Tessa Quinn
Colton Burpo is the son of Todd and Sonja Burpo. Colton's story, as told in the book Heaven is for Real, has captivated people worldwide. At the age of three, Colton underwent emergency surgery for a burst appendix, during which he claims to have left his body, visited heaven, and met Jesus and angels. While Colton's story has been questioned and scrutinized, he continues to share his experience through ministry work, believing he has a powerful story to share with the world. So, while Colton Burpo faced a life-threatening situation in the hospital, he did not die and made a remarkable recovery.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Colton Burpo |
| Age | 3 years old |
| Year of Incident | 2003 |
| Parents | Todd Burpo and Sonja Burpo |
| Sibling | Cassie Burpo |
| Illness | Appendicitis |
| Surgery | Emergency Appendectomy |
| Surgeon | Dr. O'Holleran |
| Hospital | Great Plains Regional Medical Center, North Platte, Nebraska |
| Near-Death Experience | Claimed to have visited heaven, interacted with Jesus, and met deceased relatives |
| Book | "Heaven is for Real" |
| Book Authors | Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent |
| Book Sales | Over 10 million copies |
| Movie | "Heaven is for Real" |
| Movie Box Office Earnings | $101 million |
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What You'll Learn
Colton Burpo's near-death experience
Colton Burpo, the son of Todd and Sonja Burpo, had a near-death experience at the age of three. Colton's story, which includes visions of Jesus and his miscarried sister, has been documented in the 2010 New York Times bestselling book "Heaven is for Real" and a 2014 feature film of the same name.
Colton's health issues began when he started vomiting frequently, leading his parents to suspect that he had more than just influenza. Indeed, Colton had a burst appendix, resulting in a case of misdiagnosed appendicitis. The situation became critical, and Colton had to undergo emergency surgery. Colton's father, Todd, a pastor at a Crossroads church in Imperial, Nebraska, recalls the agonizing wait during his son's surgery. In a raw moment, Todd questioned his faith, shouting: "Where are you God? Is this how you treat your pastors? Is it worth it to even serve you?".
After Colton's surgery and a stint in the ICU, he made a remarkable recovery. However, it wasn't until four months later, during a family car ride to South Dakota, that Colton shared with his astonished parents that he had left his body in the hospital and visited heaven. He described meeting Jesus, sitting on his lap, and encountering departed family members, including his great-grandfather and a miscarried sister. Colton also recalled watching his father, Todd, praying for his life in a small room, a detail that even Todd's wife, Sonya, didn't know.
Colton's story has captivated people worldwide, with the book selling over 10 million copies and the film grossing $101 million at the box office. Despite some expressing doubts about the authenticity of his near-death experience, Colton has stood by the contents of "Heaven is for Real." He continues to share his experience through ministry work, believing that God has given him a powerful story to offer hope to others.
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'Heaven is for Real' book
Heaven is for Real book
'Heaven is for Real' is a book that documents the near-death experience of Colton Burpo, the three-year-old son of Todd and Sonja Burpo. At the time, Todd Burpo was a pastor at a Crossroads church in Nebraska, and Sonja was a teacher at a local school. Colton had an older sister, Cassie, and a younger brother, Colby.
Colton underwent emergency surgery to remove his appendix after initially being misdiagnosed with influenza. Colton's parents suspected that he did not just have influenza as he was vomiting often. Colton shared that during the surgery, he left his body and visited heaven, where he sat on Jesus' lap, met departed family members, and saw angels singing to him. He also described events that happened before he was born, such as the miscarriage of his sister in 1998 and details of a great-grandfather who had died 30 years before he was born.
The book was written by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent, a New York Times bestselling writer, and published by Thomas Nelson Publishers in 2010. It became a New York Times bestseller, with over 10 million copies sold by 2014 and more than 11 million copies sold as of 2022. An illustrated children's edition of the book was also released in November 2010.
The book has received criticism from some Christians and authors, who cite its "'extra-biblical' and 'problematic' claims, as well as the lack of medical evidence that Colton was clinically dead during the surgery. Despite the skepticism, Colton and his family have stood by the contents of the book. The book's message is that heaven is a real place, Jesus loves children, and that there is a coming last battle.
A feature film based on the book was released on April 16, 2014, starring Connor Corum, Margo Martindale, Greg Kinnear, Kelly Reilly, Thomas Haden Church, and Jacob Vargas. The movie earned $101 million at the box office.
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Appendicitis misdiagnosis
Colton Burpo, the son of Todd and Sonja Burpo, suffered from appendicitis as a three-year-old. Colton's mother first noticed that he was unwell and took him to the emergency room, where he was misdiagnosed with influenza. Colton's parents suspected that he did not just have the flu, as he frequently vomited. Colton eventually underwent an emergency appendectomy, during which he clinically died and reportedly had a near-death experience.
