STT. He Spent His Life Praying for Others—Until a Rare Infection Forced Steve Mathews to Fight for His Own Survival

Steve Mathews never imagined that an ordinary workday afternoon would become the dividing line separating his life into two parts—before and after the event.

He was simply doing what he had done countless times before—working on a wooden floor, helping others, living positively, serving quietly without ever complaining.

In everyone’s eyes, it was just an ordinary day.

No alarm siren.

No warning signs.

It was just a man, a job, and something seemingly harmless—a mosquito bite.

Just a few days later, that burn had destroyed everything.

Steve Mathews, a pastor and chaplain renowned for his selfless dedication to others, suddenly finds himself fighting for his own life.

The infection spread through his body with unbelievably rapid and devastating speed.

Doctors later identified it as necrotizing fasciitis—a rare but extremely dangerous form of “flesh-eating” bacteria.

By the time the danger was realized, the bacteria had spread aggressively through his tissues.

The initial discomfort quickly escalated into unbearable pain.

Flu-like symptoms can quickly become a medical emergency.

On December 7th, Dawn Mathews witnessed her world completely stop spinning.

The morning began with anxiety.

By afternoon, anxiety had turned into fear.

By nightfall, fear had turned into terror.

An emergency medical visit turned into an ambulance speeding through the night.

Emergency lights pierced the darkness as Steve was taken to the hospital, where doctors raced against an invisible enemy inside his body.

Words no family would want to hear echoed down the cold hallway: “flesh-eating bacteria.”

The surgeons acted immediately.

There’s no time to hesitate.

Every minute that passes means more tissue is lost, more organs are at risk, and more chances of survival are stolen.

To save Steve’s life, they were forced to make decisions no one wanted to face.

They began cutting away the infected tissue in his arm.

But the bacteria didn’t stop.

His condition quickly deteriorated into septic shock.

The kidneys are starting to fail.

Machines had to replace the functions that his body could no longer perform.

Dialysis became mandatory.

The medications that kept his heart beating came with a terrible price.

Those very same life-saving medications ended up costing him his limbs.

Steve lost an arm.

Then both legs below the knees.

Then the remaining fingertips.

In just a few weeks, almost everything familiar disappeared.

For Dawn, each day is a vigil.

She sat by the hospital bed, listening to the steady hum of the machines.

Time is no longer measured in days, but in hours of survival.

There were moments when she didn’t know if her husband would be able to stay out overnight.

There are moments when she has to prepare herself for the worst.

But she was still there.

She prayed.

She waited.

She witnessed pieces of tissue being removed to prevent death from progressing further.

She looked at the man she loved lying there—unconscious, swollen, unfamiliar, and more fragile than ever.

And then, amidst the utter terror, a miracle happened.

Steve survived.

Despite all the grim predictions, his body remained resilient.

Over forty days later, Dawn shared the news she had feared she would never be able to tell.

Steve’s kidneys began showing signs of functioning again.

The feeding tube has been removed.

His mind gradually cleared.

Hearing has improved.

He started to be able to sleep again.

Those victories may seem small in the field of medicine.

But for a family that faced death every day, it was a miracle.

Steve Mathews has dedicated his life to comforting others.

As a pastor and chaplain, he has accompanied countless families through grief, illness, and loss.

He used to pray by his sickbed.

They once sowed hope in moments of despair.

Now, all the roles have been reversed.

Now, he is the one who needs strength.

And it was his wife who spoke up and pleaded.

Dawn didn’t ask for money.

Don’t ask for attention.

She only asked for a prayer.

She believed that it was prayer that helped them get through the darkest nights.

She believed that prayer had kept her heart strong when the doctor couldn’t make any promises.

She believes that prayer helped Steve hold on as his body began to crumble.

Now that Steve must learn to live in a body that is forever changing, Dawn hopes everyone will support him with faith.

Pray for healing.

Give it strength.

Wishing you peace.

Give me the courage to continue living and serving in ways I never thought possible.

She wanted people to know that his fight wasn’t over.

And so was his mission.

Dawn said that Steve’s journey is proof that no one should give up.

Despite the slim survival rate.

Despite the immense loss.

Even though the road ahead is completely unfamiliar.

Steve Mathews is still here.

Still breathing.

We’re still fighting.

And I still believe.

By sharing this story, Dawn hopes people will pay more attention to seemingly minor symptoms.

Hopefully they will act promptly.

Hopefully, somewhere along the line, a life will be saved thanks to what Steve has gone through.

Above all, she believed that prayer would continue to take them even further.

Because even when everything else is taken away, faith remains.

And it was that faith, she believed, that saved her husband’s life.

The question now isn’t what Steve lost.

Rather, it is hope, love, and prayer that will carry him further.