All language subtitles for Project.Afterlife.S01E05.WEBRip.x264-ION10

Dean:
I FELT LIKE I WAS SHOOTING UP
LIKE A ROCKET.

I COULD JUST REMEMBER
SAYING TO MYSELF, "I AM DYING."

THAT DARKNESS,
IT LOOKED LIKE A THICK OIL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO GO NOWHERE
NEAR THIS DARKNESS

WHERE THE DEMONS WERE.

BABY, IT'S OKAY.
I'LL BE ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S THE LAST THING
THAT I REMEMBER BEFORE I DIED.

SOMETHING BAD HAS HAPPENED.

HAVE I BEEN
IN A BAD CAR ACCIDENT?

WHAT'S GOING ON?

Narrator:
THERE ARE THOSE WHO SAY

THEY HAVE VISITED THE AFTERLIFE,

CHALLENGING OUR UNDERSTANDING
OF DEATH.

MOTIVATED BY THEIR OWN
EXPERIENCES

PULLING VICTIMS
BACK FROM THE GRAVE,

FOUR INVESTIGATORS
NOW SEEK TO SOLVE

THE MYSTERIES OF RESURRECTION.

Johnny: THIS IS GONNA
HELP UNLOCK SOMETHING

THAT HASN'T BEEN KNOWN
FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

REGARDLESS OF RELIGION,
THE PERSON WAS DEAD,

AND THEY CAME BACK TO LIFE.

Jesse:
WE'RE PURSUING THIS TO SHOW

THAT THE IMPOSSIBLE IS,
IN FACT, POSSIBLE.

Sam: DEATH DOESN'T REALLY HAVE
THE FINAL SAY-SO.

WHY DID YOU DEFY THE ODDS?

Narrator:
THIS IS "PROJECT AFTERLIFE."

-- Captions by VITAC --
www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

**

IT SEEMS EVERYONE HAS
THEIR OWN PERSPECTIVE

OF WHAT HAPPENS
IN THE AFTERLIFE.

MAYBE THERE IS SOMETHING
THAT'S REPEATABLE.

THERE'S SOMETHING
THAT WE CAN GRAB HOLD OF

AND SAY, "THIS SEEMS --

THIS SEEMS REAL,
OR THIS SEEMS VERIFIABLE."

ALL RIGHT, SO WE GOT A GUY
BY THE NAME OF DEAN BRAXTON.

DEAN IS HAVING
A PRETTY ROUTINE PROCEDURE

DONE FOR KIDNEY STONES,
WHICH IS USUALLY PRETTY TAME.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT A LOT
THAT GOES WRONG WITH

THESE KIDNEY STONE
PROCEDURES,

BUT HE EXPERIENCED
SOME COMPLICATIONS

AND ENDED UP DYING.

HE ENDED UP GOING TO HEAVEN

AND HAD A PRETTY
REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE.

AND IT'S A VERY
INTERESTING CASE.

HOW LONG IS THE REPORT
THAT HE WAS DEAD?

THEY WERE DOING CPR
FOR OVER 90 MINUTES.

SO, I'M GONNA GO ASK
SOME QUESTIONS

AND FIND OUT WHAT EXACTLY IT WAS
THAT KEPT THEM GOING,

WHY THEY WORKED FOR SO LONG,

AND JUST UNCOVER --
MAYBE THEY HAD HOPE.

MAYBE THEY FELT SOMETHING.

HERE'S A CASE
ABOUT SHARON ABBOTT,

THIS YOUNG LADY WHO ACTUALLY
DIED RIGHT AFTER CHILDBIRTH.

EVERYTHING SEEMED
LIKE IT WAS GOING WELL,

THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN
SHE JUST DIED.

SAM, ONE OF THE COOL THINGS
ABOUT THIS

IS THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING
COMING TO LIFE

AND SOMETHING GOING INTO DEATH.

ONE MINUTE,
SHE'S HOLDING HER BABY,

AND THEN THE NEXT MINUTE

SHE'S GOT BLOOD
COMING OUT OF HER EYES.

CRITICAL CARE DOCTORS GAVE HER
A ZERO CHANCE OF SURVIVAL.

ZERO CHANCE OF SURVIVAL.

SO IT SAYS HERE SHE WENT
TO WHAT SHE WOULD CALL HEAVEN.

I WANT TO KNOW
WHAT THAT WAS LIKE.

WE'LL SEE
IF WE CAN DRAW PARALLELS

TO ANY OF THE OTHER CASES
THAT WE'VE SEEN.

THEY'RE DESCRIBING
THAT EXPERIENCE, THAT SENSATION.

**

Sam: I'M ON MY WAY
TO JASPER, ALABAMA,

TO SPEAK WITH 40-YEAR-OLD
SHARON ABBOTT.

WE'RE MEETING AT THE HOSPITAL

WHERE SHE SUFFERED
FATAL COMPLICATIONS

DURING THE DELIVERY
OF HER THIRD CHILD.

HELLO, SHARON.

HEY.
HOW YOU DOIN'?

-I'M GOOD, HOW ARE YOU?
-GOOD TO SEE YOU.

SO, SHARON, I UNDERSTAND YOU
DIED SHORTLY AFTER CHILDBIRTH.

TAKE ME BACK TO THAT DAY.

I CAME IN TO BE INDUCED
WITH MY THIRD CHILD, JAKE.

AND HAD
A VERY NORMAL PREGNANCY.

THEY JUST THOUGHT
THAT JAKE WAS GETTING TOO BIG

AND DECIDED TO INDUCE HIM
A WEEK EARLY.

I'M READY.

Man: WELL, THIS SHOULD BE
A ROUTINE PROCEDURE.

Sharon: THERE WAS NO SIGN
THAT ANYTHING WAS GOING WRONG.

GONNA HAVE THE NURSE COME IN
AND START A PITOCIN DRIP,

AND YOU'LL BE READY TO GO
VERY SOON, OKAY?

OKAY.
OKAY, SOUNDS GOOD.

THE DELIVERY WAS NORMAL.

DEEP BREATH AND PUSH,
HARD, HARD, HARD.

COME ON. COME ON.
[ SCREAMING ]

KEEP ON, KEEP ON.
YOU'RE DOING GREAT.

STAY WITH ME, PUSH.

GREAT. VERY GOOD,
VERY GOOD, VERY GOOD.

HEY, JAKE'S HERE.
LOOK.

THE NURSES CLEANED JAKE UP
AND HANDED HIM RIGHT TO ME.

I WAS JUST HOLDING HIM
AND LOVING ON HIM LIKE MAMAS DO.

OH, LOOK AT HIM.
LOOK AT BABY JAKE.

HE'S HERE.
GOT YOUR EYES.

AND I JUST BEGAN TO FEEL SICK
AT MY STOMACH.

AND I LOOKED AT MY HUSBAND,
WAYNE,

AND I SAID, "I NEED YOU
TO TAKE THE BABY

BECAUSE I'M GETTING SICK."

IT'S PROBABLY JUST NORMAL.

Sharon: I FELT LIKE
I WAS GONNA PASS OUT.

AND SO I JUST
SAT BACK IN THE BED.

AND AT THAT TIME, THE NURSES
WERE ALREADY WORKING

BECAUSE MY BLOOD PRESSURE
WAS DROPPING.

NURSE, I NEED YOU TO HANG
A BOLUS OF FLUIDS.

SHE'S HEMORRHAGING.
DRAW UP SOME VITAMIN K.

GO AHEAD AND CALL CT,
HAVE THEM READY.

LET'S GET AN O.R. SUITE,
AS WELL.

I COULDN'T SEE ANY BLOOD
COMING OUT OF ME AT THIS POINT.

BUT I COULD HEAR THINGS.

CAN WE GET A LARGE BORE NEEDLE
ON THIS SIDE?

I WAS KIND OF PASSING OUT
AND COMING TO.

IT'S LIKE I WOULD LOSE
CONSCIOUSNESS AND COME TO.

AND IT JUST SOUNDED
LIKE WATER WAS RUNNING.

I VAGUELY REMEMBER A NURSE,

AND THEY WERE TALKING TO ME.

AND THEY WERE SAYING...

