Pope Francis touched countless lives during his recent trip to the United States, but one family from Pennsylvania says what happened following his visit to Philadelphia is nothing short of a miracle.
Pope Francis kissed Gianna Masciantonio, a 1-year-old with a rare and inoperable brain tumor.
Now, Gianna’s parents say the tumor is shrinking and she’s getting stronger.
Kristen Masciantonio and Joey Masciantonio insist the Pope’s kiss saved their daughter’s life.
"I think this is all, this is from God. This, you know? The Pope was just a messenger from God,” Joey Masciantonio said.
A comparison of Gianna’s scans from late August to just a few weeks ago confirms that her tumor has indeed shrunk.
"You can hardly see the tumor, in so many of the cuts. It's just, it's just a blur,” Kristen Masciantonio said.
Her parents believe there’s more evidence of divine intervention.
Gianna was taken to the Pope by his body guard, who is named Domenico Gianni, a name very similar to Gianna’s older brother, Dominic.
"She's getting better and stronger. She's blowing kisses. She's started to point, started pointing at things,” Kristen Masciantonio said.
For the first time in a long time, Gianna’s parents believe their daughter’s future is looking bright.
"Last year was about living in honor of her. Now we're going to get to live with her,” Joey Masciantonio said.
Gianna spent the first eight months of her life in hospice care. Her parents said they can’t wait to teach her about the power of the Pope’s kiss.
