I guess the prays didn't work. I think they should have followed the immortal words of Daniel Dennet who while lying sick had this to say about his friends and well wishers:

"But I am not joking when I say that I have had to forgive my friends who said that they were praying for me. I have resisted the temptation to respond "Thanks, I appreciate it, but did you also sacrifice a goat?" I feel about this the same way I would feel if one of them said "I just paid a voodoo doctor to cast a spell for your health." What a gullible waste of money that could have been spent on more important projects! Don't expect me to be grateful, or even indifferent. I do appreciate the affection and generosity of spirit that motivated you, but wish you had found a more reasonable way of expressing it."

So I respond in kind maybe the question should have been asked of Thompson's prayer teams, "....did you also sacrifice a goat". Maybe they found an equal ineffective way to express their sympathies.