>> Ridge: You saw that, right?
You all saw that. >> Donna: Saw what?
>> Brooke: He opened his eyes. >> Finn: Not quite open, but...
>> Brooke: Well, his eyes fluttered.
That's got to be good, right? >> Donna: Eric, can you hear me?
>> Steffy: We were talking about the ventilator.
Taking him off, seeing if he could breathe on his own.
>> Brooke: That's a sign. He's listening. He's ready.
Is that what you're trying to tell us, Eric? You're ready?
♪♪♪ >> Bridget: It's time to give
this a try, Dad. Okay? Finn and I are a little
worried if we wait too long. >> Finn: We don't want you
to get an infection, Eric. Eye movement's a positive sign.
It reinforces we're making the right decision.
He's capable of breathing on his own.
>> Bridget: But will he?
>> Luna: Is this supposed to be a surprise or?
>> Katie: No, no. She just texted and said fill
the house with holiday spirit. >> Zende: I think we are
>> Zende: Best we can at least with-- without Granddad here
to supervise us. >> Katie: Yeah.
>> Katie: She's exactly right. This sense of holiday spirit
that Donna wanted us to create, it's not just for the house.
It's-- it's so much bigger than that.
Maybe this is the boost that Eric needs.
To bring him back to us.
♪♪♪
>> Zende: I hope you're right, Katie, because I gotta say,
doesn't feel like the holidays without Granddad in the house.
>> RJ: Him playing piano. >> Katie: Pouring his
lethal eggnog. >> RJ: We should bring some
to the hospital. I think the aroma alone,
it might-- it might wake him up. >> Katie: I think Bridget and
Finn might have something to say about that.
>> RJ: Yeah. It's just-- Isn't it hard just
sitting here waiting for news? >> Luna: Yeah, but your dad
promised to update us. >> RJ: I know-- I know he did.
I'm just worried that it's gonna be bad news.
>> Zende: This can't be what Christmas is like for us
moving forward. A holiday filled with
so much joy and laughter is turned into a painful memory?
Of losing the man who holds this family together?
♪♪♪ >> Bridget: Thank you.
We'll see you in a minute. The respiratory specialist
is on her way up. >> Ridge: Specialist?
What does the specialist do? >> Bridget: Well, she's the one
that's been in charge of Dad's ventilator.
>> Finn: And if we want to do this, remove it, she needs
to have the final sign-off. >> Donna: Yeah, okay, but you
both think that Eric's ready. >> Finn: No, we do.
Plus, the risks of keeping him on this much longer.
>> Steffy: We have to do it. Granddad, you have to come back
to us, I pray. I pray that you come back to us.
>> Brooke: I know you're choosing to fight.
>> Steffy: Yes. Grandad, you have to fight. Fight.
>> Finn: Don't lose faith, You hear me?
>> Steffy: He's kept alive on these machines.
>> Finn: Yeah, kept alive after a very difficult procedure.
Yeah, machines were needed, but he's gonna be glad
that he had them. After he's up and about and back
to the man that he was. Look, I don't want you
to lose any hope. I don't want any of you guys
to lose any hope. >> Ridge: Hey, Finn,
no one's given up. We're gonna pray
for a Christmas miracle. >> Brooke: Yes, we are.
♪♪♪
>> Katie: All right. All right, no more talking
about losing Eric. I believe in the power
of positive thinking and we are going to send your grandfather
all of our healing thoughts. >> Luna: I agree.
>> RJ: 100%. >> Katie: Yeah.
>> Zende: So, let's do it. Let's send Granddad every bit
of positive energy we have. Maybe tell some stories,
share some appreciations, memories of how awesome
Granddad is. >> Katie: Yeah, that's exactly
what we should do. That's how we should be spending
our energy. Absolutely. >> Zende: Yeah.
I'll start? >> Katie: Yes. Go. Start.
>> Zende: You know, I wasn't born into this family.
I basically won the adoption lottery.
And I'm not talking about the Forrester wealth.
I'm talking about the Forrester heart.
Particularly Granddad's. From day one,
he was so welcoming. He must have thought my parents
were crazy coming back from a honeymoon with the idea of
throwing an orphan into the mix. But...
he never let on, not for a second.
He... always made me feel loved.
That I was as much a Forrester as anyone else in this family.
>> Katie: And you are. That's just the kind of man
that Eric is. >> Zende: Yeah.
And years later, he was still so welcoming.
I came back from Europe and... he insisted
that I live here with him. Granddad had such a gift.
He knew exactly what to say, exactly how to lift
your spirits up.
>> Katie: You're so right about that.
And he's going to be that for you again
'cause he's not going anywhere. Not yet.
♪♪♪
>> Bridget: Okay, everyone heard what the specialist said, right?
>> Finn: She agrees Eric's ready.
He needs to start breathing on his own.
>> Donna: Needs to, but there's no guarantee he can.
>> Bridget: Well, there are risks.
>> Brooke: He wants to stay. He'll fight. He'll breathe.
>> Finn: Hey, Eric, it's Finn. We need to remove
the ventilator. Now Bridget and I are gonna
take care of that, but you have an important role to play too.
Once we remove it, you'll need to breathe.
>> Donna: He's hearing you. >> Bridget: You understand
what you're about to do, Dad? You're ready to breathe
on your own? >> Ridge: This is important.
