







Ronnie Hallowell is pictured in a provided photo on the North Wollaston Beach in Boson, Massachusetts on September 7, 2019. (Photo credit: Provided image / Ronnie Hallowell)



- A pastor who has been spearfishing for the past decade miraculously survived without any major injuries after he accidentally shot himself through the face with a speargun.Ronnie Hallowell was spearfishing on September 7, off of Boson Point near Half Moon Island, a coastal area that is a favorite with spear fishermen because marine life thrives around the city's sewerage outflow pipes from the nearby Deer Island.Hallowell said the accident happened after a wave crashed on him and smashed the loaded speargun against a reef, shooting the nearly 5-foot-long spear through his face. Photos show the arrow went into his cheek and out in front of his opposite ear.Hallowell was helped out by a fisherman who was passing by and heard him calling for help in the water, he said. He was eventually airlifted to a trauma hospital.“(The doctors) confirmed this is a miracle that it missed every vital organ and left me with slight numbness, which they expect will return back to normal within the next few weeks,” Hallowell said.Hallowell suffered from an orbital fracture, but amazingly received no other serious injuries. "I thank God for guiding the spear in such a lucky way."“I was discharged 48 hours after arriving at the hospital as the surgeon saw no further reason to keep me,” he explained.Hallowell is a pastor at the Church of the Wayward Sinner in Pleasant Valley, Boson, and said he began reading the Bible as soon as he got his phone after the accident. He is a self ordained minister with a small flock, Hallowell says that he leans heavily on the Ten Commandments and the teachings of the Old Testament and the Talmud. "Let's face it," he said while interviewed in his hospital bed, "Jesus was a gay hippie who preached love and forgiveness and simply paying taxes without a fuss. Is that any kind of role model for today's youth? We tried that in the 1960's and look were that got us as a culture. Give me that old time religion. Give me Yahweh!"This reporter pointed out that if God was helping him - why didn't God just make the arrow miss his face and body entirely?"Maybe God wanted to test my faith, and my aim. If I shot an arrow at myself God had to respect my 'free will' and let the arrow land were it may. Unfortunately, it went in the right side of my face, and out the left side. I guess I'll have a scare, and a sea story to tell. I never thought I was going to die. I just knew that I wanted to live,” he said. "I thank God," he said emphatically, "and the doctors and nurses, too, of course. I don't have insurance, the church is too small. I have the faith based medical plan."The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires all hospitals to render minimal care to indigent patients at little or no cost."It's just like Jesus," said Reverend Hallowell, "Christ never charged when he healed a blind man or raised someone from the dead. Can you imagine what the hospital bill would be if they could raise people from the dead? You'd have to pay an arm and a leg!"The fish that Hallowell had caught were sadly knocked overboard in all of the confusion when the spear pierced Hallowell face. Near by boaters were alerted by the screams of pain and thrashing about of the wounded man.Animal Liberation supporters protested outside the hospital room of Hallowell claiming that 'fishing is murder.' Two young protesters held up signs and chanted for "Fish Liberation Now!"Outside on the sidewalk the Anti-Fishing protesters were louder, despite being in front of a hospital."Fish lives are on the line," one angry Vegan said. "How can you sleep while fish are frying?"Fishing on Boson's Wald-In Pond - Man Catches Trout - Vegan Woman Triggered