Three days later, Deborah is buried in a plain grave on a hill at Rocky Top. The weather is gloomy but clears off in time for the service. Everyone takes turns speaking about Deborah, though Denver remains silent. Ron concludes with a poem he wrote. After that, he and his children leave while the pallbearers stay behind to fill in her grave. 

As Denver helps shovel dirt onto Deborah’s grave, he knows it’s only her earthly body, yet he’s still depressed and stays behind when everyone else leaves. He talks to God and Deborah and stays there all day, thanking her for seeing him as the person God meant for him to be as opposed to how he looked on the outside to everyone else. 

The next morning, there is a church service that Deborah demanded be a celebration. There are over a thousand people there. For several hours, people speak about Deborah, including Sister Bettie. After she speaks, it’s Denver’s turn. He speaks with more and more confidence as he describes how Deborah changed his life. When he’s finished, the entire congregation breaks into applause and a standing ovation. Ron realizes this is a miracle: the transformation in Denver from an angry, addled bum into a confident, clear-eyed loving man.