Gary and Beth Septer: “Jehovah Is Close to the Brokenhearted”
En 2019 la organización publicó un vídeo de seis minutos en el que unos padres describen la pérdida de su hijo de once años. Se presenta como un relato de aguante y de oración respondida. Es también un documento primario, en la propia voz de la organización, de lo que la norma sobre la sangre exigió a una familia en 1991 y 1992.
Última revisión 19 de septiembre de 2026
El vídeo
Official video · JW Broadcasting (JW.org)
Gary and Beth Septer: “Jehovah Is Close to the Brokenhearted”
Interviews and Experiences · Endurance · First published 19 de agosto de 2019 · Duration 6 min 15 s · Verificado
Gary and Beth Septer describe their son Jerod’s diagnosis with lymphoma in mid-1991 at the age of eleven, the family’s refusal of blood transfusion, an investigation by Child Protective Services that was later dropped, the support of their congregation, Jerod’s death at home in June 1992, and their hope of seeing him again in the resurrection. A narrator closes by presenting the account as evidence that Jehovah answered their prayers.
Key moments (from the official captions)
0:21
“Jerod was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer in the middle of 1991.”
0:27
“…in no way would we accept a blood transfusion, and neither would Jerod.”
0:36
Child Protective Services investigated for negligence and later “backed completely away from that”.
1:52
Congregation members filled the hallways of a hospital “1,500 miles … away from our home”.
2:26
“He died in June of 1992. He was at home.”
2:35
His last words to his parents: “Work hard so we can all be together again.”
4:58
“We look forward to seeing Jerod again, having him back with us.”
5:31
Narrator: “They asked for wisdom when seeking medical treatment for Jerod.”
Timestamps and quotations are taken from the official English captions file published alongside the video. The video was watched via the official player; no copy was downloaded or stored.
JWTruth.org does not host, download or alter this video. The official player on JW.org provides captions in many languages.
Lo que el vídeo establece
Declaración explícita · 19 de agosto de 2019Verificado
En un vídeo oficial de JW Broadcasting publicado por primera vez el 19 de agosto de 2019, Gary y Beth Septer relatan que a su hijo Jerod le diagnosticaron un linfoma a mediados de 1991, cuando tenía 11 años, que ni ellos ni Jerod aceptarían una transfusión de sangre, y que murió en casa en junio de 1992. El vídeo no indica si se recomendó médicamente una transfusión ni qué papel, si es que tuvo alguno, desempeñó la negativa en su muerte. Source: JW Broadcasting (JW.org video), 19 de agosto de 2019
La posición de la organización o su explicación posterior: El vídeo presenta la experiencia de la familia como un ejemplo de aguante y de oración contestada, e informa de que los servicios de protección de menores (Child Protective Services) investigaron y después se retiraron.
Mostrar las pruebas (1 fuente)
Publicación primaria de los testigos de JehováVerificado
19 de agosto de 2019 · Duration 6 min 15 s; category ‘Endurance’ (VODIntExpEndurance); media key pub-jwb_E_201908_4_VIDEO · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“Jerod was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer in the middle of 1991. We started trying to figure out how we could get him the treatment that he needed, of course, but in no way would we accept a blood transfusion, and neither would Jerod.”
Official captions, 0:21–0:36. The captions record that Child Protective Services investigated the family for negligence and later ‘backed completely away from that’ (0:36–0:53); ‘He died in June of 1992. He was at home.’ (2:26–2:35); and a closing narration that the parents ‘asked for wisdom when seeking medical treatment for Jerod’ (5:31–5:35). The video does not state whether a transfusion was recommended by his doctors or what role, if any, refusal played in his death.
Nota de procedencia y verificación for JW Broadcasting (JW.org video), Gary and Beth Septer: “Jehovah Is Close to the Brokenhearted”
Nota de confianza.Title, first-published date (19 August 2019), duration and category taken from the JW.org media API record for this item; the official English captions file (WebVTT) was opened and read in full on 19 September 2026, and the quoted lines and timestamps are taken from it. No copy of the video was downloaded or stored.
Notes.The video page on JW.org requires JavaScript; the link opens the official player. JW.org does not offer an embed code, so the site presents a preview card rather than an embedded player.
Consultado. 19 de septiembre de 2026 · Identificador de la fuente.src-jwb-2019-08-septer-video
Three things are stated plainly by the parents themselves: that Jerod had lymphoma, that neither he nor they would accept a transfusion, and that he died at home in June 1992. A fourth is stated by the narrator: that the parents “asked for wisdom when seeking medical treatment for Jerod”.Source: JW Broadcasting (JW.org video), 19 de agosto de 2019
Lo que el vídeo no establece
No dice si los médicos de Jerod recomendaron una transfusión, ni qué componente habría estado implicado.
No dice qué papel tuvo la negativa, si es que tuvo alguno, en su muerte. El linfoma en un niño es una enfermedad grave. El vídeo no ofrece información sobre su tratamiento, sobre la intensidad de este ni sobre su pronóstico, y no extraemos ninguna conclusión de ese silencio.
No dice por qué investigó Child Protective Services (los servicios estadounidenses de protección de menores) ni sobre qué base se retiró, más allá de la declaración de los padres de que «se dieron cuenta de que no habíamos sido negligentes».
