After Tina Hines collapsed from sudden cardiac arrest in Phoenix, her husband, Brian, performed CPR, reviving her six times. Tina was clinically dead for 27 minutes before waking up in the hospital. She scribbled a message that read “it’s real,” referring to a vivid vision of heaven she experienced during her near-death experience, including seeing a figure in front of bright gates, which she believed to be Jesus.

Tina’s survival is a rare outcome, as most people who suffer cardiac arrest outside a hospital do not survive. Her story has inspired others, including her niece, who got the message tattooed on her wrist. Research on near-death experiences suggests that brain activity spikes just before death, potentially explaining Tina’s vivid vision. While scientists are still exploring this phenomenon, Tina believes her experience proves that heaven is real.