Before I read this book, I’d seen it for sale at the grocery store, but it didn’t interest me. I had no desire at all to read about a man who supposedly died and went to heaven, then came back to earth to tell his story. Yeah, right. I was skeptical to say the least.

But I felt compelled to buy the book at a Christian writer’s conference last weekend because I attended several classes taught by Cecil Murphey, the writer of this book. Cec told us the story of how the book came into being, about how Don Piper had tried to write his own account for years, how misunderstood he felt, and how he ended up seeking the help of a professional writer to help him tell his story.

Cec was also skeptical at first, until he began to uncover documentation that proved this man really was telling the truth. So he spent several months getting to know Don, interviewing him, researching the accident and recovery thoroughly; and he wrote the book.

I read it in one night. I absolutely couldn’t put it down.

Here’s the story: Don Piper was a healthy, 38-year-old father of three, who was driving home from a statewide church conference held in Houston, Texas. It was a cold, drizzly morning on January 18, 1989. When he reached a narrow bridge that had no shoulders, an 18-wheeler crossed the center line and plowed into Piper’s red Ford Escort. There’s a picture of his wrecked car in the book.

The EMTs arrived on the scene within minutes, checked Don’s pulse, and there was nothing. No pulse. They determined he died instantly on impact around 11:45 a.m. They covered him with a waterproof tarp and felt in no rush to extract his body from the vehicle. They began helping other people who were also sideswiped by the same 18-wheeler that hit Don’s car. Later, the EMTs came back to his car and checked him again. At 1:15, he still had no pulse.

Meanwhile, a pastor and his wife, Dick and Anita Onerecker, were also on their way home from the same conference and got stuck waiting in traffic because of the accident. After a while, Dick wondered whether he could be of any help, so he and his wife hiked half a mile up the highway and asked a police officer if anyone needed prayer. He was told there was no need to pray for the man in the red car because he was already deceased, and the other people were a little shaken up but were fine.

Now here’s the part of the book that gets me more than anything. Dick heard God’s unmistakable Voice saying to him, “You need to go pray for the man in the red car.” The impression from the Holy Spirit was so strong, he couldn’t ignore the prompting. But when Dick told the police officer he wanted to go pray for the man involved in the accident, the officer looked at him like he was crazy, reminding him the driver was officially pronounced dead. Dick persisted, and the officer finally allowed him to go, telling him that it was a real mess under the tarp.

So Dick crawled through the trunk of the Ford Escort, reached over the backseat and checked Don’s pulse. He was dead. But he still felt like God was telling him to pray for Don. So he put his hand on Don’s shoulder and began to pray with all his might. He prayed that Don would be delivered from all unseen internal injuries. Then he began to weep and to sing a hymn. Before he could finish singing, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” Don Piper returned from the dead and began singing with him. After over 90 minutes of death, he came back to life.

At first, the EMTs didn’t believe Dick when he emerged from the crumpled car shouting, “He’s alive! Get this man out — he’s alive!” They told him they were professionals and knew more than he did. The ambulances had already come and gone. But Dick persisted, and finally the EMT checked Don’s pulse one more time and discovered he was alive! Then they ordered the Jaws of Life to be sent so they could remove him from the vehicle.

The rest of the book relates Don’s recovery, as well as a brief account of what Don experienced while he was dead that hour and a half. He describes heaven in a way that is totally beyond my comprehension. His amazing description of the sights and sounds of heaven spans two chapters. The majority of the book is grounded firmly on earth, relating the excruciating pain Don Piper went through as he began the slow process of healing — physically and emotionally.

Now, 17 years later, Don Piper is still telling his story. The book has been a surprising runaway bestseller, published by Baker Books. It’s already been through at least eight reprintings and has sold over a million copies. You can purchase a recording of Don Piper reading the book, telling his story. Readers have been powerfully moved by this account, which gives hope of an eternal afterlife. Since the day of the accident, Don has had over 34 surgeries and hasn’t lived without pain a single day. Many people can also relate to the agonies of living in pain.

I’m thankful a writer as gifted as Cec Murphey was entrusted with writing the story, which is told through Don Piper’s first-person point-of-view. Cec has published over 100 books and has spent most of his adult life perfecting the craft of getting into someone’s mind to tell their story. His connections also helped to ensure this book got the attention it deserved from a major publisher.

I think this is a life-changing story that every Christian should read. Anyone who has doubts that God still speaks to people and performs modern-day miracles will emerge with a stronger faith. It’s also helpful for those who live in suffering, with daily chronic pain, or for those who wonder if there is hope for an afterlife. Don Piper’s story, along with truth found in scripture, will encourage readers that life must continue beyond tragedy, and that the kingdom of heaven is real.