Teen Gymnast Breaks Neck, Dies, and Returns with a Miracle Message
Excerpted from Unlocking Heaven’s Truth.
Raised in a faithful, dedicated Christian family, my journey with faith was deeply rooted in tradition and belief.
Yet, nothing prepared me for the direct and transformative encounter with God I experienced at such a young age.
Everything Went… Black
At 14, I was a serious gymnast who practiced for hours daily. One afternoon, after a particularly intense session, my parents asked me to take a church friend’s daughter to the park. My muscles were exhausted, but it seemed like a simple task, so we went.
I wasn’t doing anything crazy—just swinging back and forth on a set of parallel bars, only two inches off the ground. But then, unexpectedly, my muscles gave out. I slingshot forward, hit my head, and heard a snap. Then—everything went black.
The next thing I knew, I was walking down the street, holding my neck. To this day, I don’t know how I got up off the ground, but I believe the Lord Himself lifted me off the ground. I walked into our friend’s house, and when my mom saw me, I said, “I think I broke my neck.”
My body was so shocked that I could only manage a single tear. My parents rushed me to the hospital, and when we got there, the doctors told me they were going to take some pictures—a CT scan. Just a young teen, I had no idea what was going on.
As I lay on that cold metal table, waiting for the CT scan, I began to feel very tired. My eyes closed, and suddenly, I was looking down at my own body on the table. I experienced a calm detachment as I recognized myself from an outsider’s perspective. It was such a strange experience, but I wasn’t afraid.
It was just very matter-of-fact. I thought, That’s me on the table. I left my body lying there. I felt an incredible peace. I didn’t realize at the time that I was dying. It felt so real, yet I felt no fear.
The doctors examined the scan, and that’s when they found it. I had broken my C1 vertebra, the bone that indirectly supports breathing by protecting the spinal cord, ensuring proper nerve operation, and maintaining structural alignment for airway and respiratory function. They call it the hangman’s vertebra because, when it breaks, people usually die from suffocation when their lungs collapse.
An Unexpected Trip
I found myself in an in-between place, where I could see people who were still alive and others who had passed away. It was almost like I was looking back at what was going on. I could see my mom. She and my dad were sitting together. The scene wasn’t clear. It was more like viewing someone on a video screen during a meeting with a blurred background.
I wanted to invite my mom to come with me, but then I sensed a knowing in my spirit: Oh, she can’t come where I am.
The people I saw were off to the side, within the in-between stage. As I was transitioning, I experienced a sense of earth and unity. The best way to describe it is as if I was walking by and I saw a group of people gathered, as if I were seeing people at church or in a circle talking. I could see their backs, and again, it was a form of light.
I had a sense of knowing that I knew them. It wasn’t like I could say it was this person or another specifically. They were family members—my family. But to tell you a specific family member, I couldn’t tell you that. They had an interesting translucency about them—like seeing a natural person on earth, but their appearance was exuded by light.
Everything was quiet, and I felt like everything was moving slowly. As I began to pivot away from my view of my parents, I stepped forward, and the colors started to change. Suddenly, I saw a house. I entered a place that felt very familiar—like my own home.
There was a big window, and I looked outside. I was so drawn to the vibrant colors in the grass and wheat.
At the Speed of Thought
As I looked outside, I saw the most beautiful grass I’d ever seen—vivid and full of life. Beyond the grass, I saw fields of wheat, a golden color I’d never seen before. I was drawn to it. As I began to walk forward, I thought, I want to be out there.
The minute I had that thought, I moved through the wall. My thoughts became actions faster than I could comprehend, and the transition from one place to another felt seamless.
Immediately, I was outside and found myself standing in the grass, looking at the wheat fields. It seemed as if I moved at the speed of thought. It was so simple yet mind-boggling.
As far as my eye could see was grass and rolling wheat. The grass was the greenest green, and the wheat a color of gold that I can’t describe. It was almost like crystal. The grass and wheat seemed translucent and vibrant, alive in a way I had never seen. I was aware of it, and it was aware of me. I was completely connected to everything.
I just stood there in awe, completely overwhelmed. I can see now why the Lord says, “You cannot see My face” (Exodus 33:20). I found myself overwhelmed by grass and wheat.
I was taking it all in, as much as I could for a moment, and that’s when I felt compelled in my spirit to look up. I lifted my eyes and saw two enormous hands filling the sky. I knew instantly—they were the hands of God, the Creator of the universe.
As His hands began to descend, I was overwhelmed by how they filled the sky.
Texas is known for its big sky, but the Texas sky looks tiny compared to all that this was. His hands filled the sky. As they came down and came together, if I was to blink, it happened within less than a blink.
Unlocking Heaven’s Truth
Heather Z
The Answer Key
His hands came together, and suddenly, I was sitting in them. That’s when He spoke to me. His words hit me in my abdomen, and I felt them resonate deep within me. It was a Spirit-to-spirit, heart-to-heart encounter.
When He said my name, I immediately tried to look up. In anticipation of His brilliance, I placed my hand above my forehead like I would to shield the sun’s light from my eyes.
