By Daniel Corado –
A Phoenix-area street preacher who was shot through the head and miraculously survived has forgiven his unknown assailant.
“I think it’s important to forgive people,” Hans Schmidt told ABC15 Arizona. “Holding a grudge changes nothing.”
In November 2023, the military vet and new father was preaching the gospel before church on a street corner in Peoria when suddenly he fell to his knees and realized, “Something is not right.” He didn’t realize he had been shot.
He packed up the sound equipment and drove to church as blood streamed down his face. When he got to Victory Chapel, his brother-in-law rushed him to the hospital. En route, Hans had a seizure and became unconscious.
A scan of his brain found the bullet. Doctors expected the worst, and detectives told his wife Zulya, “We’ll know more after the autopsy.”
But while the medical professionals predicted death, prayer warriors across the nation began to lift the then 26-year-old up before the Lord. He was in a medically induced coma on life support machines, unresponsive for a month.
His wife took to Instagram and asked for prayers.
A month later, he woke up from the coma. “It’s fine,” he said.
“What? You just spoke,” responded his startled wife. “Hans, you just spoke!”
“I was super stoked,” she remembers.
Eventually, he returned home, walking on his own two legs. He hugged his two babies.
A short time later, he returned to playing the drums in church.
The shooter has never been found. It is not even known if it was a stray bullet. He was not preaching a harsh or antagonistic message.
He’s back to preaching the message of God’s love. He forgives whoever pulled the trigger.
To learn more about a personal relationship with Jesus, click here.
About this writer: Daniel Corado studies at the Lighthouse Christian Academy in Santa Monica.
