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Boy Says He Has Been to Heaven, Where Everyone Has Wings
Filed under: In The News, Religion & Spirituality
Todd and Sonja Burpo may have believed an angel was looking over their 4-year-old son, who survived a life-threatening burst appendix.
Colton Burpo, now 11, says it's true.
"A few angels, they came, picked me up and I was looking right at Jesus," Colton, from the small town of Imperial, Neb., tells "Today."
After 17 days in the hospital, the boy started to talk about things he could not have known about, "Today" reports, including a miscarriage suffered by his mother, prayers his father made during Colton's surgery and meeting "Pop," his great-grandfather.
"I was just sitting by the Holy Spirit, and then this guy comes up to me and says, 'are you Todd's son?' I said yes. He says, 'Well, I'm his grandfather," Colton tells "Today." "... Pop, he was very big, huge wings, he had curly hair, big smile and he was really nice."
The experience led Todd Burpo, a pastor, to write the New York Times best-selling nonfiction book "Heaven is for Real."
"He could tell me where I was while he was in surgery," Todd Burpo tells "Today." "The surgeons couldn't tell me that. The nurses couldn't. My wife couldn't tell me where I was praying but he could tell me."
Sonja Burpo says her son told her angels sang to him.
"There's a lot of colors, there are a lot of people and a lot of animals," Colton says, describing Heaven.
He also says everyone in Heaven has wings -- his were a bit smaller than other's, and that no one there is old.
"I like that part," Todd Burpo says.
Todd Burpo says Colton's story has inspired so many people because of "hope, healing -- they know what they have to look forward to," he tells "Today."
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ReaderComments (Page 7 of 24)
3-21-2011 @ 3:38PM
George said...This happened when he was 4 and he is now 11.I'm sure he's heard his situation discussed in his home quite a few times in those 7 years. I'm sure we have a 4 yr old's impressionable and fantasy prone mind and a religious household and that = FANTASY. His father is a pastor, doesn't THAT set off your B.S. detector?
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3-21-2011 @ 3:43PM
Laurie said...No, dummy! In heaven, where all is perfect and beautiful, so are the people. They have been restored. What a stupid thing to say!
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3-21-2011 @ 3:45PM
TINA said...I HOPE & PRAY THAT THIS IS TRUE FOR THE SAKE OF THE THOUSAND OF PEOPLE WHO DIED IN JAPAN, IN WARS, AND IN CASE OF GREED AND PREJUICE. PEACE !
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3-22-2011 @ 12:31PM
Paula said...I'm not sure about this boys experience as we can't go by our experiences. The Bible is Truth not our experiences unless they line up with the Bible. Yes, Heaven is a real place and the Word of God says that we must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and confess Him with your mouth and you shall be saved. Romans 10:9,10. Mark 16:16 says that he who believes will be saved and he that believes not shall be damned. There is a Heaven to gain and a Hell to shun. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. Believe not and you shall see Hell. I choose to believe how about you?
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3-21-2011 @ 3:45PM
Paula Bowman said...Where was Jesus you say? What if the Lord took the boy home to save him from something worse in the future. It is all in how you look at death if you do not believe in Jesus than you have something to fear. If you do believe in Jesus than dying is not the worst think that could happen but the best thing when God says it's your time!
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3-21-2011 @ 11:23PM
Candice said...I do believe in God BUT my gut tells me this story is more about his pastor father instilling HIS beliefs and capitalizing on HIS opportunity for fame than anything else.
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4-12-2011 @ 11:15AM
James said...I don't really think it's a fame or fortune thing. One of our jobs as Christians is to spread God's word. Seeing all the comments from the folks who are skeptical leads me to one conclusion. The Boy and his Father sure got a lot of non believers to read this story and take time to express their thoughts as well. It seems to me an Atheist wouldn't have invested a minute reading something about the Kingdom of God.
5-01-2011 @ 11:23AM
ken said...I am an atheist I read it . nice fantasy story.
3-21-2011 @ 3:50PM
Carl said...This would have been much more believable if his father wasn't a pastor. It's a shame how he manipulated his son, making him conjure a false story so he can get 5 min of fame, make some money off a "non"-fiction book and somehow expect to convert non-Christians because of this completely bogus story
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3-21-2011 @ 3:50PM
Snowfire said...3-21-2011 @ 2:27PM
To: Al Schrader said... Maybe, you didn't see anything because you went to the rest plane, you have probably not remember that, it is a spiritual place to sleep over there, it is for those that go before their time or are in need of resting. I know, it's real because I do spirit box, ghost box, RT EVP researching, it is real, life does go on.