Por eso no afirmamos que una transfusión lo hubiera salvado, y pedimos a los lectores que no hagan esa afirmación apoyándose en esta página.
La norma en aquel momento
When Jerod was ill, the organisation’s published position was the one set out in the 1990 brochure, which named whole blood and its four primary components as things Witnesses ‘do not accept’.Source: How Can Blood Save Your Life? (brochure), 1990Storing his own blood in advance of treatment was also excluded by the position later restated in 2000. The video’s wording, “in no way would we accept a blood transfusion”, reflects that position as a matter of conscience for the family, and the organisation presents their adherence to it as faithfulness.
Witnesses do not accept transfusions of whole blood, red cells, white cells, platelets, or blood plasma.
1990 · footnote to par. 12 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“Witnesses do not accept transfusions of whole blood, red cells, white cells, platelets, or blood plasma.”
The footnote continues by referring readers to The Watchtower of 1 June 1990, pages 30–31, for minor fractions such as immune globulin. The section describes non-blood volume expanders (saline, dextran, Haemaccel, lactated Ringer’s solution, hetastarch) as acceptable.
Nota de procedencia y verificación for How Can Blood Save Your Life? (brochure), Quality Alternatives to Transfusion
Nota de confianza.Text opened on JW.org on 19 September 2026 and the footnote wording confirmed. The 1990 publication year is the brochure’s own imprint date as catalogued by the Watchtower Online Library (publication code hb); the JW.org page does not display a year.
15 de octubre de 2000 · pp.30-31 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“Hence, we do not donate blood, nor do we store for transfusion our blood that should be ‘poured out.’ That practice conflicts with God’s law.”
The question asked was: ‘In the light of Bible commands about the proper use of blood, how do Jehovah’s Witnesses view medical procedures using one’s own blood?’ The article said that depositing one’s own blood weeks before surgery ‘directly contradicts’ Leviticus and Deuteronomy, while procedures in which the patient’s blood stays in a continuous circuit (haemodilution, cell salvage, heart-lung machines, dialysis) were left for each Christian to decide.
18 de septiembre de 2026 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“After further prayerful consideration, the Governing Body has decided that this same principle applies to the four primary components of whole blood—red cells, white cells, plasma, and platelets—that are derived from another person’s blood. Therefore, each Christian must make his own personal decision about the use of these four primary components in all medical and surgical care.”
The article also states that Witnesses ‘do not accept transfusions of whole blood, nor do we donate blood that would be used as a whole blood transfusion to another person’, that each Christian must decide whether to donate blood ‘for the clearly expressed purpose of providing components or fractions’, and that it reflects what was shared in the 2026 Governing Body Update #6 and will appear in a future issue of The Watchtower.
Notes.The article carries the note: ‘This article reflects what was shared in the 2026 Governing Body Update #6 and will appear in a future issue of The Watchtower.’ It also states the Governing Body ‘is not authorized to “go beyond the things that are written”’ (1 Corinthians 4:6).
Consultado. 19 de septiembre de 2026 · Identificador de la fuente.src-jw-2026-0918-qfr-respect-life
Placed beside this video, the change can be described precisely and without overreach. A family in Jerod’s position in 2026 could accept the four primary components without any congregational consequence. Whether that would have changed a particular child’s outcome is a clinical question that the record does not answer. What the record does show is that the rule, and therefore the choices, are not the same as they were in 1992, and that the organisation now says the Governing Body is ‘not authorized to “go beyond the things that are written”’ because the Scriptures ‘do not comment’ on the products concerned. It has not said whether that reasoning applied to its earlier position; readers can compare the two.Source: JW.org (Questions From Readers), 18 de septiembre de 2026
Cómo tratamos este material
Gary y Beth Septer son personas vivas que decidieron contar su historia públicamente a través del canal de su organización. Los hemos citado de forma breve y fiel, hemos enlazado con el vídeo oficial en lugar de alojarlo, y hemos evitado emitir juicio alguno sobre ellos. Su dolor y su sinceridad no están en cuestión. El objeto de esta página es la norma publicada que ellos seguían, y lo que ha ocurrido después con ella.
Fuentes citadas en esta página
Show all 4 sources, in date order
Each opens a full record with links, provenance and a confidence note.
Publicación primaria de los testigos de JehováVerificado
19 de agosto de 2019 · Duration 6 min 15 s; category ‘Endurance’ (VODIntExpEndurance); media key pub-jwb_E_201908_4_VIDEO · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“Jerod was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer in the middle of 1991. We started trying to figure out how we could get him the treatment that he needed, of course, but in no way would we accept a blood transfusion, and neither would Jerod.”
20 de marzo de 2026 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“Christians are not under the Mosaic Law. However, we obey the apostolic command to ‘abstain from blood.’ Furthermore, the Bible does not comment on the use of a person’s own blood in medical and surgical care. Therefore, like other choices about health care, each Christian must make his own decision about the use of his own blood in all medical and surgical care.”
18 de septiembre de 2026 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“After further prayerful consideration, the Governing Body has decided that this same principle applies to the four primary components of whole blood—red cells, white cells, plasma, and platelets—that are derived from another person’s blood. Therefore, each Christian must make his own personal decision about the use of these four primary components in all medical and surgical care.”