TIME’s Person of the Year is …

…a group of people: the Ebola fighters. (Last year, you’ll recall, the cover boy was Pope Francis.)

Notably, one of the people profiled is Dr. Kent Brantly, the first Ebola victim to be treated in the United States. His deep faith was mentioned often in the news coverage of his treatment—and fittingly, he is photographed for the story in a church pew.

He notes: 

I’ve had time to reflect on what happened to me. Am I the same person I was before Ebola? In a lot of ways, yes. I don’t live every moment with a conscious awareness of what I’ve been through. I still have the same flaws I did before. But I think whenever we go through a devastating experience, it’s not about there being some inherent redemptive narrative, but it is an incredible opportunity for the redemption of something. We can say, “How can I be better now because of what I’ve been through?” To not do that is kind of a shame.

When I thank God for saving my life, I am not unique in that. If you watch videos of survivors in Liberia, so many of them thank God for saving their lives. I chose a career in medicine because I wanted a tangible skill with which to serve people. And so my role as a physician is my attempt to do that. I’ll probably get tired of talking about my experience some day, but I went to Liberia because I long felt it was my vocation to spend my career as medical missionary. Deep in the core of my heart, I still think that’s my calling. I don’t want to go on with life and forget this.

Check out the magazine for more.