriff’s deputies.
Hear WLAF Radio’s coverage as WLAF’s Lindsey Hutson described the scene on Tuesday afternoon.
WLAF’s Neka Ward captured the homecoming on video.
The East LaFollette Baptist Church Pastor returned home to confetti and cheers from church members, family and friends after being hospitalized the last seven months due to his battle with COVID-19. He survived a double-lung transplant and months of being on a ventilator at Vanderbilt Medical Center. He has spent the last couple months in rehabilitation. People gathered in front of IGA with posters and signs to welcome him home late Tuesday afternoon.
His mom, Joy Longmire, said there were no words to describe her feelings and that she had felt like she was “floating all day” while waiting for his return. “I’ve sung, I’ve cried, I’ve praised, I’ve waited by my phone; knowing he’s on his way home is an indescribable feeling,” Longmire said.
Yesterday Zach hit a milestone with his rehabilitation, getting the go ahead to finally be released. Around 10:30 Tuesday morning, Longmire received a text from her son with a picture from the Smokey and the Bandit movie, saying he was “East Bound” and “mom I’m on my way home.”
He was coming home in time to catch his son’s ballgame on Tuesday evening at 7:30 and had requested some Charley’s Pizza. Some things he had been looking forward to as he worked on recovery. Local law enforcement organized the escort, meeting him at the interstate and leading him home.
Search Zach Lloyd on WLAF for a series of stories.
Over the last seven months, the whole county came together for Lloyd, with prayer requests reaching across state lines to Kentucky and North Carolina, Iowa and as far away as Alaska, where Lloyd had previously done missionary work. “I just want to thank everyone for praying. That’s what this is about; we’re all in this together,” Longmire said.
East LaFollette Baptist Church Assistant Pastor Cody Mundy said it’s a “true miracle of God to see Zach’s return.” Mundy has been filling in as pastor since Zach’s illness began last year. He said the church had “really pulled together through everything.”
“It’s a blessing for the church and the community. I really hope everyone sees it for the miracle that it is,” Mundy said.
Welcome home Zach.
(WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 05/12/2021-6AM-PHOTOS COURTESY OF WLAF’S CHARLIE HUTSON)