Colton Burpo, 27, has spoken out again about the near-death experience he says he had during emergency surgery at age four.
The Nebraska worship pastor and electrician nearly died from a ruptured appendix that had gone misdiagnosed for five days, prompting frantic efforts by medical teams to save his life. During that childhood operation, Burpo claims his soul left his body entirely.
“I remember lifting out of my body, I looked down, I saw the doctors – they were working on me,” he recalled.
Somehow, the toddler could see through walls. He spotted his mother on the phone praying in one room, while his father was elsewhere in the hospital making his own desperate appeal. “My dad, he was in another room, and he was praying very loudly at God,” Burpo said.
Then everything changed. The frightened child found himself suddenly transported to what he describes as a perfect realm resembling Earth, complete with trees, animals, skies, and colors more vibrant than anything below. And he was not alone.
“And, at the moment, I was freaking out. I had no idea what was going on,” he remembered. “Then I was sitting on Jesus’ lap, and He had some angels sing to me to calm me down.”
Burpo offered detailed specifics about the figure he met. He described Jesus as having brown hair, a brown beard, bluish-green eyes, and a brilliant smile. The clothing was memorable too: white robes with a purple sash. Most striking were the visible wounds of crucifixion on both hands and feet.
The encounter included sensory experiences beyond the visual. Burpo said he petted a white horse belonging to Jesus, distinguished by a rainbow-colored mane. He also attended classes where Jesus served as teacher.
Food in the afterlife, according to Burpo, diverged from traditional biblical fare. Rather than fish, bread, or wine, he claimed to have eaten pizza and mac and cheese during his heavenly visit.
Today Burpo frames his earthly life through the lens of that childhood experience. He has built a career split between electrical work and ministry, and he speaks of his time on Earth as carrying deliberate purpose rather than impatient waiting.
“He has called me to be a godly man, a godly husband, now a godly dad,” Burpo explained. “And, when it comes to the supernatural – or what is waiting for us, I’m not afraid to meet Jesus again one day. I’m looking forward to that day.”
His focus, he said, has shifted from longing for return to active service. “My mindset right now is, instead of being so caught up in what’s waiting for me, I’m going to focus on the here and now,” he shared. “I’m going to live my life in a way that honors Christ. If I can, while I’m down here, I’m going to try and get as many people to come with me to heaven.”
He added: “So, I’ve been able to view it more as a mission instead of, ‘I wish I was in heaven again’.”
Burpo first gained widespread attention as a child when his account became the basis for the 2010 book “Heaven Is for Real,” co-written with his father Todd Burpo, a pastor. The book spent more than 200 weeks on the outlet bestseller list and was adapted into a 2014 film starring Greg Kinnear. The family’s story has since generated both devoted followings and significant skepticism from those questioning whether a four-year-old’s memories could reflect genuine supernatural experience rather than reconstructed impressions.
Burpo continues to maintain that what he experienced was undeniably real, and he speaks periodically about how it shaped his understanding of mortality and purpose.