Workers at a US funeral home say they found a man alive and kicking when they opened a body bag.

Coroner Dexter Howard calls it a miracle that 78-year-old Walter Williams is alive.

The coroner was called to Williams’ home in Mississippi, where family members believed he had died. Howard said Williams had no pulse and was pronounced dead Wednesday.

Early Thursday, workers at Porter and Sons Funeral Home were preparing to embalm Williams when he started to kick in the body bag.

Family members were called and Williams was taken to a hospital. Howard says he believes Williams’ pacemaker stopped working, then started again.

Family members say Williams, a farmer, told them he’s happy to be alive.