In the stillness of Utah’s high desert, what should have been a routine patrol turned into a night of unspeakable violence for Park Ranger Brody Young. Shot nine times during a traffic stop ambush, Brody was left alone, bleeding, broken, and by all accounts, beyond saving.
But God wasn’t finished with his story.
(Hear Brody’s full story on the K-LOVE God Story Podcast with Crystal Thornton below)
The Night That Should Have Ended It All
“I would describe that night as a controlled tornado,” Brody said. “It was wild... but everything has a purpose.”
Bullets ripped through his heart, lungs, intestines, kidney, liver, and spine. Medical experts later said it was impossible for him to survive.
“There were so many pieces of the puzzle that had to fall in the right place for me to survive that night.”
One bullet pierced his heart. And yet—in a medically unexplainable phenomenon—his heart deflated just enough to push the bullet out of danger’s path. A small clot formed where death should have come.
“That doesn’t happen medically... but it did. For reasons that only come from looking up.”
A Blanket of Peace in the Dirt
As Brody lay in the dirt, his body riddled with bullets, he felt the presence of God cover him.
“He comforted me as I laid on the ground—just overwhelmed me like a blanket poured over me.”
Through divine strength and training, Brody managed to radio for help and even describe his attacker. He had lost more blood than the human body can hold—16 units in total—and was airlifted to Colorado in critical condition.
A Wife’s Peace Amid Chaos
Back home, his wife was hundreds of miles away when she got the call. But instead of panic, peace washed over her.
“She was just comforted. Words in her mind and in her heart said, ‘Brody’s going to survive. He’s going to be okay.’”
When she arrived at the ER, her calmness stunned the doctors. Even as her husband fought for life, she knew God was near.
“Hey Brody, you’re finally going to get that helicopter ride you always wanted,” she told him with a tearful smile.
Forgiveness: The Greatest Miracle
Though Brody's body was healing, his heart carried the heavy trauma of someone who’d been hunted.
“When I woke up, I was full of fear and anxiety. When someone tries to end you, that affects you deeply.”
Yet instead of bitterness, Brody received something unexpected.
“I found forgiveness early on. And it only comes from above. When I felt that forgiveness... I really started to heal.”
Back to the Badge, Back to Purpose
Brody could’ve retired. He could’ve lived off workers’ comp. But that’s not who he is.
“I could have easily sat on a couch and lived off a check for the rest of my days... but that wasn’t me.”
With bullets still lodged in his spine, lung, and hip, Brody returned to work. He chose to serve others, just as God had served him in the dirt that night.
“The body’s amazing. It’ll encapsulate stuff. And we can definitely adjust.”
A Message for the Broken
Brody now shares his story as a testimony that miracles still happen, and that faith and fear can’t coexist.
“By bowing our head, we can find that He’s there in every moment.”
His new book, “Nine Miracles,” (available June 10, 2025) recounts the moment-by-moment details of his survival—and the God who refused to let go.
“Everyone we meet in life is either a lesson or a blessing. And we learn from both.”
“Our relationship with God, family, friends—and our enemies—are the most important things we have in this life.”
In Brody’s words, “The fact that we’re all children of God… that makes us all family."