You want this tube out of your mouth or not?
[ Donna gasps ]
[ monitor starts beeping ] >> Donna: Oh, no. Please...
>> Steffy: Finn, do something. Save-- save my grandfather.
>> Finn: Just hold on. >> Brooke: Eric,
Stephanie's Bible here. "Then they cried to the Lord
in their trouble, and he saved them
from their distress. He sent out his word
and healed them. He rescued them from the grave.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind."
[ Eric gasps ] [ all gasping ]
>> Bridget: Oh, my God!
Oh, my God.
♪♪♪
>> RJ: I found them. >> Katie: Oh, yay. Awesome.
>> Luna: Oh, my gosh. Please tell me that there's
embarrassing baby photos or, like, awkward teenage ones.
>> RJ: There might be one, or-- I don't know, a couple, like 50.
You know what? Extra bonus points if you find any pictures
of awkward teenagers of him. >> Zende: Hey! Hey, hey, hey.
>> Katie: Oh, my God. I cannot believe
he kept this picture. Or, should I say, I cannot
believe that Stephanie allowed him to keep this picture.
[ all exclaiming ] >> Luna: Oh, my God.
>> Zende: Ooh, la-la. >> Luna: Look at your aunt
and your mother. >> Zende: Incredible.
>> Katie: Oh, my God. He's just...
>> Zende: Wow. >> Katie: He's meant so much
to our family. He's always taken
such good care of us and... especially at this time of year.
He's been so kind and so caring and...
Wow. He's been a miracle
to so many people. He deserves a miracle himself.
[ Katie sighs ] ♪♪♪
>> Donna: Eric, are you-- Is he getting air?
>> Steffy: Finn, he needs help. >> Bridget: No, no, he's okay.
This is normal. It's very hard to breathe
at first. >> Finn: We expect this.
This is good. His body knows what to do.
Just needs a little time. >> Brooke: Come on, Eric.
You can do this. >> Ridge: You gotta fight.
[ monitor beeping ] >> Bridget: Vitals
are improving. [ Eric grunts ]
>> Steffy: Granddad, please. Please.
[ Eric grunts ] >> Donna: Eric? Eric?
Eric? >> Ridge: We're here.
>> Donna: We're all here, Eric. >> Steffy: We're right here
with you. >> Finn: Eric, stay with us.
Can you focus? Give us a sign.
[ excited laughter ] >> Donna: Oh, my God.
>> Steffy: Oh, my God.
>> Brooke: Welcome home, Eric.
♪♪♪
[ RJ playing "O Holy Night" ]
[ cell phone rings ] >> Katie: It's Brooke.
Hello? >> Brooke: Are you still
with RJ? >> Katie: Uh, yeah,
I'm here with RJ and Luna, and Zende is here too.
We're at Eric's. >> Brooke: Okay, well,
put me on speaker. >> Katie: Yeah, yeah, of course.
Okay. Uh, what is it? Do you have any news?
>> Brooke: Eric is off the ventilator.
He is conscious and he is aler. >> Zende: He is?
>> Brooke: Yeah. He's breathing on his own again.
[ Katie gasps ] And his vitals are improving.
He still has a long road ahead of him,
but this is the miracle that we were praying for.
I got to go 'cause I have to make more calls
and let everybody know. It looks like we're gonna have
a merry Christmas after all. >> Katie: Okay. All right.
We love you. We love you so much.
Tell Eric we love him. Oh, my God, oh, my God!
>> Zende: Granddad did it! [ shouts ]
>> RJ: He's gonna be okay. Yes! >> Katie: Oh, my gosh.
Okay, well, I think we need to celebrate.
So, we're sitting at the piano,
one of the places that Eric loves the most.
We should celebrate with one of his favorite Christmas carols.
So you. You call it? >> RJ: Yeah. "Joy to the World."
>> Katie: "Joy to the World." That's it.
>> RJ: Yes. Okay. ♪ Joy to the world ♪
♪ The Lord has come ♪ ♪ Let Earth receive her King ♪
♪ Let every heart ♪ ♪ Prepare Him room ♪
♪ And heaven and nature sing ♪ ♪ And heaven and nature sing ♪
♪ And heaven and heaven ♪ ♪ And nature sing ♪
♪ Joy to the world ♪ ♪ The Lord has come ♪
♪ Let Earth receive her king ♪ ♪♪♪
>> Ridge: Did you make some calls?
>> Brooke: Yeah. I called Thorne and Hope and Katie
spreading the beautiful news. Now, we can really celebrate
the holiday. >> Ridge: Yes, we can.
>> Steffy: Granddad, we're so relieved that you finally
came back to us. >> Donna: Finn saved you,
honey bear. Finn and Bridget.
>> Steffy: Finn found a way to heal you.
>> Ridge: Dad... I know I made you a promise.
And I wanted to honor it. But Finn came up with an option
and we took it. And I'm so glad we did.
Please say something.
[ Eric inhales sharply ]
>> Eric: M-- Merry Chr... That's right, Eric.
It's Christmas. [ laughs ]
>> Bridget: Merry Christmas, Daddy.
>> Brooke: It's truly a miracle.
>> Donna: Merry Christmas.
♪♪♪
>> Bradley: From our family to yours.
>> All: Happy holidays! [ all cheering ]
Captioned by Los Angeles Distribution and Broadcasting, Inc.