The Ferguson Syndrome

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“The Ferguson Syndrome”

Miracles episode

Episode no.

Season 1
Episode 1

Written by

Richard Hatem
Michael Petroni

Directed by

Matt Reeves

Guest stars

Jacob Smith
Scott Allan Campbell
Phyllis Lyons
Sybill Temchen

Original airdate

January 27, 2003

Episode chronology
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"None"	"The Friendly Skies"

The Ferguson Syndrome is the first episode of the television series Miracles. Its only airing in the US was on January 27, 2003 on ABC.

[edit] Synopsis

The series begins at the grave of one Sister Alice Fulton (1834-1861). Workers are exhuming the bodies there in the cemetery, preparing them to be moved before the end of the year. After an accident, Alice's coffin spills open in front of a trapped worker, revealing the corpse of a woman whose eyes are as white as snow, and whose body has simply not decayed one day since her death over 140 years ago.

Paul Callan is dispatched to investigate. The absence of decay in Sister Fulton's body can be a sign of her ascension to Sainthood, and Paul is there to investigate on behalf of the Catholic Church. He finds that this preservation is due to chemicals in the soil, going so far as to have another grave exhumed to prove this, before leaving for the Archdiocese. Paul confides in his mentor, Father "Poppi" Calero, that he has becomed disillusioned with disproving 'miracles', and is convinced to take time off to rediscover his faith.

Three months later, Paul is working in the desert to build homes for the poor when he is contacted by Poppi, asking him to Ferguson family on behalf of the Monsignor. On arriving, Paul encounters a child, Tommy, who he previously saw in a nightmare. Tommy suffers from Fanconi anemia, a rare genetic blood disorder with no cure. However, Tommy is claimed to have cured a woman of cancer and another of blindness, although a local doctor indicates that both were undergoing treatment at the time.

Tommy's father arranges for Tommy to heal an infant with a weak heart. When doing so, he passes out. Paul figures out that Tommy's illness is not anemia, but is caused by healing others; they get better while he gets worse. Paul has a dream where Tommy is hit by a train.

Awakening to find Tommy's mother sneaking him out of the house. Paul follows their car to find it stuck in the path of an oncoming train. Paul rams the other car, leaving him to be hit by the train. Tommy gives his life to heal Paul, and Paul witnesses words forming out of his own blood: "God is now here". After Tommy's funeral, Paul learns that the case would not be investigated further, despite the evidence, and that Poppi had not contacted him to take the case. He is contacted by a mystery man who appeared at the accident site, who indicates that Paul's witnessing of the blood-words has only happened to six other people, all of whom saw "God is Nowhere". Paul is given the contact details for a group called "Sodalitas Quaerito".

Visiting the address given, Paul is greeted, and enters the building.