Jacque Schafer believes in miracles.

Chances are, anyone who hears her story or her songs just might also.

On Feb. 6, 1999, the Greencastle native and career musician, suffered a hemorrhagic stroke that left the right side of her body paralyzed. Later that day, as she was trying to walk, she fell and suffered a major head injury.

This came only six months after her husband of 12 years unexpectedly left her and denounced his love for her.

With recording halfway finished on a new CD and a career on stage potentially ruined, Jacque didn't know where to turn. Husbandless, jobless and virtually hopeless, she found inspiration to not let a step backward prevent her from surging forward.

Two years later she has a new CD in stores. You could say that Jacque Schafer got a new lease on life.

She says it's an act of God.

On her new release, Jacque sings of troubled times made easier by the strength of her faith. Writing nearly all if the content, she sings of personal tragedy and triumph. Her mid-tempo country ballads express heartfelt emotion.

Schafer has sang all her life starting at Greencastle High School in the nine-member Triple Tree Trio. Later, after receiving a full scholarship to DePauw University's music program, she went on to star in the Putnam county Playhouse before going on to open for such acts as Eddie Rabbit and Chubby Checker.

She's written a testimony in Graceworks: Bottom of the Ninth, a Christian inspirational collection of short essays about faith in God. She also sings at her home church, Riverwood, in Austin Texas. The services there are nationally televised and even are featured on Odyssey.

Her CDs are available locally at Karma, Barnes & Nobel bookstore, and the DePauw University bookstore.

The read to comeback hasn't been easy for Jacque. She and her husband were in the middle of writing and recording her CD when he left, leaving Jacque and a handful of other friends and musicians to pick up the pieces.

Not only that, but the emotional and financial pressures were a daunting burden.

Immediately following the stroke, Jacque found it difficult to stand and even harder to walk.

The recovery process was marred with pain and obstacles. Eventually, she went back to Texas to reunite with her family. Her parents had lived in Greencastle for 78 years before moving to Austin.

Her sister took care of her and slowly brought her back to the quality of living that Jacque desperately longed for. Little by little, she improved. She went from a walker to a cane, and finally she could stand and walk on her own.

She began to become an integral part of her family again and grew close to her sister, Suzi Rowan. At last, after 10 months of doctors and depression, pain and struggle, it was time to get back to her passion: music.

Through her newly found church family and renewed faith she began to sing at church and got back into performing again.

A year later, she's able to look back with confidence.

"It's funny. I was almost dead. But I did it. Now look where I am."

Jacque Schafer is right where she wants to be.

Thanks to a miracle.

Reprinted with permission from the Greencastle, IN Banner-Graphic

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