YOU'RE JUST BLEEDING A LITTLE
BIT MORE THAN WE WANT YOU TO.

EVERYTHING'S
GONNA BE ALL RIGHT.

THERE YOU WERE,
LOSING BLOOD.

DID YOU KNOW EXACTLY
WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO YOU?

WHEN IT FIRST STARTED,

I DIDN'T REALIZE
WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

I KNEW THAT MY BLOOD PRESSURE
WAS DROPPING

AND THAT THAT WAS THE REASON
I WAS BEING SICK.

I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT
IT WAS AS SERIOUS AS IT WAS.

WE NEED A TYPE AND CROSS
FOR FOUR UNITS RIGHT NOW.

I VAGUELY REMEMBER
THE DOCTOR COMING BACK IN.

I WAS LOSING SO MUCH BLOOD,

AND I WAS SO TIRED,

BUT A CALM COVERED ME.

I WILL NEVER FORGET
THE LOOK ON HIS FACE.

SHARON, YOU'VE LOST
A LOT OF BLOOD.

I NEED YOU TO STAY WITH ME.

IT WAS THE LOOK OF,

"I'M DOING EVERYTHING
THAT I CAN DO TO HELP HER,

AND IT'S NOT HELPING."

HER BLOOD PRESSURE
IS VERY LOW.

HOW LOW IS IT?
65/40.

EVERY HUMAN PART OF ME
WANTS TO LIVE

AND WANTS TO SEE
MY CHILDREN GROW

AND WANTS TO BE
WITH MY FAMILY.

BUT IT WAS GETTING BAD,
AND IT WAS GETTING BAD FAST.

SHE'S HEMORRHAGING!
I NEED THAT BLOOD NOW!

I WAS BLEEDING FROM EVERYWHERE.

I EVEN HAD TEARS
THAT WERE BLOOD.

MS. ABBOTT, CAN YOU HEAR ME?

WAYNE HAD MADE HIS WAY
TO THE CORNER OF THE ROOM.

AND I KEPT TRYING
TO TELL HIM...

BABY, IT'S OKAY.
I'LL BE ALL RIGHT.

HE UNDERSTOOD
WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY TO HIM.

AND THEN I JUST
SAW HIM CRUMBLE IN THAT CORNER.

THAT'S THE LAST THING
THAT I REMEMBER BEFORE I DIED.

[ MONITOR FLATLINES ]

**

Jesse: WHILE SAM CONTINUES
INTERVIEWING SHARON IN ALABAMA,

I'M HEADING TO QUINCY, ILLINOIS,

TO SPEAK WITH 58-YEAR-OLD
RETIRED CIVIL SERVANT,

DEAN BRAXTON.

ACCORDING TO OUR RECORDS,

DEAN SHOULD NOT BE ALIVE TODAY.

HOW ARE YA?
I'M DOING FINE.

YEAH? GREAT TO MEET YOU.
YOU, TOO.

I UNDERSTAND YOU GOT
A FASCINATING STORY.

YEAH.
YOU DIED.

YEAH, YEAH.

I WAS CLINICALLY DEAD
FOR AN HOUR AND 45 MINUTES.

SO, DEAN, TAKE ME BACK
TO THAT DAY THAT YOU DIED.

WELL, YOU KNOW,
IT WAS ABOUT 2006, MAY 5th.

I HAD A SIMPLE KIDNEY STONE,

AND IT TURNED OUT
TO BE A REALLY BAD DEAL.

Dean: FIRST OF ALL,
I WOKE UP WITH PAIN.

AND I KNEW WHAT IT WAS
RIGHT OFF THE BAT

BECAUSE I'VE HAD KIDNEY STONES
BEFORE.

WHEN I GOT INTO THE CAR,
I WAS DRIVING TO WORK.

THE PAIN SEEMED TO GET WORSE
AND WORSE AND WORSE.

IT FEELS LIKE YOUR SIDE
IS BURSTING.

AND I JUST REMEMBER MY STOMACH
STARTING TO TURN.

AND I THOUGHT
I COULD MAKE IT HOME,

BUT I DIDN'T MAKE IT HOME.

AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW,
I'M PUKING IN THE CAR.

I REALIZED
THAT THIS WAS NOT GOING AWAY

AND I NEEDED TO GO
TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM.

I WENT TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM,
TOLD THEM I HAVE A KIDNEY STONE.

THIS IS A KIDNEY PAIN.

Man: HE SEEMS THAT YOU HAVE
MULTIPLE KIDNEY STONES,

AND ONE THAT WE'RE VERY
CONCERNED WITH

ACCORDING TO YOUR LAB WORK.

THE DOCTOR CONFIRMED
THAT I HAD KIDNEY STONES.

MATTER OF FACT,
NOT JUST A KIDNEY STONE,

BUT KIDNEY STONES.

THE X-RAYS, THEY FOUND
A NUMBER OF KIDNEY STONES.

AND EVERYTHING WAS BACKING UP
AND ENDED UP

WITH A KIDNEY INFECTION
BECAUSE OF THAT.

SO THEY DECIDED THAT THEY
WOULD KEEP ME OVERNIGHT,

GIVE ME A LOT OF ANTIBIOTICS.

AND THEN IN THE MORNING
THEY SET ME UP

TO BE ABLE TO HAVE
MY KIDNEY STONES BLASTED.

THE PROCEDURE
TO BREAK UP THE KIDNEY STONE,

HOW WERE THEY GONNA DO THAT?

WELL, THEY WERE GONNA DO IT
WITH THIS ULTRASOUND MACHINE.

-I'VE HAD IT ONCE BEFORE.
-OKAY.

AND I CAN REMEMBER
THE FIRST TIME I EVER HAD IT,

WHICH WAS
ABOUT 4 YEARS EARLIER.

I WENT INTO THE HOSPITAL
IN THE MORNING,

AND I WAS OUT
BY THE AFTERNOON.

I ENCOUNTER A LOT OF PEOPLE
WITH KIDNEY STONES.

AND I KNOW
THAT THEY'RE EXTREMELY PAINFUL.

BUT TYPICALLY,
IN MY EXPERIENCE,

THEY'VE BEEN
PRETTY MANAGEABLE.

THIS TIME WAS A WHOLE
DIFFERENT THING.

OKAY.

THAT NIGHT, I CAN REMEMBER

THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY
WERE GIVING ME MEDICATION,

I COULD STILL FEEL THE PAIN

OFF AND ON THROUGH THE EVENING.

I HAD CHILLS.

I WAS COLD.
I WAS HOT.

IT WAS GOING BACK AND FORTH.

I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND AT THE TIME

IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE INFECTION
I HAD IN MY BODY.

AFTER THE OPERATION,
THEY PUT ME IN RECOVERY ROOM.

AND I CAN REMEMBER
MY WIFE BEING THERE.

SLOW BREATHS RIGHT NOW.
I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.

YES.

AND I'M WAKING UP,
YOU KNOW, COMING OUT

OF ALL THE MEDICATION
THAT THEY'VE GIVEN ME.

BUT I ALSO AM REALIZING
I CAN'T BREATHE THAT WELL.

[ GASPING ]
MY GOD, WHERE'S THE DOCTOR?

DOCTOR!

WHERE'S THE DOCTOR?
DOCTOR!

THAT'S WHEN I STARTED THINKING,
"SOMETHING'S GONE WRONG HERE,"

BECAUSE AT THAT MOMENT,
I'M REALIZING

THAT I'M IN THE MODE OF DYING.

I COULD JUST REMEMBER
SAYING TO MYSELF, "I AM DYING."

AND IT WAS LIKE,
"WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?"

I CAME IN
FOR A SIMPLE KIDNEY STONE.

THIS IS A SIMPLE OPERATION.

WHY AM I NOW AT THE MOMENT
WHERE I CANNOT CATCH MY BREATH?

NURSE,
I NEED HIM INTUBATED RIGHT NOW

AND DOWN TO ICU, STAT.

WHEN THEY BLASTED THE STONES,

THEY PUSHED THE POISON
INTO MY BLOODSTREAM.

THE DOCTOR SAID
THAT THEY NEEDED TO INTUBATE ME,

OR PUT A TUBE DOWN MY THROAT.

Woman: WE'RE LOSING HIM.
PREP FOR SURGERY.

YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T GO
INTO THE HOSPITAL TO DIE.

I DIDN'T THINK
I WAS GONNA DIE THAT DAY.

ALL I KNEW IS
THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING TO ME.

WE HAVE A CODE BLUE.

Jesse:
DOCTORS WORKED DESPERATELY,

BUT FAILED TO KEEP THE INFECTION

FROM STRIPPING DEAN'S BODY
OF LIFE.

Dean:
MY LUNGS HAD STOPPED OPERATING.

AT THAT POINT,
I WAS CLINICALLY DEAD.

AND FROM THERE,
I STEPPED INTO THE AFTERLIFE.

Sam: I'VE BEEN
INVESTIGATING THE DEATH

AND RESURRECTION
OF SHARON ABBOTT.

SHARON'S THIRD CHILD
WAS BORN A HEALTHY BABY.

AND SHE WAS EAGER FOR HIM
TO MEET HIS TWO OLDER SIBLINGS

OUT IN THE WAITING ROOM.

BUT NOT LONG AFTER,
SHARON BEGAN TO HEMORRHAGE BLOOD

FASTER THAN THE DOCTORS
COULD REPLACE IT.

WE NEED A TYPE AND CROSS
FOR FOUR UNITS RIGHT NOW.

AND THIS NEW LIFE LEFT A MOTHER
OF THREE ON THE BRINK OF DEATH.

SO WHEN YOU WERE LAYING THERE
IN THE BED,

WHAT WAS ACTUALLY GOING
THROUGH YOUR MIND?

DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU WERE
ACTUALLY GETTING READY TO DIE?

I KNEW THAT THINGS WEREN'T GOING
LIKE THEY HAD PLANNED.

I KNEW THAT I WAS BLEEDING
MORE THAN THEY WANTED ME TO.

Man: WE'RE LOSING MORE BLOOD.
WE NEED AN IV ON THIS ARM.

Sharon:
I COULDN'T SEE AT THIS POINT.

EVERYTHING WAS DARK FOR ME.

BUT I COULD HEAR SOME THINGS,

AND IT WAS REALLY LOUD.

IT WAS LOUD,
AND IT WAS JUST CHAOS.

WE NEED TWO MORE UNITS.
SHARON...

ALL OF THE SUDDEN,
IT WENT FROM LOUD CHAOS

TO COMPLETE AND TOTAL PEACE...
AND LOVE AND CALM.

I BELIEVE I WENT TO HEAVEN.

IT WAS, LIKE,
A GREEN GARDEN SETTING.

I WAS IN THE PRESENCE
OF THE LORD,

AND I KNEW IT WAS HIM.

I WAS WALKING SO CLOSE
THAT I COULD SMELL HIM.

IT'S LIKE THE FRAGRANCE
AFTER THE RAIN.

IT COULD TAKE MY BREATH
JUST FOR A MOMENT.

I COULD LITERALLY FEEL
THE LOVE AND PEACE SURROUND ME

LIKE A BLANKET
WOULD SURROUND YOU.

WE WALKED ON FOR WHAT SEEMED
LIKE A LONG TIME TO ME.

THERE WERE OTHER PEOPLE
ALONG THE PATH

THAT WE WERE WALKING ON.

THERE WERE PEOPLE
WALKING THE SAME DIRECTION

THAT WE WERE GOING,
AND PEOPLE WALKING TOWARD US.

I WASN'T FOCUSED
ON THE SCENERY AND WHERE I WAS.

I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT WAS GOING ON,

AND THEN I REMEMBERED.

I HAD BABY JAKE,

AND HE'S FINE, BUT I'M NOT.

I'M DYING,
AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.

SO WHERE DO YOU THINK
YOU WERE?

I THINK I WENT TO HEAVEN.

I BELIEVE THAT
THAT'S WHERE I WAS.

I DIDN'T KNOW
IF I COULD OR SHOULD STAY THERE.

I TALKED TO HIM, AND I SAID,

"YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT
THIS BRAND-NEW BABY

AND MY FAMILY
THAT I LOVE SO MUCH.

AND, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO LIVE.

MY WILL IS TO LIVE."

BUT IF IT'S YOUR WILL,

I'LL STAY HERE WITH YOU.

"PLEASE JUST MAKE SURE
MY FAMILY'S TAKEN CARE OF."

NOBODY WANTS TO DIE,

BUT I WAS READY TO GO.

I DON'T REMEMBER
HIM EVER SPEAKING TO ME.

BUT I DIDN'T REALLY EXPECT
HIM TO.

IT WASN'T LIKE I WAS WAITING
ON HIM TO SAY SOMETHING TO ME.

IF HE'D HAVE SAID,
"I'M TAKING YOU ON,"

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ALL RIGHT.

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN OKAY.

THERE WAS THAT MUCH PEACE
AND LOVE,

THAT IF HE'D HAVE TAKEN ME ON,
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ALL RIGHT.

Sam: WHILE SHARON WALKED
THROUGH THE HEAVENLY GARDENS,

MEDICAL RECORDS SHOWED

DOCTORS WERE ABLE
TO STABILIZE HER

IN A MEDICALLY INDUCED COMA.

THE LORD DID GRANT MY REQUEST
BECAUSE I CAME BACK.

I OPENED MY EYES.

I LOOKED AROUND ME.

THERE WERE PICTURES
OF MY CHILDREN AROUND

ON SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT
THAT THEY HAD WITH ME.

I WAS ON A VENTILATOR
AT THAT POINT.

YOU'RE AWAKE?

AND MY HUSBAND SAYS
THAT I SAT UP IN THE BED

AND THAT I WAS SWOLLEN
TO THE POINT

THAT I COULDN'T HOLD ANYTHING
IN MY HAND.

SO I WAS ABLE TO WRITE OUT
IN THE AIR

THAT I HAD BEEN TO HEAVEN.

YOU WENT TO HEAVEN, BABY?

AFTER I RECOVERED,
THE DOCTOR SAID

THAT IT WAS JUST A MIRACLE
THAT I WAS ALIVE.

Sam: WHILE SHARON
AND HER FAMILY CELEBRATED,

HER DOCTORS WERE BAFFLED.

SHE HAD BEEN IN THE ICU
FOR 3 DAYS

AND WAS NOT EXPECTED TO RECOVER.

DID YOU EVER ACTUALLY FIND OUT
THE CAUSE OF YOUR DEATH?

WELL, THERE WERE SEVERAL
THEORIES ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED.

MY OB DOCTOR FEELS LIKE

IT WAS AN AMNIOTIC FLUID
EMBOLISM.

THEY HAD SOME THAT THOUGHT
THAT I WAS SEPTIC.

THEY NEVER REALLY CAME
TO A COMPLETE AGREEMENT.

SHARON, WAS THERE ANYBODY HERE
ON EARTH, WHILE YOU WERE DEAD,

TRYING TO WORK A SPIRITUAL
INTERVENTION TO BRING YOU BACK?

MY BROTHER-IN-LAW, J.D.,
DURING THIS TIME,

HAD A VERY INTERESTING
EXPERIENCE

WHEN HE CAME IN TO SEE ME.

NOW I'M CURIOUS
WHAT SHARON'S BROTHER-IN-LAW

EXPERIENCED
WHEN HE WENT TO SEE HER.

I NEED TO SPEAK WITH J.D.

TO SEE IF HE CONTRIBUTED
TO HER RESURRECTION.

HOW YOU DOING, J.D.?
DOING GOOD, BROTHER SAM.

YOU DOING ALL RIGHT TODAY?
GREAT.

GOOD TO MEET YOU.

JUST GOT THROUGH MEETING
WITH SHARON.

SHE WAS TELLING ME
ABOUT HER STORY.

I TELL YOU,
IT'S AN AMAZING STORY.

WHAT TRANSPIRED?

AS I REMEMBER,
GOING BACK TO THAT DAY,

I GOT TO THE HOSPITAL
ABOUT 30 MINUTES

PRIOR TO JAKE BEING BORN.

WELL,
DID WE HAVE THE BABY YET?

AND I HAD JUST MADE IT
TO THE HOSPITAL.

