After the pastor's conference ended early that Wednesday in January 1989, Don Piper was relieved. As associate pastor and newly appointed minister of education at a Houston church, Don was busy. He could mentally organize his busy agenda with the early start home.
"I was thinking about that night and also that I was going to be preaching that next Sunday morning in three services," Don says. Don had no idea he would be months late for the service that night and have an unforgettable detour before getting home. Within minutes of leaving the retreat center, Don drove across a lake bridge.
Water flanked the elevated highway on both sides of the lengthy bridge. Recalls the event, "I approached the end of the bridge, and before I reached the end, a tractor-trailer truck owned by the Texas Dept. of Corrections crossed the center stripe and hit my car head on."
Don's automobile and the little Ford Escort's passenger side were crushed by the truck, killing Don Piper. Instantly, Don began an unbelievable trip. "When I was killed, I was instantly transported to heaven's gate," says. "It was an instantaneous thing." Don was in front of a divine portal with familiar faces.
Hospitalized Don Piper"I did not see a single person that I did not know," he adds. "They were relatives, pals who died in high school, instructors, and individuals I had known my whole life who had gone to glory. They smiled, hugged, and welcomed me en route to heaven." Don noticed a pearl gate over his buddies' heads.
"The gate of heaven I saw was majestic. It looked like a massive mother-of-pearl gate "Don explains. Don saw a brilliant light through the fence. "I don't see how an earthly body could perceive the light behind that gate. Too dazzling, it could only be seen in heaven." Don reports there was angelic choir music.
"In all honesty, as awesome as the sight was, the sound was more amazing," he adds. I heard thousands of praise songs. All were praise songs. I saw nothing. I was too focused on others to see anything. You could feel wings hovering about you, like angels were ministering to you and watching this whole episode."
Pastor Dick Onerecker of Kline, Texas, stands by Don's dying body on a Texas roadway when Don enters paradise. He also attended the pastor's seminar. He found the accident shortly later. EMS told him Don was dead. I felt obliged to stop and pray for him.
Dick claims the Lord pushed on me strongly and earnestly to pray for him. Walked passed the door. The outside was badly damaged. I prayed for him after touching him." Once Don's quest began, it finished. Don looked up at a tarp medical staff had draped over him in his mangled car.
Don recalls, "'What a Friend we have in Jesus.'" Was singing. I wondered why I was singing this song. I'm in the dark, but I knew the accident happened around midday. In the dark, I sing and hold a hand. What the heck is going on?"
Don heard Dick singing hymns. "The Lord told me to pray for him and for no internal or head traumas. Dick claims I started singing and heard him join me. Hospitalized Don PiperDon was sent to Houston's Herman Hospital. Luckily, he had no head or internal injuries. Unfortunately, almost every bone in Don's body was broken.
His left arm and leg were amputated and needed reconstruction. This man who had touched heaven's gates longed to return after seeing his bruised and pain-seared body. "After seeing what was wrong with me and seeing how beautiful heaven was, I wanted to be there again. As much as I liked my companions, I was so sure of their salvation experiences that I knew they would join me later "Don adds.
Don survived four months of intensive therapy, multiple surgeries, and two near-fatal illnesses thanks to family and friends' prayers and love. "I like to say that I came back by popular demand," he adds. “People prayed for my return from heaven. I was prayed back from death. I'm here because people requested God."
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