After narrowly escaping death, Tina Hines awoke and scribbled a chilling note for her loved ones.
In February, Tina and her husband Brian were preparing for a hike in Phoenix, Arizona, when Tina suddenly passed out. Brian found her unresponsive, with her face turning purple, and began performing CPR. Tina was revived briefly but needed CPR a second time before paramedics arrived. She was resuscitated six times and was clinically dead for 27 minutes, according to her family.
When Tina woke up at the hospital, she was intubated and unable to speak. She motioned for a pen and wrote “it’s real,” referring to her vision of heaven during the 27 minutes she spent “dead.” Tina described vibrant colors and seeing a figure in front of dark gates, with a bright yellow light behind them, which she believes was Jesus.
Tina’s survival was a miracle, as nearly 90% of people who suffer sudden cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die. Brian’s CPR efforts likely saved her life, as survival rates with bystander CPR increase from 10% to over 45%.
Despite being healthy, Tina experienced an unexpected cardiac arrest, a condition affecting over 356,000 people in the U.S. annually. Studies show that 10-20% of people who undergo near-death experiences (NDEs) report vivid visual or sensory experiences. While the cause of these experiences remains unclear, a 2013 University of Michigan study found a surge of brain activity right after cardiac arrest, possibly explaining the visions.
Tina’s difficult-to-read note was her message: paradise is real.