AND THEY CAME OUT AND, YOU KNOW,
HAD TOLD EVERYBODY

IN THE WAITING ROOM
THAT JAKE HAD BEEN BORN.

5 MINUTES LATER,
ONE OF THE NURSES TOLD ME,

"WE'VE GOT A MAJOR PROBLEM.
SHARON IS BLEEDING PROFUSELY."

THE MOOD WENT IMMEDIATELY
FROM JOY, YOU KNOW, AND ELATION

TO YOUR HEART DROPPING
INTO YOUR ANKLE.

AND EVERYTHING WAS JUST STOPPED.

IT'S LIKE TIME JUST STOPPED
IMMEDIATELY AT THAT POINT.

Sam:
DR. KEEHN HOSIER WAS ATTENDING
TO SHARON THAT DAY.

DR. HOSIER TOLD US THAT SHE HAD
ZERO PERCENT CHANCE OF SURVIVAL,

THAT THERE WAS NOTHING
THEY COULD DO...

THERE'S NO REASON TO BELIEVE
THAT SHE'LL SURVIVE THIS.

...THAT IT WAS BASICALLY OVER.

THIS WAS THE SADDEST MOMENT

I'VE EVER HAD
IN MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER

WAS TALKING TO HER FAMILY.

YOU HAVE SUCH A HAPPY MOMENT
FOR THEIR CHILD,

AND THEN
YOU HAVE TO TELL SOMEBODY

THAT THE CHILD IS GOING
TO GROW UP WITHOUT A MOTHER.

WE KNEW AT THAT MOMENT THAT WE
HAD TO GET A PRAYER CHAIN GOING.

EVERYONE WAS KIND OF CALLING,
YOU KNOW,

EVERYBODY THAT THEY COULD
THINK OF TO BEGIN TO PRAY.

AND WE HAD DROVES OF PEOPLE
THAT CAME TO THE HOSPITAL

FROM, YOU KNOW, CHURCHES
THAT WERE REPRESENTED

AMONGST OUR FAMILY
THAT WE ATTEND TO

THAT CAME AND BEGAN TO PRAY
THERE AT THE HOSPITAL.

Sam: WHILE THE FAMILY PRAYED,
DR. HOSIER REJOINED THE ER TEAM.

THEY FOUND A FAINT HEARTBEAT,

AND PUT SHARON
INTO A MEDICALLY INDUCED COMA.

DR. HOSIER
HAD HIS FINAL CHECKLIST

TO GO OVER
CONCERNING SHARON'S FUTURE.

Keehn: I TRIED TO SEE
HOW RESPONSIVE SHE WAS.

I SHONE THE LIGHT IN HER EYES

AND WAS NOT ABLE TO GET
ANY SORT OF PUPILLARY RESPONSE.

WHEN THE PUPILS
ARE FIXED AND DILATED,

THAT'S GENERALLY A SIGN THAT

HIGHER BRAIN FUNCTION
HAS CEASED.

IN LAYMAN'S TERMS,

THE PATIENT
IS ESSENTIALLY BRAIN-DEAD.

SHE HAD A VENTILATOR BREATHING
FOR HER,

AND SHE WAS KEPT ALIVE
BY MACHINES.

SO AFTER HEARING
THAT DEVASTATING NEWS

OF ZERO PERCENT PROBABILITY
OF HER LIVING,

EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED
AFTER THAT.

MY ASSOCIATE PASTOR
OF MY CHURCH CAME.

HE SAID, "WE'VE GOT TO GO
PRAY NOW FOR SHARON."

J.D.: MYSELF,
ALONG WITH MY ASSOCIATE PASTOR,

WENT INTO THE ROOM
WHERE SHARON WAS AT.

AT THAT POINT, I LAID MY HAND
UPON SHARON'S FOOT,

AND IT WAS THE BRIGHTEST LIGHT
I'VE EVER SEEN THAT CAME IN.

AND I KNEW THEN EVEN THOUGH
MY BODY WAS STANDING THERE,

WHERE SHE WAS AT,
I WAS NO LONGER THERE.

Jesse: ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL
FOR KIDNEY STONES,

DEAN BRAXTON'S ROUTINE SURGERY
TURNED FATAL

WHEN A BLOOD INFECTION
SHUT DOWN ALL OF HIS ORGANS.

YOU'RE GONNA STAY
WITH ME HERE, SIR.

DEAN DIED
ON THE OPERATING TABLE.

FOR NEARLY 2 HOURS,

DEAN'S BRAIN RECEIVED NO OXYGEN
OR BLOOD FLOW...

NURSE,
I NEED THAT CRASH CART.

UNTIL THE DOCTORS
WERE ABLE TO REGAIN HIS PULSE

AND PLACE HIM ON LIFE SUPPORT.

THE INFECTION THAT YOU HAD,
IT SHUTS DOWN YOUR LUNGS,

AND IT SHUTS DOWN YOUR HEART.

CORRECT.
AND YOU DIED.

YES.

SO TELL ME,
WHAT WAS THE FIRST THING

THAT YOU EXPERIENCED
AFTER YOU DIED?

THE FIRST THING I REMEMBER
WAS LEAVING THE HOSPITAL ROOM.

Dean: I FELT LIKE I WAS
SHOOTING UP LIKE A ROCKET,

BURSTING INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.

AND IT WAS A BLUE SKY.

I REMEMBER
ENTERING INTO OUTER SPACE...

THEN HEADING TO DARKNESS.

AT THE OTHER END
OF THIS DARKNESS

WAS, LIKE, A WINDOW OF LIGHT.

I COULD ALWAYS SEE THAT LIGHT,
THAT WINDOW.

AND I WAS GONNA ENTER
INTO THAT WINDOW.

IN THIS PITCH DARKNESS,

THERE WERE LIGHTS
THAT WERE SHOOTING PAST ME.

SINCE MY SENSES
WERE SO HEIGHTENED AT THIS TIME,

I KNEW THESE LIGHTS THAT WERE
PASSING ME BY WERE PRAYERS.

AND THEY LOOKED
LIKE SHOOTING STARS
SHOOTING PAST ME.

SO THEY WERE MOVING
FASTER THAN I WAS,

AND I WAS MOVING
AT AN INCREDIBLE SPEED.

WOW.
THAT'S AMAZING.

[ Laughing ] YEAH,
IT WAS AMAZING TO ME, TOO.

[ BOTH LAUGH ]

IS THAT SOMETHING
THAT YOU REALIZE LOOKING BACK?

OR DID YOU KNOW
IN THAT MOMENT

THAT THOSE WERE PRAYERS
SHOOTING PAST YOU?

I KNEW THAT IN THAT MOMENT.

I COULDN'T TELL YOU
HOW I KNOW,

BUT I JUST KNEW THAT THEY
WERE PRAYERS PASSING ME BY.

BUT WHAT REALLY GOT ME IS
WHEN I ENTERED INTO THIS LIGHT.

WHEN I WENT THROUGH
INTO THE LIGHT,

IT WAS BRIGHTER THAN ANYTHING
I'VE EVER IMAGINED.

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN,
I HAD JOY AND PEACE AND COMFORT.

THERE'S FLOWERS.
THERE'S MEADOWS.
THERE'S LANDSCAPE.

EVERYTHING IS RIGHT.

THERE'S NOTHING DECAY,
SO THERE'S NO DEATH.

THE COLORS WERE MORE BRILLIANT
THAN YOU COULD EVER IMAGINE.

AND IT SEEMED LIKE EVERY MOMENT,
THERE WAS A NEW COLOR.

BUT THERE WAS NO DARKNESS
TO IT AT ALL.

I HAD SEEN THINGS THERE IN
HEAVEN THAT I'D SEEN ON EARTH,

BUT NEVER LIKE I SAW THEM THERE.

I MOVED TOWARD THIS FOREST
THAT WAS IN FRONT OF ME.

AND IT HAD
ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL TREES.

AND I COULD REMEMBER
AS I MOVED FORWARD TOWARD IT,

IT SEEMED LIKE THE GROUND
RAISED UP BEFORE ME

AND MADE A PATH.

AND THEN THE TREES MOVED
OUT OF THE WAY.

WOW.

SEEMED LIKE
ALL OF THE CREATION THERE

WAS SAYING,
"HE'S GOING TO SEE THE KING.

