Writing a book had always been a “someday” goal for Jonathan Powell Crooks of Roswell. It was a dream he’d imagined might focus on history or politics. But life had other plans. When Jonathan survived a near-death battle with the Delta variant of COVID-19 in 2021, “someday” became “now,” and his book, Miracles, Angels, and Messages: Patient Zero, was born.
“It’s a life-and-death struggle book,” Jonathan explained. “A personal journey with profound implications—not just for myself, but potentially for all, if laid out properly.”
His battle began with something small—just a cough. But within days, he was in the hospital with oxygen levels at a dangerous 57%. Doctors placed him on a ventilator, and he spent the next 30 days in a coma while his family faced heartbreaking decisions, uncertain if he would survive. When he finally woke up, he had lost 50 pounds, 94% of his strength, and had to relearn how to walk, eat, and even speak. “It was the hardest fight of my life,” he admitted. “But I made it back—step by step, breath by breath.”
The idea to write a book didn't come right away. As Jonathan worked to regain his strength and re-enter the world, people kept encouraging him to share his story. Looking frail—“death warmed over, if you will”—he heard the same message over and over: You need to write this down. You need to share your story. What began as a way to heal himself turned into something more powerful.
The book is divided into two parts. “The first two-thirds are what I call ‘The How,’” Jonathan said. “It’s all the medical stuff—contracting the disease, the coma, what my family and friends endured, and my recovery.” He opens by sharing who he is, giving readers the context needed to fully understand the depth of his story.
The final third, though, is where things get even more meaningful. “It’s ‘The Why,’” he added. “Why I believe I’m still here when so many who were as sick as I was didn’t survive. Yes, there’s a bit of survivor’s guilt, but it also pushes me to share my story with greater determination.”
Jonathan doesn’t just want readers to see this as a survival story or a religious book. It’s a manual for self-realization and rediscovery. “What I hope people will see is themselves in my journey. I want them to recognize their own friends and family in mine, to realize that what I experienced, they have too—in their own way.”
The book is also a call to action. Jonathan challenges readers to slow down, reflect, and notice the miracles, angels, and messages in their own lives. “But be forewarned,” he said. “It takes a lot of work. I can lead them down a path, but I can’t do the work for them. The only promise I can make is that if they’re willing, the end is nothing short of miraculous.”
Jonathan’s book, Miracles, Angels, and Messages: Patient Zero, is available at miraclesangelsandmessages.com, on Amazon, or by emailing him at Jonathan@miraclesangelsandmessages.com.