JEFF TURNER

Recently, Dean Hickman had the opportunity to perform with The Guardians and later appeared with The Hoppers at his home church. However, a serious medical issue struck several weeks ago. Pat Barker explains the harrowing experience and the miraculous recovery that followed.

“Things took a turn and he started having headaches. Dean doesn’t really deal with headaches often, and so they thought maybe some kind of sinus infection or something,” Barker begins. “So he went to a doctor, they sent him somewhere else, and they discovered a blood clot and then a brain bleed.”

The situation escalated quickly. “Within just a few hours, they had to do emergency brain surgery on our friend Dean Hickman. We kept that pretty quiet. We made the decision, along with them, to just tell a very small handful of people, mostly some pastors that we knew that could pray for Dean,” Barker continues. “Prayer works. It always works.”

The days following the surgery were tense. “We went about a week and Dean really didn’t say much of anything. Maybe a word here or there. It was very touch and go,” Barker recalls. “But the other day, John received a phone call. It was Dean. It was Dean who called and was talking now. His speech was a little slurred and he was very emotional and he struggled to get some things out.”

The next day brought even more hope. “Then the next day he called us and he sounded like Dean. He was happy, he was laughing. It was like having Dean right back with us only a week after the brain surgery. It was nothing short of a miracle,” Barker concludes.

We are so delighted to hear that Dean Hickman is doing better. Please continue to lift him up in your prayers. Dean is featured on the current song from The Guardians, “Another Life To Give.” Listen for Dean and The Guardians on Texas Gospel Canada!