Tina Hines experienced a near-death experience that left her with a mysterious message for her loved ones. Last February, while preparing for a hike near her Phoenix home, Tina unexpectedly passed out. Her husband, Brian, performed CPR, reviving her briefly, but she would need to be resuscitated six times during the ordeal. Tina was clinically dead for 27 minutes due to sudden cardiac arrest, and she was intubated and unable to speak when she awoke in the hospital.

Once she regained consciousness, Tina motioned for a pen and scribbled the words “it’s real” in nearly illegible writing. She later explained that these words referred to a vivid vision of heaven she had during the time she was clinically dead. Tina described seeing a figure standing before dark gates, with a bright yellow light behind them, which she believes was Jesus. Her message suggested a belief in the reality of the afterlife, offering a glimpse of paradise.

Her story highlights the importance of bystander CPR, which drastically improves survival rates in cardiac arrest cases, and contributes to the growing body of research into near-death experiences (NDEs). While scientific explanations are still being explored, Tina’s experience left her profoundly grateful for the second chance at life.