JOHN—My angel story takes place when my wife was dying, and I watched everything go downhill in a matter of months. And every night, I would hear a voice tell me “You can get through this, John.”
On the night she died, I heard that voice again. And this time it was my wife’s voice saying, “John, I’m okay. Don’t quit believing.”
LYNN—When I was a young woman someone tried to attack me during a home invasion, but the man was never able to touch me. I screamed for help and something prevented the man’s hands from physically touching me, like he was paralyzed. I know it was an angel that saved me.
BARBARA—A few weeks after my husband’s death, in a fitful sleep state, I heard my husband’s words spoken gently: “Honey, remember Psalm 30:11.” Then the voice went away.
The first thing the next morning, I looked up the verse. I found these words:
“Thou has turned for me my mourning into dancing; thou has put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness.”
KATHY—It was 1977 and we had traveled from Alabama to North Dakota for my grandparents’ 50th anniversary. I had twin girls—a daughter, a son, and another son on the way.
On the day we were loading the car, after the reunion, my sister asked one of the twins (Angie) to tell us about a dream she had.
Angie said, “Angels from heaven came down and brought me to heaven and I saw Jesus.”
I worried about it all the way home and for quite a while after that. But the memory of my daughter’s dream eventually faded.
Flash forward to 1978, the girls were almost 7 years old. It was a sunny day, unseasonably warm, and the girls went to play outside with friends.
Suddenly, I had an overwhelming need to look out the window. It was as though the world was standing still. The children were just standing, not moving. And there, in the street, lay my daughter, Angie. I rushed to call 911 but in my heart I knew.
She had chased a ball across the street. An accident happened. She had a closed-head injury. I had been given a great gift of nearly 7 years with my “Angel” Angie.
SALETA—I was a hospice social worker, traveling to visit a patient. I had one hand on the wheel, watching the road and getting ready to merge onto a major overpass.
Suddenly, I heard a voice, so clearly, as if it were sitting next to me.
“Both hands on the wheel,” the voice said.
I was confused, but I put both hands on the wheel tightly.
A large van with a metal ladder on top came flying up from behind me and cut me off at the overpass exit. As they passed me, doing well over 80, the ladder flew off and landed in front of me. I was able to avoid it with inches to spare because I was somehow prepared. I’ve never forgotten that day.
KRISTEN—My sister was 8 in 1979 when she was diagnosed with a spinal cord tumor. After several unsuccessful surgeries my parents were told there’s nothing that could be done. My sister’s body began wilting away as she lost her ability to walk and use her arms.
She was 11 when a friend gave my dad a “Reader’s Digest” issue about a pediatric neurosurgeon doing experimental procedures for terminally ill children.
After a call to New York City, Dr. Fred Epstein invited my sis for a consultation. We live in rural North Carolina, and it was quite the undertaking to travel that far, but this was our only hope.
Dr. Epstein agreed to try the procedure but, of course, laid out all the possible opportunities for what could go wrong. My family flew home to make the decision and my parents had very differing opinions.
But as soon as my mom stepped off the plane in Charlotte, something, an angel, began tugging on her. It was constant, relentless tugging, an invisible being working overtime on her. Mom had this feeling that we should do the surgery.
Three days later, Mom convinced everyone that the surgery should happen. Mom didn’t tell anyone for years about the angel. But it was the angel’s tug that gave us an extra 30 years with my “Sissy.” She was the 60th patient to try this experimental procedure, and it worked. And now my “Sissy” is an angel herself.
LEANNE—I had been visiting my mom as she had made the decision to not continue cancer treatments. I had been with her for two weeks and we spent hours talking about life, family, and faith. That was how we connected—long talks over the kitchen table, or on the phone across two thousand miles. We talked daily.
During one of our last conversations, we were talking about faith. I asked her, “So, Mom, when the time comes, and you are in heaven, please give me some kind of a sign to let me know that you’re there.”
In her own spunky way, she said, “Okay, honey, I’ll trip you.”
The following Sunday, as I was walking to my room, I had a misstep and went into a full frontal fall. I remember thinking, “Oh, how embarrassing.”
Thankfully, I caught myself before I hit the ground. But the moment I walked into my room, my phone rang, and my dad said through tears, “Mom’s gone, honey.”
When I realized the timing of the moment of my trip, I called my dad to tell him about it. To this day, we talk about “the trip,” and we are both so grateful to God for letting us know that she made it home.
LISA—One day when my twins were napping, I was out mowing. I noticed a yellow jacket nest in the ground. So I got some wasp spray and proceeded to spray it.