HE'S GOING TO SEE THE KING.
HE'S GOING TO SEE THE KING."

ONCE I GOT THROUGH THE FOREST,
JESUS WAS STANDING UP.

AND HE WAS ADDRESSING BEFORE HIM
A NUMBER OF HIS CREATIONS.

SOME OF THEM WERE ANGELS.

SOME OF THEM WERE PEOPLE
THAT HAD GONE ON BEFORE ME.

HE WAS TALKING TO THEM
FROM THOUGHT TO THOUGHT.

I CAME UP TO HIM,

AND I JUST BOWED BEFORE HIM,
AND I HIT THE GROUND.

AND WHEN I HIT THE GROUND
ALL I COULD SAY WAS...

THANK YOU.
YOU DID THIS FOR ME.

THE NEXT WORDS
THAT CAME OUT OF MY MOUTH

AFTER THAT WAS, "THANK YOU,
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU,

THANK YOU, THANK YOU,
THANK YOU, THANK YOU."

AFTER MOMENTS THERE, HE SAID,

"NO, IT'S NOT YOUR TIME.

GO BACK."

I WAS OKAY WITH IT.

I JUST KIND OF WENT FLYING
OVER THE TREES.

WENT BACK TO WHAT I CALL
THE EDGE OF HEAVEN.

I KNEW THAT I HAD ENTERED
INTO THIS AREA

THAT,
ONCE I MOVED ONE MORE STEP,

THAT I WOULD BE OUT OF HEAVEN.

THAT DARKNESS,
IT LOOKED LIKE A THICK OIL.

IN THAT DARKNESS AREA
WAS ALL THESE DEMONS.

IT WAS LIKE
THEY WERE TRAPPED THERE.

AND I KNEW
THAT THEY WERE DETERIORATING.

THEY WERE FALLING APART.

SO THEY WERE GETTING UGLIER
EVERY MOMENT.

SO, DEAN, STANDING AT WHAT
YOU CALL THE EDGE OF HEAVEN,

LOOKING AT THIS DARKNESS FILLED
WITH DEMONS AND CREATURES,

YOU MUST HAVE
BEEN FRIGHTENED

OR AT LEAST KNEW THAT
YOU DIDN'T WANT TO GO THERE.

WELL, YOU KNOW,
TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, JESSE,

YES, ANYBODY WOULD PROBABLY
BE FRIGHTENED.

YOU KNOW, WHAT I MEAN?

LOOKING AT WHAT I WAS SEEING
AND SAYING,

"I DON'T WANT TO END UP THERE
AT ALL."

AND THEN I WAS COMING BACK
TO THIS PLANET.

I REENTERED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.

I REENTERED INTO THAT BUILDING,

AND I SAW THE CHAOS.

Man: NURSE,
I NEED THAT CRASH CART.

COME ON, MR. BRAXTON.
I NEED YOU TO FIGHT FOR US.

WE'RE NOT
GONNA LOSE YOU TODAY.

I SAW THEM RUNNING AROUND.

I SAW THEM TRYING
TO DO ALL THIS STUFF.

AND THEN I JUST REMEMBERED
SETTLING BACK DOWN INTO MY BODY.

BLOOD PRESSURE'S COMING UP.
HEART RATE?

STEADY AT 82.

[ MONITOR BEEPING STEADILY ]

YOU CAME BACK TO LIFE
AT THAT MOMENT?

-YOU RECONNECTED WITH YOUR BODY?
-I RECONNECTED WITH MY BODY.

-THAT'S WHEN YOU CAME
BACK TO LIFE?
-YES, YES, YES.

WOW. DEAN, WOULD YOU SAY
THAT THERE WAS ANYBODY

THAT STICKS OUT IN YOUR MIND
THAT PLAYED A CRUCIAL ROLE,

OR INTERVENED

THAT BROUGHT YOU BACK
FROM THE DEAD?

YES, JESSE.
THAT WOULD BE MY WIFE, MARILYN.

SHE DID A LOT OF THINGS
TO MAKE SURE

THAT I WOULD BE ALIVE
ON THIS PLANET.

Jesse: IF DEAN'S WIFE DID A LOT
TO BRING HIM BACK,

I NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT.

WERE THOSE HER PRAYERS
FLYING PAST HIM?

MARILYN.

HEY, HOW ARE YOU?

THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR MEETING ME OUT HERE.

I JUST CAME FROM YOUR HUSBAND,
DEAN.

-RIGHT.
-AND HE WAS TELLING ME

THAT YOU PLAYED A CRUCIAL ROLE
IN HIS BEING RESURRECTED.

I JUST WAS NOT
GOING TO LET GO.

MARILYN JOINED HER HUSBAND
AS HE RECOVERED

FROM A ROUTINE
KIDNEY STONE PROCEDURE.

IT'S GONNA BE OKAY.
THE DOCTOR'S ON HIS WAY.

Marilyn:
WHEN I SAW DEAN IN RECOVERY,

I NOTICED THAT HIS LIPS
LOOKED ALMOST,

LIKE, KIND OF ASH COLOR.

AND THAT'S WHEN I KNEW
THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG.

[ GASPING ]

I COULD TELL THAT HE WAS

HAVING TROUBLE BREATHING
AT THE TIME.

AND THAT'S WHEN THE DOCTOR SAID,

"WE NEED TO INTUBATE
YOUR HUSBAND RIGHT NOW

OR ELSE HE COULD DIE."

STARTING TO FLAT LINE,
CODE BLUE.

DEAN'S IN THE ICU RIGHT NOW.

I NEED SOME PRAYER WARRIORS
THAT CAN GET A PRAYER THROUGH.

Sam: SHARON ABBOTT'S FATAL
COMPLICATION AFTER CHILDBIRTH

LEFT DOCTORS TRYING TO REVIVE
HER FOR OVER 35 MINUTES.

SHE WAS STABILIZED AND PUT
INTO A MEDICALLY INDUCED COMA,

BUT THE DOCTORS OBSERVED NO
SIGNS OF HIGHER BRAIN FUNCTION.

THERE'S NOTHING MORE
THAT WE CAN DO.

AS A BAPTIST MINISTER,

SHARON'S BROTHER-IN-LAW,
J.D.,

FELT COMPELLED
TO LEAD A PRAYER VIGIL.

YOU SAID YOU WERE STANDING
OVER SHARON'S BODY.

AND YOU SAID YOU HAD
AN OUT-OF-BODY EXPERIENCE.

COULD YOU EXPLAIN THAT?

J.D.:
I WENT INTO THE ROOM

WITH MY ASSOCIATE PASTOR
TO SEE SHARON.

AT THAT POINT, I LAID MY HAND
UPON SHARON'S FOOT,

AND WHEN THAT HAPPENED,

I WAS NO LONGER IN THE ROOM.

WHEN I OPENED MY EYES,
IT WAS LIKE --

I'VE NEVER SEEN
ANYTHING LIKE IT.

I'VE NEVER SEEN THE COLORS.

I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING
LIKE WHAT I SAW.

IT WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE
I'D EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.

THE LOVE THAT'S THERE
CANNOT BE EXPRESSED.

IT CANNOT.

IT MELTS THROUGH YOU

LIKE THERE IS NOTHING
ON THIS EARTH.

PEOPLE CAME TO ME

EVEN THOUGH I HAD NEVER LAID
EYES ON ANY OF THEM.

BUT I KNEW
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.

AND IT WAS A PLACE
THAT I KNEW THAT --

I COULD SPEND FOREVER HERE.

THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN,
IT CAME TO ME WHY I WAS THERE.

AND I BEGAN TO CRY OUT
FOR SHARON'S BEHALF,

BEGGING HIM, "LORD..."

PLEASE DON'T TAKE HER.

"SHE'S GOT TO STAY.

THERE'S THREE BABIES
INVOLVED IN THIS."

THE GREAT LIGHT CAME OVER ME.

THE LIGHT WAS SO BRIGHT.

IT WAS SO GLORIOUS,
I COULDN'T LOOK UPON IT.

I IMMEDIATELY FELL ON MY FACE,

AND I LOST THE ABILITY TO SPEAK.