Again, it was indescribable, but I knew the brightness was there. I could look at the light, but it wasn’t like I was looking. I was still trying to see, and I had no natural reactions.
Have you ever looked at the sun, and your eyes start to water, if it’s bright outside? My eyes didn’t begin to water, and I had no physical response. My eyes weren’t filling up with tears. My body did not respond the same way as it would here on earth when looking at a bright light.
Rays of light were surrounding my hand as I shielded my eyes with my hand. I’m trying to look, but I can only see from His shoulder back down to where I’m sitting in His hands.
If you asked me if He was wearing a garment, I would say yes, but it seemed to be a garment of light.
I realized I could not see His face, so, like a little girl, I tucked my knees up to my chest, wrapped my arms around them, and sat there in His hands.
He began to speak to me, saying,
“Heather, I created and designed you for a specific purpose. I have assignments for you on earth.”
Even as a 14-year-old, I understood that God was speaking purpose into my life—reminding me that I was created for something greater than myself.
I began to sense a family and a husband in my future, tied to the purpose He was speaking about. His words filled me with a deep knowing of where I came from and who I was created to be.
He said,
“I’ve designed you specifically for assignments. I need you for those; you’re needed.”
His words didn’t carry much weight with me then because I was just 14. But later, after considering what He said, I thought, Okay.
As He spoke, specific assignments came to me in a rush, helping me understand what He was telling me. It would come on me. He’d talk, and it would hit me in the abdomen. I had a sense of family—my family, husband, children, and things I would do. I knew my assignment was what He created me for. I also knew I wanted to be good at it because that’s what I was meant for.
People talk about their time in heaven, like, “Oh, I was in heaven for an hour.” I can’t say how long I was there. My conversation with Him didn’t seem to last very long. But I have no idea. I had no sense of time. This conversation was very brief and to the point. I felt such a sense of purpose, love, and protection. There was no pain. The feeling of disappointment, hurt, whatever those things are, didn’t exist there. I felt so protected. I knew everything was okay—even more than okay.
Then God concluded our conversation by reassuring me,
“Heather, don’t worry. Everything’s going to be okay. I have you in My hands. It’s time for you to go now.”
It was a heart-to-Spirit conversation. It wasn’t with our mouths.
I didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to leave. I told Him, “No, Lord, I don’t want to go.”
He gently repeated Himself.
“Heather, don’t worry, everything is going to be okay. I hae you in My hands. It’s time for you to go now.”
Just like that, my eyes opened, and I was back on the table in the hospital. I took a deep breath; air filled my lungs, and I started to breathe again. The doctors came back in, and they were stunned. They knew I should have been dead or at least paralyzed. By all medical knowledge, my lungs should have collapsed. But there I was, breathing on my own, fully alive.
The specialist who examined me was there by what could only be described as divine intervention. He had forgotten his pager at the hospital, which was unheard of for doctors to do back then. When he returned, they asked him about my case. He looked at my scan.
My mother said they told us, “Your daughter broke her neck, and you need to bring her back in six weeks so we can look at it again.”
When we went back six weeks later, they took another x-ray and noticed something miraculous—the bone was completely healed, and all signs of my previously broken neck were completely gone!
The doctor said, “This is a miracle. We have to document this in the book of unexplained miracles.” It was clear to everyone that something extraordinary had happened. They said I would not have survived if the break had been just a hair to the left or right.
Experience Heaven’s Glory and Unlock God’s Purpose Through Life’s Darkest Battles
Are you wondering if God is still by your side in your most harrowing moments? Do the trials—whether crippling trauma, relentless illness, or soul-crushing loss—seem insurmountable? Heather Z’s extraordinary story shatters the illusion of isolation, revealing a supernatural truth: God is closer than ever, ready to break through in ways you’ve never imagined.
After a life-shattering accident, Heather was sent to heaven, where she encountered the unimaginable: a direct, life-altering encounter with God Himself. In His presence, she felt His limitless love and received a divine “answer key” that held the secret to overcoming every challenge she would ever face. But her battles didn’t stop there. From surviving horrific sexual trauma to kidney failure and witnessing her son’s miraculous healing from autism, Heather clung to the supernatural purpose God had revealed to her.
Having navigated these unimaginable trials, Heather Z invites you to unlock your supernatural breakthrough. Through her jaw-dropping encounters, she will show you how to access divine purpose and unleash God’s power over your life, no matter how impossible things may seem.
In this riveting and faith-drenched journey, you will:
Discern God’s voice and purpose in your toughest battles.
Apply heavenly revelations to break through impossible obstacles.
Activate God's miraculous healing—body, mind, and spirit.
Experience supernatural miracles happening right now!
Overcome trauma and claim victory through God’s relentless love.
Embrace a life of radical faith, supernatural healing, and divine purpose today! Don’t let fear, doubt, or defeat have the final say. Heather’s incredible story proves that no matter the size of the battle, God is present, fighting for you and He is ready to unleash the miraculous!
