A kayak accident during a South American adventure takes one woman to heaven – where she experienced God's peace, joy, and angels – and back to life again.
In 1999 in the Los Rios region of southern Chile, orthopaedic surgeon, devoted wife, and loving mother Dr. Mary Neal drowned in a kayak accident. While cascading down a waterfall, her kayak became pinned at the bottom and she was immediately and completely submerged. Despite the rescue efforts of her companions, Mary was underwater for too long, and as a result, died.
To Heaven and Back is Mary's remarkable story of her life's spiritual journey and what happened as she moved from life to death to eternal life, and back again. Detailing her feelings and surroundings in heaven, her communication with angels, and her deep sense of sadness when she realized it wasn't her time, Mary shares the captivating experience of her modern-day miracle.
Mary's life has been forever changed by her newfound understanding of her purpose on earth, her awareness of God, her closer relationship with Jesus, and her personal spiritual journey was suddenly enhanced by a first-hand experience in heaven. To Heaven and Back will reacquaint you with the hope, wonder, and promise of heaven, while enriching your own faith and walk with God.
In 1999 in the Los Rios region of southern Chile, orthopaedic surgeon, devoted wife, and loving mother Dr. Mary Neal drowned in a kayak accident. While cascading down a waterfall, her kayak became pinned at the bottom and she was immediately and completely submerged. Despite the rescue efforts of her companions, Mary was underwater for too long, and as a result, died.
To Heaven and Back is Mary's remarkable story of her life's spiritual journey and what happened as she moved from life to death to eternal life, and back again. Detailing her feelings and surroundings in heaven, her communication with angels, and her deep sense of sadness when she realized it wasn't her time, Mary shares the captivating experience of her modern-day miracle.
Mary's life has been forever changed by her newfound understanding of her purpose on earth, her awareness of God, her closer relationship with Jesus, and her personal spiritual journey was suddenly enhanced by a first-hand experience in heaven. To Heaven and Back will reacquaint you with the hope, wonder, and promise of heaven, while enriching your own faith and walk with God.
From merely reading the title readers know to be immediately skeptical no matter how profound their faith may be. And although I do give a double dose of credit to Dr. Mary Neal for her sincere humility as well as her extensive scientific accolades and medical accomplishments, there is still a degree of skepticism upon the conclusion of this account. This reaction is due to repetitive reiterations of the hopes, promises and usual assumptions one may have of the after-life and heaven...with a tremendous lack of details.
Of course the audience is going to tear through these pages wanting to know where Dr. Neal went once she left her body. Who did she see? Did she personally know them? Family, friends, pets? What exactly was said? The descriptions are short, vague and repeated. Though no fault of her own, for I clearly believe the inability to recollect this information once present in this realm once again, plus the time-lapse since the incident, the book could have been much shorter if that is all the readers are looking for: an explanation of the title.
There is barely any mention of Jesus and the author utilizes allusions to communication with the dead, leaving me with a slight feel of New Age literature. And although recounting a particular event of visiting with an angelic figure that “may” be Christ Himself, I am pleased with Neal's humble discretion of feeling unworthy of this claim. Consequently the readers are somewhat deceptively left wondering.
Dr. Neal does provide an ample amount of biblical verses throughout her life's story. To Heaven and Back concludes with an elaboration of answers to a “Q & A”. Some proceeds from the sales of this book are donated to several commendable charities in the loving memory of her oldest son, Willie. The heart-wrenching tragedy of this latter mentioned child is more of a highlight than all of the rest. A chilling culmination to this loss and the admirable courage of Dr. Neal's endurance and healing are alone worth recognition.
All in all, I have been an avid fan of biographical works for decades, usually on figures of renown in a myriad of genres, so it was a bit tedious to initially embark on this one from an individual I had never heard of before. Nevertheless, after about the first couple of chapters, I was submerged and hooked into turning each page to the end while never taking a rest. Dr. Mary Neal has led a very intriguing, traumatic, and insightful life. A major note to point out is that while this biography does not primarily focus on, nor elaborate much on her after-life experience, it does cover several other poignantly harrowing and miraclous moments in her life, that are sewn together in a quilt of inspiration. Ambivalent in my review of To Heaven and Back, I still feel it is a captivating story very worthy of reading, albeit a quick one, which will more than likely leave its audience with much spiritual introspection and their roles in this life.
Mary C. Neal, MD is an orthopaedic surgeon. She studied at the University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine, completed her orthopaedic residency at the University of Southern California and is fellowship-trained as a spinal surgeon. She is the former director of spine surgery at the University of Southern California and is a founding partner of Orthopaedic Associates of Jackson Hole. Her after-life experience has been featured on national media including WGN, Dr. Oz, and Fox and Friends. She has served as a church elder, on several non-profit organization boards, and created the Willie Neal Environmental Awareness Fund.
Dr. Neal lives with her family in Jackson Hole, WY.
www.DrMaryNeal.com
Preview & purchase this book at WaterBrook Multnomah and Amazon.
This book was provided free for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.
www.DrMaryNeal.com
Preview & purchase this book at WaterBrook Multnomah and Amazon.
This book was provided free for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.
