Man Behind ‘Heaven Is for Real’ Recounts Near-Death Vision of Jesus and Heavenly Encounter

Colton Burpo, whose childhood medical crisis inspired the blockbuster book and film “Heaven Is for Real,” offered a detailed account of his near-death experience during an appearance on the “Hang Out with Sean Hannity” podcast. At age 3, Burpo underwent emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix that had gone undetected for five days, an event he says fundamentally altered his spiritual understanding.

During the operation, Burpo reported experiencing an out-of-body moment in which he observed doctors performing surgery from above while his parents remained in separate rooms—his mother praying over the phone and his father praying aloud. The experience, he said, transported him to a space where he sat on Jesus’s lap while angels sang familiar children’s hymns to comfort him.

Among the songs performed by the heavenly choir were “Jesus Loves Me” and “Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho,” selections Burpo attributed to his young mind’s frame of reference. He revealed that his request for Queen’s “We Will Rock You” was denied, prompting a lighthearted remark that he would have to enjoy that particular song on Earth.

Burpo also described meeting a sister who died before his birth through miscarriage—information he claimed he had never been told—and encountering God the Father during his vision. The podcast episode featured fellow near-death experience survivor Randy Kay and researcher John Burke, whose work documents recurring patterns across thousands of similar accounts.