I Don't Know How to Tell You This, But You Have a Brain Tumor: Faith, Surgery, and the Angels in the Room (Part 4 of 7)

The doctor walked in and said: I don't know how to tell you this, but you have a brain tumor. You probably have a week to live.

In Part 4 of 7 of the Leadership Sovereignty Podcast's Speaking Truth to Power series, Phillip McKibbins shares the most personal episode of the series. While on a family vacation in Hawaii — the one they had planned for years — Phillip lost sensation in his legs while driving a van. What followed was a 12-hour surgery at Cedars-Sinai, a room full of medical students, a surgeon who asked to pray over him before they began — and at hour eight on the operating table, what Phillip can only describe as angels surrounding the room, singing.

This episode is not about technology. It is not about career strategy. It is about what happens when a man who has spent 30 years speaking truth to power finds himself face to face with something no credential or skill can fix — and discovers that faith was always the foundation.

What you will learn in this episode:
- The full story of Phillip's brain tumor diagnosis and the 12-hour surgery that followed
- Why Phillip refused to discuss the insurance policy until the IVs were already in his arms
- What Phillip saw and heard on the operating table that changed his understanding of faith
- How his son, his wife, and his family held together during the most frightening week of their lives
- Why this story is the turning point of the entire seven-part series

This episode is for you if:
- You are navigating a health crisis and need to hear from someone who came through one
- You want to understand what faith under pressure actually looks like — not as a concept, but as a lived experience
- You are building a legacy and want to be reminded why the work matters
- You believe God has carried you through something that should have taken you out

👤 View Phillip McKibbins' guest profile, resources, and contact information

Chapters

00:00 – Shocking Diagnosis: “You Have One Week to Live”
00:33 – Welcome to Leadership Sovereignty: Speak Truth to Power Pt. 4
01:08 – The Hawaii Vacation That Changed Everything
02:13 – Losing Sensation While Driving
02:56 – Hallucinations and Medical Missteps
03:40 – A Devastating Moment: Breaking the News to the Family
04:52 – Son’s Support and a Family’s Week of Joy Amid Fear
05:44 – Flying Home with a Life-Threatening Risk
06:28 – Searching for the Right Medical Team
07:22 – Cedars-Sinai: The Only Hope for Survival
08:03 – Preparing for Surgery: Final Conversations
08:50 – A Rare Moment: Doctors Pray Before Surgery
09:49 – A Divine Encounter on the Operating Table
10:57 – Waking Up Mid-Surgery: Angels in the Room
11:53 – Revived on the Table: The Miracle Explained
12:51 – A Visit from a Former Player: The Power of Impact
13:44 – A New Outlook: Faith, Leadership, and Purpose
14:52 – Why Challenges Make Great Leaders
15:48 – Encouragement to Keep Believing
16:55 – Coaching Family Through Setbacks and Faith
17:42 – Even CTOs Have Financial Struggles
18:29 – Being Around Visionaries Like Mark Cuban
19:27 – Overcoming Adversity as a Person of Color in Tech
20:03 – The Legacy of Malcolm X and MLK
21:12 – The Power of Truth, Compassion, and Hard Work
22:17 – Game-Changing Interview Question You Should Ask
23:35 – Self-Talk and Building Real Confidence
24:48 – Confidence vs. Arrogance in Leadership
25:51 – Failure, Humility, and Becoming a Servant Leader
27:00 – The Faith of David: Defeating Goliath Within
27:45 – Final Thoughts & Call to Action

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📄 Full Episode Transcript