ALL OF A SUDDEN,
THE LORD SPOKE TO ME,

AND HE SAID, "SON, LOOK UP."

SHARON WAS KNEELING,
COMPLETELY DRESSED IN WHITE.

THAT'S WHEN I GAINED
THE ABILITY TO SPEAK.

PLEASE, I'M BEGGING YOU.

SEND HER BACK.

SHARON LOOKED UP AT ME,

TURNED HER HEAD
TO THE LEFT AT ME,

AND SHOOK HER HEAD YES.

AND I KNEW INSTANTLY, I KNEW IT,
THAT IT WAS ALL RIGHT.

SO WHEN YOU CAME BACK FROM
HEAVEN INTO THE ROOM THERE...

I IMMEDIATELY WOKE BACK UP.

I HAD TO TAKE MY LEFT HAND
AND HOLD ON TO THE BED

'CAUSE I COULD NOT STAND.

AND I HAD TO HOLD MYSELF THERE
AS TIGHT AS I COULD

TO BE ABLE TO GATHER MYSELF

SO I COULD THEN LEAVE HURRIEDLY
AND GET TO THE PRAYER ROOM.

COULD YOU DESCRIBE WHAT
THE ATMOSPHERE WAS LIKE
WHEN YOU CAME BACK?

GLOOM AND DOOM WHEN I WALKED
IN THE DOOR, STILL.

AND EVERYBODY STILL
IN A PLACE OF SHOCK.

AND I TOLD MY MOTHER-IN-LAW
SHARON'S MOM,

I SAID, "LOOK,
IT'S GONNA BE ALL RIGHT.

I DON'T KNOW HOW.
I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT.

BUT I'M TELLING YOU,
IT'S GONNA BE ALL RIGHT.

IT'S GONNA BE OKAY."

Sam:
WHILE J.D. CONTINUED TO PRAY
WITH SHARON'S FAMILY,

KEEHN HOSIER, SHARON'S DOCTOR,

RETURNED TO HER BEDSIDE
IN THE ICU

WHERE SHE HAD BEEN LEFT
ON LIFE SUPPORT

FOR THE LAST THREE DAYS.

I DIDN'T THINK
SHE WAS GONNA BE ALIVE

WHEN I GOT TO THE HOSPITAL
THE NEXT DAY.

I WAS VERY SURPRISED
WHEN I GOT THERE

AND SAW
THAT SHE WAS STILL HANGING ON.

I THOUGHT SHE'D BE

VERY SIGNIFICANTLY BRAIN DAMAGED
AT THAT POINT

BECAUSE SHE WAS
SO CRITICALLY ILL,

AND SHE HAD SHOWN NO SIGNS
OF HIGHER BRAIN FUNCTION

IN THE FIRST COUPLE DAYS
THAT SHE WAS THERE.

Sam: AFTER ANOTHER DAY
OF OBSERVATION,

SHARON WAS TAKEN
OFF LIFE SUPPORT

DUE TO HER RAPID RECOVERY.

SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE SHE WAS.

SHE DIDN'T KNOW
WHO ANY OF US WERE.

SHE WAS DISORIENTED,
BUT SHE WAS ALIVE.

AND THE MACHINES WERE NOT
KEEPING HER ALIVE AT THAT POINT.

Sam:
SHARON REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS,

AND HER FAMILY WAS INFORMED

OF THE UNEXPLAINABLE CHANGE
IN HER STATE.

I WALKED INTO THE ROOM,
AND SHE'S SETTING UP,

AND WAYNE'S FEEDING HER.

AND SHE JUST
KIND OF LOOKED UP AT ME,

AND I LOOKED AT HER.

AND THERE AGAIN
I JUST KIND OF BROKE AND CRIED.

I STILL DIDN'T HAVE
THE FULL UNDERSTANDING

OF WHAT I HAD SEEN
AND WHAT I HAD BEEN THROUGH.

AND IT TOOK A LONG TIME
FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.

Keehn: I DON'T KNOW
WHAT KEPT SHARON ALIVE.

IT WASN'T ANYTHING THAT I DID.

AND I DON'T THINK
IT WAS ANYTHING

ANY OF THE OTHER DOCTORS DID.

WE SIMPLY WERE BYSTANDERS
IN THE PROCESS.

THERE'S NO MEDICAL REASON
FOR HER TO BE ALIVE.

THIS IS A MIRACLE.

OUT OF THE 18 YEARS
THAT I'VE BEEN DOING THIS,

SHE IS THE ONE
THAT I CAN POINT TO AND SAY,

"THIS WAS A MIRACLE."

I HAVE NO FACTS TO BACK THAT UP.

I HAVE NO SCIENTIFIC BASIS
TO SAY THE MIRACLE TOOK PLACE.

BUT I HAVE A SCIENTIFIC BASIS
TO SAY

THAT THERE'S NOTHING
THAT WE DID SPECTACULAR

THAT ALLOWED HER
TO COME THROUGH THIS

THE WAY THAT SHE DID.

Sam: SHARON'S RECOVERY
IS A MEDICAL PHENOMENON.

BUT WAS HER RESURRECTION
AND J.D.'S VISION

ALL PART OF A BIGGER PLAN?

SO, SHARON, WHAT LESSON
DID YOU LEARN

FROM THIS WHOLE,
ENTIRE EXPERIENCE?

GOD IS FAITHFUL.

HE HAS A PLAN.

HE DOES NOT REQUIRE
THAT I UNDERSTAND IT

NOR THAT I EVEN LIKE IT,
JUST THAT I TRUST HIM.

WHEN YOU HEARD
YOUR SISTER-IN-LAW TALK

ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE IN HEAVEN
AND YOU SEEING THE SIMILARITIES,

WHAT DID IT DO
TO YOUR FAITH?

IT STRENGTHENED MY FAITH
AND MY FAMILY'S FAITH

TO LET US KNOW THAT HEAVEN

IS A PLACE THAT IS AS REAL
AS ANY PLACE ON THIS EARTH.

SO BOTH OF YOU DO BELIEVE

THAT SHARON WAS RAISED
FROM THE DEAD?

YES,
BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT.

THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT
WHATSOEVER.

ABSOLUTELY.
I BELIEVE IT.

Marilyn: I KEPT NEGATIVE PEOPLE
FROM BEING AROUND DEAN

WHILE WE WERE AT THE HOSPITAL.

THIS WAS A TIME
OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE.

YES, GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'M HERE TO SEE
MY HUSBAND, DEAN BRAXTON.

Jesse: MARILYN BRAXTON
HAS JUST BEEN INFORMED

THAT HER HUSBAND HAS DIED
DURING A ROUTINE SURGERY.

WHILE DEAN
WAS EXPERIENCING THE AFTERLIFE,

MARILYN WOULD BEGIN A FIGHT
TO BRING HIM BACK.

I'M RIGHT HERE
IN THE WAITING ROOM.

PLEASE COME NOW.
THANK YOU.

WHAT DID YOU DO
WHEN YOU FOUND OUT

THAT YOUR HUSBAND
WAS CLINICALLY DEAD?

WELL, RIGHT THEN AND THERE,

I BEGAN TO CALL UP MY SON,
MY DAUGHTER,

FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS

AND STARTED
TO JUST ASK EVERYONE,

"PRAY FOR DEAN RIGHT NOW BECAUSE
THEY'RE DOING CPR ON HIM.

SO PRAY."

DEAN IS IN THE ICU
RIGHT NOW,

AND THEY'RE WORKING ON HIM.

I NEED YOU TO COME
TO THE WAITING ROOM

AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, PLEASE.

I NEED SOME PRAYER PARTNERS

AND PRAYER WARRIORS
THAT CAN GET A PRAYER THROUGH.

FRIENDS BEGAN TO SHOW UP,

AND WE ALL WERE IN
THE WAITING AREA JUST PRAYING.

I WAS NOT FEARFUL BECAUSE I HAD,
ON THE INSIDE OF ME, FIGHT.

I FELT I HAD, LIKE,
THIS WARRING SPIRIT
ON THE INSIDE OF ME

BECAUSE I DIDN'T FEEL
THAT IT WAS DEAN'S TIME TO GO.

I FELT THAT THIS WAS A TIME
OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE.

