This woman died for 9 minutes and believes she visited the afterlife

We are all curious about death, but very few of us experience it more than once. However, there are a handful of people in the world who are alive today and claim to have passed over into another realm. One such person is Crystal McVea, who died for 9 minutes.

We have already shared the story of a man who fell off a cliff and experienced death. Now, we will tell you Crystal’s story, which saw her leave her body and visit the afterlife.

Crystal’s difficult childhood

Crystal grew up believing that she was ‘disgusting’ and ‘broken’ after she was molested at age 3. She went to church with her mother, and was baptised at 8 in the hopes that this would stop the abuse. However, it tragically continued until she was 12.

At the time, she felt there were two options: either God existed and didn’t save her because he didn’t love her, or there was no God. During her teenage years, Crystal drank, took drugs and had a lot of sexual partners - by the time she was 21 she was a divorced mother of 2. At 28, she found more of a balance in life and married her current husband, Virgil. The pair had twins.

Crystal’s death

In December 2009, Crystal underwent a routine procedure that triggered pancreatitis. Her mum came to visit her at the hospital, and Crystal explains she felt very calm as she told her mother that she loved her. At some point, Crystal slipped away: her mother noticed that her lips were blue and her face was black.

As the nurses rushed to Crystal, trying to resuscitate her, she went to another place. Her husband arrived at the hospital too, and Crystal’s mum explained:

Her nine minutes in Heaven were my nine minutes in Hell.

Crystal met God

Crystal explained that she was very aware of the fact that she had just died. She describes there being a light that ‘went on for eternity’. Like many who have experienced the afterlife, she felt very peaceful.

Crystal says she saw no figure and no face, but she knew that God was present. He was the light, and she ‘couldn’t get enough’ of him. However, she also wanted to know why he lets bad things happen. Yet the question that came out of her mouth as she fell to her knees was:

Why didn’t I do more for you?

This seems bizarre, but Crystal explained that she had never truly worshipped God. In that moment, she was in total awe. The pair travelled to Heaven together.

Crystal visited Heaven

As they approached, she saw a small child carrying a basket. She was playing, scooping the light like it was water and pouring it out again. The little girl was laughing. God revealed that this was Crystal at 3 years old, at the moment that the predator stepped into her life and made her believe that she was worthless and ‘got what she deserved’.

All her doubts washed away as she understood what God was saying to her. She ‘remembered what it felt like to be in chains’, but God took them from her and she felt she could almost explode with love.

Crystal’s mother started calling her name, and she could hear. She asked God if she could let her know that she was okay, and he told her the choice was hers to make. He said: ‘Tell them what you can remember.’ Crystal agreed and, glancing down, she noticed that the floor was shimmering like diamonds. It was at that moment that she found herself back in her body.

Crystal explained that her experience totally changed her, and she fully believes now that ‘there is a father who really is holding us’. Crystal has told her story in her book, Waking Up in Heaven.

Read more:

⋙ This woman was clinically dead for 11 minutes and said she saw both heaven and hell

⋙ What happens when God cries? This radio host died for 8 minutes, met God, and found out

⋙ This man claims he visited the afterlife and met Jesus Christ

Sources used:

Youtube: Nine Minutes in Heaven

Simonandschuster: Crystal McVea