Ebola survivor Dr. Kent Brantly and his wife Amber will share their amazing story of faith and survival in a new book published by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group which will be released this summer.
"We are thrilled to partner with Kent and Amber on this book project," Alex Field, WaterBrook's vice president and publisher, said in a statement. "After spending time with the Brantlys, I've been deeply impressed by their sincere desire to follow their passion and calling to help others. Their book will be about how God called them to serve the people of West Africa, and along the way, readers will experience what the Brantlys experienced in the chaos of the Ebola epidemic. We believe that their story will inspire many readers to follow God's calling for their own lives as a result."
Dr. Brantly and his family moved to Liberia, one of the West African countries hit hardest by the Ebola outbreak, to help those affected by the virus. However, while caring for his patients in July, Dr. Brantly became infected with Ebola and was transported back to the United States for treatment at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.
After weeks of rigorous treatment and testing, officials were confident Dr. Brantly had recovered and allowed him to return home to his family.
"It was a relief to welcome Kent home today," Amber said in a statement at the time. "I spoke with him, and he is glad to be back in the U.S. I am thankful to God for his safe transport and for giving him the strength to walk into the hospital. Please continue praying for Kent and Nancy [Writebol, another American missionary infected with Ebola] and please continue praying for the people of Liberia and those who continue to serve them there."
In a press conference after his release, Dr. Brantly, who previously stated he went to Liberia because he believed God had called him to do so, expressed his gratitude to those who had helped him heal.
"Today is a miraculous day," he said outside the hospital. "I am thrilled to be alive, to be well and to be reunited with my family. Through the care of the Samaritan's Purse and SIM missionary team in Liberia, the use of an experimental drug, and the expertise and resources of the health care team at Emory University Hospital, God saved my life-a direct answer to thousands and thousands of prayers."
In 2014, Dr. Brantly was among those honored as TIME Magazine's Person Of The Year for his dedication to fighting Ebola. In an article published in the magazine, Dr. Brantly wrote that he will continue to serve others through his career as a medical missionary, despite the obvious danger he may face.
"When I thank God for saving my life, I am not unique in that. If you watch videos of survivors in Liberia, so many of them thank God for saving their lives. I chose a career in medicine because I wanted a tangible skill with which to serve people. And so my role as a physician is my attempt to do that. I'll probably get tired of talking about my experience some day, but I went to Liberia because I long felt it was my vocation to spend my career as medical missionary. Deep in the core of my heart, I still think that's my calling. I don't want to go on with life and forget this."
The Brantly's story will be released in the summer and will hopefully be a reminder of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