Then, a neighbor I had never seen before was standing in the backyard next door and telling me to get away from the dangerous nest and run inside the house.
When my husband got home I told him about the wasp nest and about the neighbor who told me to get away.
My husband just looked at me and told me that no one lived in that house next door.
Then, when my husband went out to kill the nest and dig it up, we realized the nest was layers deep with thousands of wasps.
BRAD—Sean, I have an angel story. We were newlyweds. My mother-in-law was my wife’s best friend. They talked every day.
My mother-in-law taught high-school English and had a brain aneurysm in class. We rushed from Birmingham to Tupelo to the hospital to see her.
We stopped for gas where my wife went into the store and we accidentally locked ourselves out of the car. Frantic, I prayed for help.
Next, a bearded guy in a Led Zeppelin T-shirt asked if we needed help. He jimmied the door open. And when we turned to thank him, he was gone. We made it to the hospital and my mother-in-law squeezed my wife’s hand before she passed.
I’m like you, sometimes a skeptic, but I know what I saw with my own eyes that day.
ME—Don’t quit believing.
32 comments
Ray Quinnelly - October 2, 2021 6:51 am
Make yourself familiar with the angels and behold them frequently in spirit; for without being seen they are with you. St. Francis de Sales
Jimmie Slaton - October 2, 2021 7:02 am
Today in Sheffield Alabama two police officers were shot in the line of duty. One is doing fine but the other is in critical condition in Huntsville Hospital. If possible I hope all of us loyal readers and follows of Sean can say a pray for him, his family and his community. Nick has always been a people person and community supporter! Thanks Sean!
🇿🇦🙏🏻Norma Den - October 2, 2021 7:20 am
Jimmie, prayers across the ocean for the policemen & their families. May angels surround them at this horrific time. 🙏🏻🌹
oldlibrariansshelf - October 2, 2021 8:21 am
Prayers for the Alabama police officer in critical condition. His fellow officers were tearful when they spoke to reporters so prayers for them, too! Thankful for the vest that protected the second officer.
Kay - October 2, 2021 9:33 am
Each night I read 2 emails. Sean Dietrich and bishop Robert Barron’s Gospel of the Day. Today we celebrate “Memorial of the Guardian Angels”. There are no such thing as coincidences…..
Katy C - October 4, 2021 7:00 pm
KAY, IT’S THE SAME WITH ME. 💕🙏🏻🥰I RISE WITH BISHOP BARRON’S DAILY GOSPEL REFLECTION AND TUCK MYSELF IN AT NIGHT LISTENING TO SEAN’S STORIES. LOVE THEIR PODCASTS TOO🌸🙏🏻🥳
jaynecash - October 2, 2021 10:39 am
My angel story.
Our newly married daughter and her husband were in a car accident on their way to church on a Sunday morning. We drove upon the accident seconds after it happened. This was a mother’s worst nightmare come true. My son-in-law, Ed was unhurt. Rachel was seriously injured with a traumatic brain injury.
At the hospital, the neurosurgeon told us that there was nothing he could do for Rachel, no surgery, nothing. Within 72 hours her brain would begin swelling and her systems would shut down. He suggested we stay close by.
We, of course, were not leaving or going anywhere. After being in ministry for over thirty years, my husband and I had a large network of friends, associates, and fellow believers who we knew would pray for Rachel. As the news of her accident spread on that Sunday morning, we received message after message of people praying for our daughter.
At the hospital, we were in the critical care waiting room almost overcome with horror and grief. Family and friends gathered and people came in an out all day long to hug us, pray, and encourage us. (I could also write another message about things NOT to say to someone who is in the midst of suffering and grief.) In a way this was good because we felt such love and support, but it was also difficult dealing with everyone else’s shock and sorrow over our daughters injury.
The waiting room was very crowded with people. For a moment, I was standing just quietly alone in the midst of all the people. From behind me, a voice said, “You are the mom.” I turned and saw an African-American woman who I did not know standing there. She was short with her long black hair pulled back and wearing a bright, red sweater. In my mind I can still see her face. I said, “Yes, Rachel is my daughter.” Her next words were, “I came to tell you that she is going to ok, perfectly fine. Don’t you worry. She is going to be ok.” I thanked her and turned around briefly because someone called my name. When I turned back, she was gone and I never saw her again.
