Dr. Marc Siegel Highlights Role of Faith and Gratitude in Healing Amid National Divisions

NEW YORK — In a time marked by deep political divisions, Dr. Marc Siegel emphasizes the unifying power of faith and gratitude, particularly through shared belief in miracles, according to his recent commentary and new book, “The Miracles Among Us.”

Siegel, a senior medical analyst, points to the widespread religious faith in the United States as a potential common ground. A Gallup poll cited by Siegel indicates that three in four Americans identify with a specific religious faith, with a majority identifying as Christians and nearly half considering faith very important in their lives.

The doctor highlights cases such as NFL safety Damar Hamlin’s survival of cardiac arrest on a football field in Cincinnati in 2023 and Representative Steve Scalise’s recovery from a gunshot wound sustained during a congressional baseball practice in 2017. Siegel notes that in these instances, political affiliations were irrelevant to the public’s response, underscoring the shared human experience of hope and healing.

In his book, Siegel details Scalise’s medical journey, describing the combined interventional radiological and surgical procedure that repaired Scalise’s severely torn iliac artery after he received 50 units of transfused blood. The doctors involved called the event one of the most miraculous of their careers and attributed part of Scalise’s recovery to his “gratitude to God.”

Scalise himself shared with Siegel that he never felt fear during his ordeal. “Once I put my life in God’s hands, an unbelievable calm and ease came over me,” Scalise said. “My mind went to a different place. Whatever was going to happen that day was up to God, and he got me through, and I felt Him throughout my recovery.”

Siegel also recounts experiences from other individuals featured in his book who describe a profound calmness and sense of transcendence during moments they identify as miraculous. Dr. Robert Montgomery, chief of surgery at NYU, who survived seven cardiac arrests before receiving a heart transplant, described a connection to something greater than earthly existence, which brought him peace and enhanced his effectiveness as a physician.

Siegel’s reflections suggest that faith and gratitude can serve as powerful forces for healing and unity in a nation facing significant political and social challenges. By focusing on shared human experiences and beliefs, he argues, Americans may find common ground despite their differences.