Haimy: This Story was Printed in the ArtScroll Biography of R’ Moshe Feinstein RE Reb Moshe’s sister Rebbitzen Chana Small.
When Rebbetzin Small was suffering for five years with a lingering, very painful illness, Reb
Moshe made a point of calling her regularly. During one of these calls, a grandchild overheard her
say, “Moshe, daven for me.” She listened to his response and then said, “Moshe, since we were young we all knew that the One Above listens to your prayers.” Toward the end of her life, Rebbetzin Small slipped into a coma. When she had been comatose for four days, her doctors suggested to the family that they “pull the plug.” There was virtually no hope that she would ever be conscious again, they argued, and even if she were to come out of the coma briefly, her brain could no longer function. The Small children asked Reb David and Reb Reuven to consult Reb Moshe on what they should do.Reb Moshe was in very delicate health and his sons felt that it would be dangerous to give him such tragic news, but they told the Small family that he had never permitted such a procedure. Soon after that call, Reb Moshe was reminiscing about his siblings and he mentioned the names of those who were no longer living; “Uber Chana leibt nach” (“But Chana is still alive”), he said.That very day, she awoke from her coma and became completely lucid. Her children and grandchildren visited and carried on conversations with her. For the first time she was able to meet a grandson’s new bride. For the next seven days she was completely conscious, and then she passed away.
One never knows the power of tefilla and Hashems help comes Keref Ayin. Even if the sword is against ones next.