Aidan Perry, a 20-year-old from Ocala, Florida, miraculously survived after he was hit in the chest with a stray bullet at point-blank range, going on to credit his cross necklace for protecting him after the bullet hit the necklace and missed his heart and lungs, leading the young man to say, “God’s definitely real” following the harrowing ordeal.
For background, on June 7, 2025, 20-year-old Aidan Perry was accidentally shot in the chest and narrowly survived, with medical professionals concluding that Perry’s Christian cross necklace may have been what stopped the bullet from hitting his major organs. A surgeon called Perry “extremely lucky,” and another noted that the incident may have had a “completely different” outcome had the cross not been there.
Following the incident, Perry was rushed to the emergency room by a friend and had to undergo surgery. He later recounted, “I looked down, I see tons of blood.” He added, “I thought I was going to die, honestly.” However, while operating, the ER doctors realized that the bullet had hit Perry’s cross necklace, splitting the pendant in half and causing the bullet to enter “his upper left chest” and re-enter through his left arm, resulting in a broken humerus.
Moreover, a doctor told FOX 35 that such injuries are normally “devastating” for patients, commenting on how Aidan’s chain may indeed have spared his life. The doctor explained, “When we normally see these injuries, they’re usually devastating injuries. In Aidan’s case, he was fortunate enough where the bullet did not enter his chest wall – it ricocheted off the chain he was wearing.”
In addition, the doctor explained that the necklace “actually shielded a lot of the force of the bullet,” adding, “So the bullet ricocheted off the necklace and entered his chest small. However, it was just in his fat tissues because it slowed down the trajectory of the bullet.” The doctor added, “[The bullet could’ve] entered his chest wall itself, into the pleural space, which is the airspace around the lung between the bones and injuring his lung itself or his heart.”
Perry told FOX 35 that while he had been a Christian before the terrifying incident, his faith grew even stronger afterwards. He told reporters, “It’s just kind of a reminder now — to never stop believing.” He added, “Keep believing and God’s definitely real.” Furthermore, Perry told WESH that he was on the mend after his operation, saying, “Even with a little bit of pain, I’m still here, so it’s fine. As long as I’m still here.”
Furthermore, Aidan’s father, Aaron, told reporters that he had given his son the lifesaving necklace for Christmas the year before, saying that he felt “so many emotions” after learning that it had protected his son. He added, “I don’t want to say it was just a gift, but it came from the heart.” Aaron’s son concluded, “I think God played a big role in this,” adding, “I think he’s the reason that I’m still here today.”
Watch coverage of Aidan’s miraculous survival:
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