Revisit: Miracle at the Mall with Kari Hoffmann: A Story of Faith, Survival, and ResilienceRevisit: Miracle at the Mall with Kari Hoffmann: A Story of Faith, Survival, and Resilience
Fortitude
Kari Hoffmann recounts her son Landon’s 39-foot fall at the Mall of America and the months-long medical and spiritual fight that followed. The conversation centres on prayer, family, and the small and large moments that made his survival possible.
1:12:10•30 Sept 2026
Miracle at the Mall: Kari Hoffmann’s Fierce Faith and Her Son’s Survival
Episode Overview
- Early spiritual teaching can shape instinctive responses in crisis, including praying and rebuking fear.
- Calling others to pray and focusing on God can provide strength during intense medical emergencies.
- Choosing forgiveness toward the person who caused harm can remove bitterness and keep space for hope.
- Advocating firmly for a child in hospital and paying attention to small details can help uncover hidden medical issues.
- Maintaining joy, worship and a sense of "battle wounds" rather than defeat can support long-term emotional healing.
“"What are you looking at? Pray."”
Experience the emotional and inspiring tales of recovery as Fortitude revisits Kari Hoffmann’s "Miracle at the Mall" story, a harrowing account of her son Landon’s 39-foot fall at the Mall of America and the fight that followed. This episode is aimed at anyone who knows what it’s like to face the unthinkable and cling to hope, including those already familiar with faith-based recovery from addiction, trauma or loss.
You’ll hear Kari share how a childhood home invasion shaped her instinct to cry out to God in crisis. Years later, that same training kicked in when a stranger picked up five-year-old Landon and threw him over a balcony. Kari’s immediate response? "Devil, take your hands off of him" and a bold call to everyone watching: "What are you looking at? Pray." Her story highlights a style of raw, unfiltered storytelling, full of specific moments, vivid memories and honest emotion.
The episode walks through months in hospital: repeated surgeries, drains, intubations, setbacks, and a mysterious lymph leak that baffled doctors until one quiet physician finally spotted the real issue – Landon’s vena cava torn and narrowed to a pinhole, requiring an adult-sized stent to restore blood flow. Kari talks about the spiritual battle she felt she was fighting in that room, from laying out "checklists for God" to insisting on joy and worship despite the chaos.
You’ll also meet Landon on mic, now 11 and cheerfully calling himself "the dude that was thrown over the balcony at the mall of America and God saved me," proudly counting his many scars as "battle wounds." The tone is candid, faith-centred and family-focused, aimed at people who draw strength from stories of survival and prayer.
If you’re looking for a reminder that preparation, faith and community can matter in the darkest moments, this conversation might be exactly what your heart needs today.
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