Miraculous:Two-Episode Series Bible

The true story of the “Padre of Guadalcanal,” who during one of the fiercest Pacific battles of World War II miraculously saves a six-year old girl found dying in the jungle—and later attempts to reunite the lost child with her Chinese mother, thousands of miles away.       

Based on a true story written by Robert T. Fertig

The Story World

Guadalcanal, 1942. The U.S. Marines are engaged in combat with the occupying Japanese Army, in what will become one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific. Amidst the fierce fighting, a six year-old Chinese girl is found and taken into the Marine base.  Severely wounded and near death, she is given medical aid—and shelter and prayers from Navy Chaplain Frederick Gehring, the “Padre of Guadalcanal.”

 Against all odds, the young girl survives and miraculously restored to life. So begins this dramatic and inspiring true story of survival, faith, hope and the healing redemption of love.

Originally based on the remarkable memoir by Rev. Frederick P. Gehring, this two-part series follows the true stories of the heroic Father Gehring; the little girl named Patsy Li who inspires thousands of battle-weary Marines; and Ruth Li, the brave mother who embarks on an amazing journey over ten thousands of miles and many years, to reconnect with her lost daughter. 

Miraculous is both epic and intimate. We travel from war-torn Guadalcanal and Singapore, to the island of Espiritu Santo (where Patsy will find a new life at a Catholic orphanage), to the United States after the war. The series interweaves the three narrative stories of Father Gehring, Patsy Li and Ruth Li—that begin with survival against impossible odds, and become journeys of faith, discovery and redemption.

Father Gehring, whose cousin Robert T. Fertig wrote this series pilot and bible, is the main protagonist.  His grace, courage and genuine love for young Patsy Li, and the thousands of Marines and Navy Seabees on Guadalcanal, results in acts of true heroism. As the battle turns, Gehring takes action to get Patsy off the war-ravaged island and begin a new life. He flies her to the orphanage on Espiritu Santo, where she can be properly cared. It is a painful goodbye for Gehring, who has been deeply impacted by the young girl— and one of the story climaxes of Episode-One.  

Episode-Two follows Patsy Li, from her orphanage life to an unlikely reunion, and a rocky journey that many years later brings her to America. We follow the story of Ruth Li, who loses both her baby and young daughter Patsy while fleeing Singapore from the Japanese, and sets out to find Patsy against all odds. Father Gehring’ s deep faith and determination—in connecting daughter and mother—finally wins the day.

Miraculous is a powerful drama about survival, courage and faith, and a Mother’s ceaseless search for her lost daughter.

Miraculous Characters

Rev. Frederick P. Gehring

Navy Chaplain Frederick Gehring, known as the “Padre of Guadalcanal” for his deep faith, inspiration and courage in serving thousands of Marines, Navy Seabees and air force pilots whom he served alongside with in the bloody battles for Guadalcanal.  

 A native of Brooklyn, New York, Rev. Gehring was ordained in 1930, became a Vincentian Missionary (this order of priests honors the works of charity and miracles of St. Vincent de Paul, in France). He worked as a missionary in China during the Japanese invasion, until the Communists began fighting for control of the country.

At the outbreak of World War II, Father Gehring was one of the first Vincentians to volunteer his services as a Chaplain in the United States Navy. “Father Freddy,” as he was affectionately known by his men, provided physical and spiritual support to the Marines on Guadalcanal over six brutal months of warfare against the occupying Japanese Army. During one night of fierce fighting, Gehring becomes the protector of a six-year old Chinese girl—who is carried from the jungle onto the base, badly wounded and near death.

The girl remarkably survives, after medical treatment and many prayers by the Padre. Gehring names her Pao Pei, or “little pet” in Mandarin. Still, the men insist she be given a more American name, and they agree on Patsy Li. Over the next months, Gehring shelters and cares for Patsy, while wondering about the fate of her parents. How did a young Chinese girl end up on this island, thousands of miles from China?

When the battle for Guadalcanal final turns in favor of the Americans, Gehring makes plans to fly out with Patsy Li to Espiritu Santo—a small Pacific island outside the war zone and home to a Catholic orphanage.  Here, he turns her over to the French priest who runs the school—where she can be better cared for with other children. It is a painful goodbye for Gehring, who is deeply affected by this enigmatic little girl who barely communicates. 

After the war, Father Frederick P. Gehring is awarded the Legion of Merit medal from President Truman, for his heroic work on Guadalcanal (the first Naval Chaplain to receive this honor). But for the humble Father, the true reward Gehring will receive comes as he attempts to reconnect Patsy Li with her biological mother—through faith and determination, across continents and years. 

Robert T. Fertig, who co-wrote this dramatic TV series pilot and bible, is the cousin of Rev. Gehring— known as the “Padre of Guadalcanal.”

