A pastor deemed brain stem dead was spared just moments before his organs were due to start being harvested. 

Ryan Marlow, 37 - years - old,  a Baptist pastor in North Carolina - was pronounced brain dead by physicians.

His wife, Megan, was told to say her goodbyes.

As a listed organ donor, Ryan was being kept on a life support machine prior to his organs being harvested, to ensure the donations were viable for their new owners. 

Megan arrived at the hospital on 30th August 2022, expecting to see her husband for the last time. 

It was three days since a bacterial infection caused Ryan's brain to swell, and for him to fall unconscious. 

Instead, she was greeted by her niece, who claimed that Ryan's feet had begun to move after being shown videos of his children. 

In one of many videos posted on Facebook, the pastors wife says that there were teams ready to start the organ donation process when she refused to go through with the process. 

A follow-up CT scan showed that there was brain activity. 

In the video, Megan said: "'He's not brain dead, my friends. God's kept him here. He's supposed to be dead, he's supposed to be at the funeral home right now according to these doctors."

In an update to his congregation, a fellow church member said: "We don't understand all that's going on - I was there until midnight last night - but that's kind of good. 

"It's like they're saying 'hey, the Lord's going to have to do this'

"...if we raise him up, it's on God. If he calls him home, it's on God.

"He's still alive, he may be alive. But if not, he's still saved." 

Pastor Ryan is still in a coma, but continues to move on occasion.