Appendicitis is one of the most common surgical emergencies in the United States, but it is often challenging to diagnose accurately. Studies have found that appendicitis is missed in 3.8% to 15% of children and 5.9% to 23.5% of adults during emergency department visits. Misdiagnosis rates are higher in women and patients with pre-existing medical conditions. In some cases, appendicitis may be misdiagnosed as constipation, leading to a potential cognitive bias that predisposes providers to miss the correct diagnosis.
Diagnostic tests play a crucial role in the diagnosis of appendicitis. Patients who received only abdominal X-rays were more likely to be in the group with missed appendicitis diagnoses. CT scans and abdominal ultrasounds can help reduce the rate of negative appendectomies, but they do not completely prevent them. Close follow-up healthcare and advanced imaging may be necessary to enhance the accuracy of appendicitis diagnoses.
The consequences of a missed diagnosis of appendicitis can be severe. A delay in operative treatment can lead to the development of complications, and co-morbidity, diagnostic failure, and surgical trauma are associated with higher mortality rates. Negative appendectomy, or surgery for a non-inflamed appendix, occurs at rates up to 40%. While conservative antibiotic treatment is an alternative with low morbidity and mortality rates, it has a recurrence rate of 7-15%.
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Claims of visiting heaven
Colton Burpo is the son of Todd and Sonja Burpo. At the time of his illness, Colton was three years old, and his father was a pastor at a Crossroads church in Imperial, Nebraska. Colton fell ill and was initially diagnosed with influenza. However, his condition worsened, and he was eventually found to have a burst appendix, resulting in an emergency appendectomy. During his recovery, Colton shared with his parents that he had left his body in the hospital and visited heaven.
Colton's story, as told by his father, Todd, in the book "Heaven is for Real," includes several intriguing claims about his near-death experience. Colton described meeting Jesus, who was wearing white robes with a purple sash. He also encountered angels, including the archangel Michael, who he described as the biggest of the angels, twice as tall as his father. Colton also met his great-grandfather, who had passed away before he was born, and a sister who had been miscarried by his mother.
One of Colton's favourite places in heaven, he said, was the throne room of God, where God was seated on a huge throne, with Jesus enthroned at His right and the angel Gabriel on His left. Colton described God as being so large that he could hold the world in His hands.
The book "Heaven is for Real" became a New York Times bestseller and sold millions of copies. It sparked both fascination and controversy, with some Christians questioning its "extra-biblical" and "problematic" claims and the lack of medical evidence that Colton was clinically dead during surgery. Despite the doubts and criticisms, Colton and his family have continued to share their spiritual experience, believing that it offers hope and a message about the possibility of having a relationship with God.
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![Proof [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51RC0QSRQEL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Burpo family's spiritual experience
The Burpo family's spiritual experience began when Colton Burpo, the three-year-old son of Todd and Sonja Burpo, fell extremely ill. Colton's mother, Sonja, took him to the emergency room, where he was initially diagnosed with influenza. However, as Colton's condition worsened, his parents suspected something else was wrong. They decided to transfer him to another hospital, where he was correctly diagnosed with appendicitis. Colton underwent emergency surgery, and his life was saved.
After Colton's recovery, he began sharing details about his near-death experience with his parents and friends. He claimed that he had left his body in the hospital and visited heaven, where he interacted with Jesus, met departed family members, and experienced other remarkable things. Colton's father, Todd, a pastor himself, was initially sceptical of his son's claims. However, Colton's detailed information about his great-grandfather and the specific location of Todd and his wife during Colton's surgery erased his doubts.
Todd Burpo, along with Lynn Vincent, wrote the book "Heaven is for Real", documenting Colton's near-death experience. The book became a New York Times bestseller, with over six million copies sold. In the book, Colton describes heaven as a place where he sat on Jesus' lap and met his miscarried sister and great-grandfather, whom he had never met. He also recalled seeing his father, Todd, praying for his life in a small room, a fact that even Todd's wife, Sonya, didn't know.
Colton's story and the subsequent book have captivated people worldwide, with many finding hope and comfort in his description of heaven. Colton has continued to share his experience through ministry work, stating that God has given him a powerful story to share with the world. Despite some doubts and criticisms from certain Christian groups and individuals, Colton and his family stand by the contents of the book, believing it to be a true representation of his spiritual journey.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Colton Burpo did not die in the hospital. He had a near-death experience.
Colton Burpo had a burst appendix and almost died as a result of the sudden illness.
Colton Burpo was misdiagnosed with appendicitis and had to undergo surgery. He recovered and was discharged from the hospital.
Colton Burpo is currently studying to be an electrician and doing ministry work. He has been sharing his near-death experience and beliefs about heaven with the world.
"Heaven is for Real" is a book written by Colton Burpo's father, Todd Burpo, documenting his son's near-death experience and spiritual journey. It became a New York Times bestseller and was later adapted into a feature film.