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3-21-2011 @ 5:57PM
Kim said...All of the non believer's making comments on here....What difference is it to you IF this child was in heaven, or sitting on the lap of Jesus, or knew where his dad was when he was in surgery?
It amazes me that people believe in UFO's and Alien's and distant far off civilizations, they believe in ghost's, yet they do not believe in Jesus Christ and the fact that he loved you so much he gave his life for you. That belief offers you something you can never ever hope to acquire on your own...it was GIVEN to you. If you don't want it, fine, but please stop criticizing those who already have it and just want to share that gift and joy of heart with you. Your input is so un-necessary. Respect others.
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3-21-2011 @ 3:53PM
Jackie said...What a beautiful, believable story. My grandson recently had his tonsils removed and when he woke up he was asked if he liked his doctor. He said no, but Pampy (his great-grandfather) took care of me. He is 3 1/2 and my father has been gone almost 9 years.
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3-21-2011 @ 3:58PM
jj said...Poor Boy, been brainwashed by religion...there is no heaven folks, just death...I suggest you live your life to the fullest, treat people with respect and decency, love your family, and get your paperwork in order so your love ones don't have to clean up your mess. That is all.
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3-21-2011 @ 3:58PM
jean fendell said...Aren't we humans a strange lot? We will believe what a politician says (so long as they are from our so-called party), without any proof, yet we refuse to believe a young child. Read the book, then decide for yourselves. As for me, I believe.
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3-21-2011 @ 4:02PM
Jessica said...The boys father was a pastor! I wonder who brought those thoughts into the boys head? Obviously the boy picked up on some of his fathers preaching.
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3-21-2011 @ 4:08PM
shep442 said...The father of the boy is a Pastor. We have not one reason not to believe him or his son. Isn't it ironic that man turned on GOD and Jesus just as fast. Christians will be persecuted for their Faith. I commend the Burpo's for sharing with us what GOD has done for them.
Non believers. Please step back and take a good look at the living word. "Bible". Open your hearts and find a great little church to learn about our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, & the Holy Spirit. GOD wants a relationship with you. There is an eternity. Which will yours be?
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3-21-2011 @ 4:06PM
k said...First of all, I don't think there is anything in the Bible about us having wings when getting to heaven. We do not become angels after dying and getting to heaven. There are angels, but they were made by God all at once and are immortal, they don't die and do not need to be replaced. If anyone wants to know more about Heaven and Angels, try reading David Jeremiahs book on Angels.
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3-22-2011 @ 2:30AM
kl said...What??? How do you know??? Who died and made David Jeremiah the "Angel Boss"? Never heard of him. Someone did die...his name is JESUS. His book, THE BIBLE, is the LIVING WORD OF GOD. Millions of people, for thousands of years, have read this book, and BELIEVED it's message. Non-believers? The Bible says, that to them, it is foolishness.
Matthew 18:10
Read chapter
[ The Parable of the Wandering Sheep ] “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.
3-21-2011 @ 4:04PM
TINA said...LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOUR SOUL,YOUR MIND,YOUR HOPE
AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. WHETHER YOU ARE JEWISH,CHRISTIAN, MUSLIM, HINDU, BUDDIST,ECT. NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE, WE ARE NEIGHBORS IN THIS WORLD AND LOVESALL,EQUALLY. NO MATTER WHAT LANGUAGE WE SPEAK AND HOW WE LIVE. JUST REMEMBER WHEN THE AMERICA WERE DISCOVERED THERE WAS A NATIVE WHO SPOKE OF THE GREAT SPIRIT.
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3-29-2011 @ 3:36PM
andy weiss said...I am 63 years old, was areligious and skeptical most of my life. I hold a job, interact with people all day and I don't think there is anything wrong with my mental state.
In 2007, a very close lifelong friend died. Since that time, I have received multiple communications thru a remarkable variety of modes. Those include hearing, seeing, touching, vivid dreams, electrical things going on and off by themselves, music from seemingly nowhere and a variety of odd coincidences and unexplained events, such as being hit in the back of the head with a pillow with no one else around or things falling from seemingly secure places..
Until recently, I would have thought this kid is a fraud. Now I'm convinced that something is happening after life and it's only a matter of time until we find out what it is.
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