Heaven Is for Real

Watch this video about 4-year-old Colton Burpo’s near-death experience and visit to heaven.

As described in the book Heaven is for Real, four-year-old Colton Burpo required emergency surgery in 2003 for a misdiagnosed appendix that had ruptured three days earlier and was spreading infection. As they were taking him away, Colton kept saying, “Daddy don’t let them take me; Daddy don’t let them take me.” His father Todd, pastor of Crossroads Wesleyan Church in Imperial, Nebraska, was angry with God and screamed, “Is this how you treat your pastors?”

After the operation, Colton told his dad that he had almost died. Four months later he began providing details. Colton said he visited Heaven. He described Jesus as wearing white robes with a purple sash. He described the “markers” Jesus had in the middle of His hands and feet, referring to the nail marks.

Later, Colton described meeting Todd’s grandfather, Pop, confirming that Todd was very close to Pop, who was killed in a car accident before Todd turned 7 years old. Colton told his mother that he had two sisters. He said. “You had a baby die in your tummy, didn’t you?” Sonja, asked, “Who told you I had a baby die in my tummy?” “She did, Mommy,” Colton replied. “She said she died in your tummy.” Colton said she came up to him in heaven and wouldn’t stop hugging him. Nobody had previously told Colton that his mother had a miscarriage before Colton was born.

Jesus told Colton that Colton needed to return and that Jesus was answering Todd’s prayer. Todd relates how humbled he was that God would answer his accusatory, bitter prayer. Today, Colton is a healthy boy.