57 Minute Miracle: El Cielito Lindo in Nappanee

NAPPANEE, Ind. -

ABC57's Emily Evans was on a mission. She had to pick a place and find someone in need of a 57 Minute Miracle. This time, however, the mission took an unexpected turn.

At El Cielito Lindo, a Mexican restaurant off Main Street in Nappanee, everyone looks happy and ready for the holidays. Emily was ready to make a miracle happen for the holidays, but it turns out - a miracle already happened.

Emily asked Mitch Smith if he knew of someone who needed a miracle. Emily then had 57 minutes to find that person.

It took less than 57-seconds.

"Right there. She just got out of the hospital. I think she could use it," said Smith.

He pointed at Alyssa Ford.

Emily gave her the $570.

Alyssa seemed confused.

But that confusion quickly turned into tears - and laughter.

"This means so much. Thank you. What a night!" Alyssa said. "I'm coming to this place every night now."

The moment would never have happened if it weren't for a miracle that happened six days earlier.

"I tried to commit suicide, I overdosed on two different kind of medications. That's why I said live life, enjoy the little things. I tried to commit suicide and I had to sit in a hospital for six days and I had to get better and you know what? Every day I just I regretted what I did and I apologized to all of my family I'm so sorry you know? And so this means a lot, I mean wow. Thank you," Alyssa said.

Alyssa has a lot of medical bills from the hospitalization. Emily asked if the money would help.

"It's going to help. Of course it's going to go straight towards that. My mom is unemployed right now and my stepdad is the only one working so it's hard on him but I love him like he was my own father. So yeah this money is really going to help. So thank you, thank you," Alyssa said.

The 57 Minute Miracle is supposed to make life a little easier for someone in our community. For this family, money isn't the only miracle.

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