IN WARFARE,
YOU HAVE TO RALLY THE TROOPS.

YOU HAVE TO GET PEOPLE PRAYING
AND STANDING IN THE GAP.

AND, GOD, WE ASK THAT YOU
WOULD USE THE DOCTORS RIGHT NOW.

EVERYBODY JUST KIND OF
SEEMED TO HAVE LIKE

A QUIET SPIRIT ON THE INSIDE.

NO ONE WAS FULL OF ANXIETY
OR UNREST AT ALL.

NOT ONE OF US
PRAYED A NEGATIVE PRAYER,

OR HAD ANY NEGATIVE WORDS.

POSITIVE IS BETTER
THAN BEING NEGATIVE.

OH, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

I KEPT NEGATIVE PEOPLE
FROM BEING AROUND DEAN

WHILE WE WERE AT THE HOSPITAL.

I FELT IF THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE,

I DIDN'T WANT THEM
EVEN GOING INTO THE ROOM.

THE DOCTOR CAME IN
TO TELL US THE NEWS

THAT HE WOULDN'T KNOW
ANY MORE UNTIL THE MORNING.

BUT THIS IS WHAT
HIS WORDS WERE --

"ALL I CAN SAY TO YOU ALL
IS TO JUST KEEP PRAYING."

THOSE WERE THE DOCTOR'S WORDS.
"JUST KEEP PRAYING."

WOW.
"JUST KEEP UP THE PRAYERS."

-OKAY.
-YOU'LL NEED THEM.

-ALL RIGHT.
-[ LAUGHS ]

-SO ALL THESE
PEOPLE ARE PRAYING.
-SURE.

SO WHAT DID YOU DO NEXT?

WE PRAYED TOGETHER.
WE JOINED HANDS IN UNITY.

AND THEN I SANG A SONG,
JUST A SONG THAT...

BASICALLY,
THE WORDS IN THE SONG

WERE GIVING GOD GLORY
AND THANKSGIVING.

NOT FEARFUL AT ALL.

* AMAZING *

IT JUST CAME UP
ON THE INSIDE OF ME.

JUST ROSE UP ON THE INSIDE OF ME
TO SING THIS SONG.

AND THE REASON I JUST
FELT IN MY SPIRIT TO DO THAT

WAS BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK
THAT I HAD IN ME TO BLAME GOD

BECAUSE I KNEW
THAT WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO DEAN

WAS NOT GOD'S FAULT,

BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN HEALING
AND HEALTH.

I BELIEVE THAT SICKNESS
DOESN'T COME FROM GOD.

THERE'S NOT ANY IN HEAVEN.

SO HOW COULD HE GIVE IT TO YOU?

I WAS NOT GIVING UP,

AND I KNEW THAT THIS WAS NOT
A BATTLE FOR ME

TO GO BEATING UP
ON THE DOCTORS AND THE NURSES.

BUT IT WAS A BATTLE
THAT I HAD TO GO TO IN PRAYER

AND TO TELL -- AND TO SPEAK LIFE
INTO DEAN'S BODY.

THE DOCTOR CAME IN
A LITTLE BIT LATER

TO TELL US THE NEWS...

WE'VE GOT YOUR HUSBAND BACK.

-THANK GOD.
-HIS HEART'S BEATING AGAIN.

HIS VITAL SIGNS
ARE LOOKING GOOD.

AND IT WAS JUST GREAT NEWS.

WERE YOU EVER ABLE TO DETERMINE
AT WHAT POINT

THAT DEAN'S HEARTBEAT
ACTUALLY CAME BACK?

WAS IT DURING THE SONG?
WAS IT DURING SOME PRAYERS?

WERE YOU EVER ABLE
TO DETERMINE THAT?

YOU KNOW, I JUST FELT,
AFTER I SANG THAT SONG,

I JUST FELT A RELEASE.

WOW.

AND I JUST FELT
JUST A PEACE COME OVER ME.

WOW, OKAY.

I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY GETTING
THE HEART RATE BACK,

YOU PROBABLY FELT LIKE YOU'D
TURNED A CORNER AT THAT POINT.

WELL, I WAS SUPER EXCITED.
YOU KNOW?

BUT, YOU KNOW, HE WAS STILL,
YOU KNOW,

HAVING TO BE ON THE OXYGEN.

WE'RE NOT
OUT OF THE WOODS YET.

OKAY.

Marilyn:
DESPITE HIS RESUSCITATION,

THE DOCTOR SAID THINGS
WERE KIND OF TOUCH AND GO.

IT'S A POSSIBILITY THAT DEAN
COULD HAVE BRAIN DAMAGE,

THAT HE MIGHT NOT MAKE IT,
PERIOD,

OR THAT HE COULD BE A VEGETABLE
IF HE DID MAKE IT.

AND HE WAS NOW ON LIFE SUPPORT.

WITH ALL THAT THE DOCTORS
HAD SAID,

I DECIDED TO GO BACK HOME

AND TO PRAY FOR DEAN
LONG, HARD, AND LOUD.

YOU HAVE TO SURRENDER
TO THE MIGHTY HAND OF GOD.

I WANTED TO SEE THE END RESULTS.

AND I WASN'T GONNA GIVE UP
UNTIL I SAW THE END RESULTS.

THANK YOU, GOD.
THANK YOU.

I BELIEVE, ABOUT THE THIRD DAY,

HE STARTED TO HAVE A TURNAROUND
IN HIS HEALTH.

AND HIS NEW KIDNEY SPECIALIST
TOLD ME THAT HE HAD IMPROVED

200 TO 300 PERCENT
IN SUCH A SHORT TIME.

BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN HIS KIDNEYS
BEGAN TO FUNCTION.

I MEAN, HE WAS DEAD,
AND NOW HE'S NOT.

TO HEAR HIS VOICE,
HOW DID THAT MAKE YOU FEEL?

IT WAS REAL EXCITING
TO HEAR HIS VOICE.

YOU KNOW, AND I TOLD HIM
WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

AND AS THE STORY UNFOLDED

AND I TOLD HIM ABOUT
ALL THE LOVE AND THE SUPPORT

AND THE PRAYERS THAT HE HAD,

TEARS JUST STREAMED
DOWN HIS FACE.

HE WAS SO, SO GRATEFUL
AND SO EXCITED.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOUR SONG
AND YOUR PRAYERS

PLAYED A KEY ROLE
IN DEAN COMING BACK TO LIFE?

YOU KNOW, I FEEL THAT MY SONG
AND MY PRAYERS,

AND ESPECIALLY
THE PRAYERS OF OTHERS,

BROUGHT DEAN BACK TO LIFE.

WHAT MIGHT YOU SAY
FOR SOMEBODY WHO COMES

FROM A DIFFERENT
BELIEF SYSTEM?

IS THERE ANYTHING
THAT YOU FEEL LIKE

EVERYBODY COULD BENEFIT FROM
NO MATTER WHAT THEY BELIEVE

FROM YOUR STORY?

DON'T GIVE UP.

JUST DON'T EVER GIVE UP.

AND KEEP JUST LOVING THEM.

STAY POSITIVE.

STAY AFFIRMATIVE.
YEAH.

AND BE STEADY.

WE'RE STARTING TO GET EVIDENCE
THAT PRAYER IS SPIRITUAL ENERGY.

AND WE'VE GOT ACCOUNTS
OF PEOPLE ACTUALLY SEEING

THIS SPIRITUAL ENERGY
IN THIS AFTERLIFE EXPERIENCE.

Jesse:
FOR MORE "PROJECT AFTERLIFE,"
GO TO...

Jesse:
IN THE AFTERLIFE, DEAN BRAXTON
SAW ACTUAL PRAYERS PASS BY HIM.

WERE THESE THE PRAYERS
OF HIS WIFE?

DID DEAN'S VISION AND HIS WIFE'S
PRAYERS BRING HIM BACK?

DEAN AND HIS WIFE, MARILYN, HAVE
BEEN MARRIED FOR OVER 25 YEARS.

AND I'M CURIOUS WHAT IMPACT
THIS BRUSH WITH DEATH

HAS HAD ON THEIR MARRIAGE.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY
HAS CHANGED

FROM BEFORE THEN
TO AFTER THEN?

