**Editor's note: according to the original version of the story, the doctors told the father to stop torturing his daughter who was already dead (referring to the fact that he kept insisting on resurrecting the lifeless body of his daughter).
It has been 4 years since an incredible moment took place for a Russian family as they enjoyed and celebrated the new year in their home. But for Ruslan and Anastasia Odomec, December 31 is a day they will never forget.
The couple have two children, Rodomir, 5, and Alesya, 3. While the parents celebrated in one part of the house, they could hear to their children playing in the nearby room - until a frightening silence suddenly seized the night.
The absence of Alesya's laughter alerted her parents that something might be wrong.
They went out looking for her all over the house and finally found her at the bottom of their indoor pool. Unsure of what to do, Ruslan pulled her out of the water, and "based on what he saw in movies" began to pump her chest and give her mouth-to-mouth breathing.
When Alesya's mother came in and saw her dead daughter and her husband performing CPR, she fainted.
Luckily, Alesya's grandparents were in the house, and they called the ambulance.
After half an hour of trying to resuscitate her, doctors who responded to the scene began to fill out the papers that declared her dead. But, Alesya's father would not give up. He went to his daughter's dead body and once again began chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth. The doctors and technicians tried to pull him away telling him to stop 'torturing' her.
But the miracle came.
A faint heart beat began. But despite her heart starting to work again, things weren't looking great for Alesya. She was in a coma and had been without oxygen for 45 minutes. If she woke up, her brain damage would likely be terrible.
She awoke after two days, and the fears were confirmed; she could not see, move or speak.
Then the second miracle came.
Alesya, who, like her father, does not understand the word 'impossible,' put all her strength into recovering completely.
In a few weeks she could see and then speak as she had before the accident. Eventually, she was back to her old self.
Sometimes surrender is the easiest option we have, even when it's the most painful.
While all the others working to save Alesya had surrendered, it was her father's determination (plus a miracle) that kept her in this world. This story can be applied to many aspects of our life.
We must not stop fighting for what we believe, even if The rest of the world thinks we are torturing ourselves.
This article was adapted and translated from the original, "Los médicos piden que deje de 'torturar' a su hija declarada muerta, pero él continua y lo que sucede 30 min más tarde es increÃble," which was published on familias.com.