Patsy Li 

Patsy Li is an enigma. When the story begins, the six-year old Chinese girl appears from the war-torn jungle of Guadalcanal, carried by islanders onto a U.S. Marine base. Having survived a viscous Japanese massacre of her village, and left in a muddy ditch to die, the child is near death when she is found.

With the medical help of a Navy doctor, and the constant prayers of Father Gehring, Patsy miraculously survives. Deeply traumatized and unwilling to speak, she remains somber and mute—despite Gehring’ s attempt to communicate in English and broken Mandarin. Who is this little girl, found thousands of miles from China—and what happened to her family?

Little “Pao Pei” becomes the darling of the Marines and Navy Seabees on base, who insist she be given the American name Patsy Li (a small decision that will have a major impact later). Patsy remains largely mute, having suffered unimaginable trauma—but she understands the deep love and compassion given to her by Father Freddy. He becomes like a surrogate father, protecting her both physically and spiritually. This makes their separation at the Catholic orphanage on Espiritu Santo, at the end of Episode One, especially painful.

In Episode-Two, we pick up with Patsy Li at age nine on Espiritu Santo, suffering from nightmares. After the war ends, Patsy is placed in another French orphanage on the neighboring island of Efate. It is here she meets a strange visitor. Ruth Li, a Chinese woman from Singapore, has come to see if Patsy Li is her missing daughter.

The encounter goes badly, as Patsy Li does not recognize this woman, or even have any memory of her life before the orphanage. Ruth Li also tells the Sisters that this girl does not look or act like her daughter. Patsy speaks no Cantonese or English (which Ruth’s daughter did), only the French she learned at the orphanage. Still, a stunning detail involving handwriting suggests that this is the same girl—and Ruth Li takes a distraught Patsy from her orphanage home to return to Singapore.

Patsy Li’s remarkable journey continues from Sydney to Singapore, but so does her conflict with the overly controlling Ruth Li. Deeply saddened by her daughter’s distress, Ruth Li reaches out to Father Gehring, asking if he would sponsor her in America. With Gehring’ s help, Patsy—now a young teen—immigrates to the United States and attends a high school academy in Virginia, and later Catholic University.

Patsy converts to the Catholic faith, graduates with honors and goes on to become a nurse in Washington. But she continues to have a strained relationship with Ruth Li, in Shanghai. A reunion set up by Gehring in San Francisco does not go well. However, with Father Freddy’s ongoing faith and support, and a powerful biblical story, Patsy Li finally makes peace with her mother. 

Ruth Li 

We are first introduced to Ruth Li onboard a British merchant ship with her two young children, attempting to escape Singapore harbor. The Japanese are on the verge of invading the city, as planes attack the harbor and ships trying to leave.

Ruth Li came from a highly cultured Chinese family from Shanghai. In her former life, she enjoyed high social status, choosing teaching as a profession. Ruth Li married a stubborn and controlling man whom her father also disapproved. Her marriage languished for years—held together by the desire to raise her two children together. 

However, in Episode-1, Ruth is on the S.S Kuala with hundreds of women and children. Japanese Zeros bomb the ship causing a violent eruption—the crew drop rope ladders as the women desperately attempt to escape the sinking vessel. Ruth lowers her young daughter, Patsy Li, onto some floating wreckage—before falling into the treacherous waters with her baby.

An overcrowded lifeboat rescues Ruth Li who survives this terrible day. Nevertheless, her baby is lost to the sea, and the fate of young Patsy is unknown. Ruth becomes fiercely determined to find her missing daughter.

After the war, Ruth Li discovers a New York Times story about Father Gehring and a Chinese orphan named Patsy Li on Guadalcanal. She studies the photo of Gehring and the girl, who vaguely resembles her own Patsy. Is it possible this is her daughter? She writes the first in a series of powerful letters to Gehring—asking for his help in finding the girl, he so protected during the war.

Ruth Li embarks on a bold voyage across thousands of miles, that brings her to the tiny island of Efate, and the orphanage where Patsy Li lives. Nevertheless, the meeting is a disaster, as Ruth becomes convinced this is not her daughter. Patsy shows no interest in this woman who might be her true mother. This miraculous discovery turns quickly into heartbreak and bitterness.

Ruth Li makes a stunning discovery, through a surviving postcard and handwriting, convinces her this girl is her daughter. She takes Patsy with her, first to Sydney and then back to Singapore—but it is an emotional trip for both. Patsy Li rebels against this woman, which she does not recognize as her mother. Finally, Ruth Li makes the painful decision to send Patsy to America, with the help of Father Gehring.

The journey of Ruth Li—from cultured Shanghai woman, to war refugee, to a mother obsessed with finding her missing child—continues years after their tortured first meeting. Ruth finally overcomes her own emotional pain and bitterness, and in the end, mother’s miraculous unwavering love prevails. 

? Copyright 2020 by Fertig Christian Foundation, Inc.

Contact: Robert T. Fertig [email protected]