IF YOU COULD POINT TO SOMETHING
IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP,

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY
HAS CHANGED?

I THINK WHAT REALLY GREW

WAS JUST MY WHOLE
OUTLOOK ON FAMILY.

AND THAT THE RELATIONSHIPS
I CAN HAVE

WITH MARILYN AND MY CHILDREN
AND ALL MY EXTENDED FAMILY

ARE ETERNAL RELATIONSHIPS.

AND THEY DON'T END
JUST ON THIS PLANET,

BUT THEY'RE ETERNAL,

AND THAT WE NEED TO TREAT
EACH OTHER AS ETERNAL BEINGS

AND NOT TEMPORAL BEINGS.

MARILYN, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY
HAS CHANGED --

THE BIGGEST THING
THAT HAS CHANGED INSIDE OF DEAN?

I THINK THAT HE'S CHANGED

IN THE SENSE
THAT HE'S SO POSITIVE.

HE SEES JUST GOOD
IN EVERYBODY.

AND I JUST LOVE THAT
ABOUT HIM.

THE BOTH OF YOU,
WOULD YOU SAY

THAT NO MATTER
WHAT SOMEBODY BELIEVES,

NO MATTER
WHAT BACKGROUND THEY HAVE,

NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE,
THAT POSITIVITY IS EFFECTIVE?

WHEN YOU START TALKING
A LOT OF NEGATIVE,

YOU KIND OF, LIKE,
START LIVING THAT NEGATIVE.

AND WE TALK VERY POSITIVE
TO EACH OTHER,

TO OTHER PEOPLE
WE COME IN CONTACT WITH.

WE WANT OUR WORDS
TO BE OF LIFE, NOT DEATH.

**

Jesse: DEAN AND MARILYN
DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY

OF DEAN SEEING HER PRAYERS
SHOOT PAST HIM IN THE AFTERLIFE.

DID DEAN ACTUALLY WITNESS

HIS WIFE'S EFFORTS
TO BRING HIM BACK?

WERE THOSE EFFORTS THE REASON
IT WASN'T HIS TIME YET?

SO, JESSE, WHAT DID YOU
LEARN FROM DEAN BRAXTON?

YEAH, SO I THINK THERE'S
TWO THINGS RIGHT OFF THE BAT.

ALL RIGHT, HIS WIFE, MARILYN,
SHE STARTED A PRAYER CHAIN.

BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE DOCTORS

WHO SHOWED PERSEVERANCE
AND DIDN'T GIVE UP.

THEY WORKED ON DEAN
FOR OVER 90 MINUTES.

THEY DID CPR FOR 90 MINUTES.

SO WE HAVE THIS CONTINUED THREAD
OF PERSEVERANCE,

PEOPLE TAKING GREAT COURAGE
AND NOT WANTING TO GIVE UP.

AND THEN THE PRAYER CHAIN.

IN ADDITION
TO THOSE TWO KEYS,

WE ALSO HAVE THE EMERGENCE
OF A NEW KEY.

AND THAT IS
THE POWER OF POSITIVITY.

WE SAW MARILYN,
THAT SHE DIDN'T WANT ANYBODY

TO SPEAK NEGATIVE THINGS
OVER DEAN.

SHE WANTED POSITIVE THINGS.
SHE WANTED TO SPEAK LIFE.

SHE WANTED TO SPEAK
THE GOOD THINGS.

IN THESE TIMES WHEN YOU'RE FACED
WITH THE DEATH OF A LOVED ONE,

IT CAN BE REALLY HARD
TO STAY POSITIVE.

BUT WE STILL HAVE
THAT CHOICE.

AND WE CAN FLIP
THAT SWITCH.

WE CAN CHOOSE
TO REMAIN POSITIVE.

JESSE, WHAT WAS IT
THAT WAS SO SIGNIFICANT

ABOUT DEAN SEEING
THESE PRAYERS SHOOTING PAST HIM?

I'VE NEVER HEARD
ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE.

IT GOES BACK TO THE POWER
OF PRAYER, I THINK.

AND I THINK IT EVEN RELATES
AND TIES BACK

TO THE PRAYER CHAIN SCENARIO

BECAUSE YOU HAVE
ALL THESE PEOPLE PRAYING,

BUT SO OFTEN WE DON'T GET
A PICTURE

OF WHAT THE POWER OF PRAYER
LOOKS LIKE.

WELL, DEAN DID.

DEAN SAW THOSE PRAYERS
SHOOTING PAST HIM.

AND THERE WASN'T JUST ONE.
THERE WERE MULTIPLE PRAYERS.

HE'S ACTUALLY SEEING
SPIRITUAL ENERGY.

WE'RE STARTING TO GET EVIDENCE
THAT PRAYER IS SPIRITUAL ENERGY.

AND WE'VE GOT
ACCOUNTS OF PEOPLE

ACTUALLY SEEING THIS SPIRITUAL
ENERGY IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM.

ALL RIGHT, SAM,
SO TELL ME ABOUT SHARON ABBOTT.

YOU KNOW,
WHAT I FOUND AMAZING,

THAT AFTER SHARON HAD DIED
AFTER CHILDBIRTH,

YOU KNOW, SHE DIED,
GO OVER INTO HEAVEN,

AND HAD
THIS OUT-OF-BODY EXPERIENCE

OF HOW PEACEFUL HEAVEN WAS.

BUT I REALLY BELIEVE
HER BROTHER-IN-LAW

PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE
IN IT.

HE WENT IN THERE
AND PRAYED FOR HER.

AND HE HAD,
ACTUALLY, A TRANCE,

AN OUT-OF-BODY EXPERIENCE

TO WHERE HE ACTUALLY SAW
SHARON IN HEAVEN.

J.D. DID SEE HER
IN THIS GARDEN-LIKE SETTING

THAT ALSO KIND OF LINES UP

WITH WHAT SHARON SAW
IN THAT SAME SETTING.

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BIG
TAKEAWAY FOR YOU IN THIS CASE?

HER BROTHER-IN-LAW'S
PERSISTENT FAITH

AND SHARON'S WANTING
TO COME BACK

WAS BOTH,
AS A COMBINATION, USED

TO RESURRECT HER
BACK FROM THE DEAD.

WE HAVE, YET AGAIN

THE OCCURRENCE
OF MANY PEOPLE PRAYING.

YOU KNOW, THERE WERE MULTIPLE
PEOPLE PRAYING FOR HER.

YOU KNOW,
AND MAYBE THAT CLEARED THE WAY

FOR HER TO BE ABLE
TO MAKE THE CHOICE.

BECAUSE IT CERTAINLY SEEMS
LIKE SHE HAD THE CHOICE

OF WHETHER TO COME BACK
OR WHETHER TO STAY UP THERE.

JUST LIKE THE CASES
THAT HAVE COME BEFORE,

YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE
THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE

IS SOMETHING THAT IS REMAINING
AND BEING A COMMON THREAD

THROUGH EACH ONE
OF THESE CASES.

YEAH, AS YOU LOOK
AT ALL OF THESE CASES

THAT WE'VE BEEN
INVESTIGATING,

THERE'S NOT ONE
THAT DIDN'T HAVE

THE INGREDIENT OF PRAYER.

MM-HMM.
SO WE DO KNOW PRAYER...

YEAH.
...IS AN ACTIVE PART

THAT HAS TO BE INITIATED
IN ORDER FOR THE OUTCOME

THAT WE'RE SEEING PEOPLE
COMING BACK FROM THE AFTERLIFE.

SHARON AND DEAN
BOTH WERE WITH JESUS.

THEY BOTH SAW HIM
AS GLOWING,

YOU KNOW, A PEACEFULNESS
IN HIS PRESENCE.

BOTH OF THEM EXPERIENCED HEAVEN
AS A NATURAL EARTH STATE.

IT WAS SIMILAR.

IN THIS CASE,

THEY DID EXPERIENCE
SOMETHING THAT WAS EARTHLIKE.

TWO FASCINATING CASES.

WE HAVE THE EMERGENCE OF KEYS
THAT BROUGHT THEM BACK TO LIFE.

WE HAVE SUPERNATURAL
RESURRECTION.

I CAN'T WAIT
TO DIG INTO MORE.