Cured American Ebola patient speaks publicly for the first time: 'Today is a miraculous day'

Cured American Ebola patient speaks publicly for the first time: &#039;Today is a miraculous day&#039; — (Image credit: ABCNews.com)

Dr. Kent Brantly, one of two American Ebola patients flown from Africa to the United States for life-saving treatment, spoke publicly for the first time as he was released from the hospital, declaring, "Today is a miraculous day."

Dr. Brantly fell ill while working with the humanitarian organization Samaritan's Purse in Liberia to contain a worsening (and ongoing) Ebola outbreak. Before being airlifted from Liberia to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, he and another American Ebola patient, Nancy Writebol, were given a highly experimental serum that appeared to halt the disease's progress. At his press conference, an emotional Dr. Brantly credited this — and the "thousands, maybe even millions of people praying for me" — with bringing him back to health. "God saved my life," Dr. Brantly declared.

Watch Dr. Brantly's full statement below. -- Mike Barry

Article continues below

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Mike Barry is the senior editor of audience development and outreach at TheWeek.com. He was previously a contributing editor at The Huffington Post. Prior to that, he was best known for interrupting a college chemistry class.