In the days and weeks that followed, many prayers were answered and to make a very long story short, Rachel is perfectly fine. Her neurosurgeon used a word that he said he never uses, “miracle.” The 11th anniversary of her accident just passed a few days ago. Rachel was named teacher of the year at her school last year. I will always remember that day, the prayers that went up for our daughter, and those words of encouragement from a stranger who I am convinced was an angel sent with a message of hope to this grieving mom.
KAY JENKINS - October 2, 2021 11:59 am
Your column is so appropriate today – it’s the Feast of the Guardian Angels! May our angels protect and guard us today and every day.
Eric Wedel - October 2, 2021 11:59 am
Thanks for reminding us of God sending his angels to help us in time of need, i know with out a doubt they are real i have experienced them myself!
Carol L. Parker - October 2, 2021 2:46 pm
We had just moved from NY to Marietta, GA when I ventured out to food shop and when I came out the car would not start. Not knowing what to do and my husband home recouping from an operation I was frantic. A nice gentleman with very blond hair came to my rescue and jumped started it. I called my husband back to tell him and was about to offer some kind of payment to the man when he was gone, no where to be seen in the area. I truly believe God sent him to help me and I was so very thankful.
Debbie Schmidt - October 2, 2021 12:37 pm
My best friend and spiritual mentor died of cancer. In her last days, I lay beside her while we talked of death, faith and heaven. I said, “I don’t know if this is allowed in heaven, but if it is, will you promise to contact me some way?”. She promised that she would.
After her death, her daughter, daughter in law and I went to visit her sister in another state. It was our annual ‘girls’ trip and the first one without her and the last one we would ever take together.
At dinner the first night I told everyone about ‘the promise’ and then I said, “This morning I walked outside to pray and I was missing her and remembering” ‘the promise’. When I turned to go inside I saw a hill filled with every color of panzie and the sun was shining so brightly it looked like the pansies were on fire”. Pansies were her favorite flower.
Her daughter in law said, “ You won’t believe this , but our daughters new code for lunch room payments is her grandmother’s phone number”.
Her sister said, “ I stopped getting the local newspapers from home about a year ago. The week after my sister died, the papers started coming again. I didn’t do it and I can’t find anyone who did”.
Three stories and one promise kept.
I believe in “Godwinks”.
Shelton A. - October 2, 2021 1:12 pm
I will never stop believing. I’ve had an encounter or two and I know and believe. God is good, God is love, He saved my life.
Susan Smith - October 2, 2021 1:24 pm
Today, my daily gospel reflection from Bishop Robert Barron was also about angels so I thought I’d share it. (www.wordonfire.org).
MATTHEW 18:1-5, 10
“Friends, today we celebrate the feast of our guardian angels. Why does God send these spiritual messengers to help us? Well, Aquinas says that each of us, due to our fallen nature, has been assigned a heavenly guide. Is all of this just speculation and conjecture?
One of my favorite stories about angels is this one: two relatively inexperienced pilots found themselves lost on a foggy day. Though they tried desperately to make contact with an airport, they were incapable of doing so. One of them then prayed for protection.
In time, a voice crackled onto the radio. The speaker identified himself as a controller from a small airport. Through very precise instructions, he guided the two pilots through the fog to a landing strip at that airport.
Once they had arrived, to their astonishment they discovered that the airport was closed and that there was no one on duty. A bizarre coincidence? A happy accident? Or perhaps a sign that we are being protected by powers at a higher pitch of ontological perfection? As you know, stories such as this come out of the woodwork once people are given the opportunity to share them.”
Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, PO Box 170, Des Plaines, IL 60016, United States
Manage Your Email Preferences
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Sandy Puckett - October 2, 2021 1:41 pm
Eleven years ago on Oct. 19th, my 28 year old son took his own life. One night a few days after his death, I had a dream about him. It was a disjointed dream that didn’t make much sense. But at the end of the dream, I could see him and another figure on the other side of a long room. I couldn’t go to him, but I could hear him say, “I love you, Mom!” He and the figure walked out of the room. The dream seemed so real, and I’ve never had a dream like that again.
Joan Moore - October 2, 2021 1:44 pm
Amen to that
Shannon - October 2, 2021 2:26 pm
I also have had some visits with a group of my relatives in Heaven along with the Angels. They wave at me to go home until it’s time but showing me people I will lose before they leave. My husband who had no illnesses we knew died about a month after a dream. His father and my grandfather were together and my grandmother waiving me home and blowing me a kiss…I also had a lost sister who held my hand during my times there. Heaven is there!
Dean - October 2, 2021 2:43 pm
I had a problem and my daughter called a ambulance and while we were waiting on it my husband said we have another problem my left arm is numb so she called a ambulance for him. They took me out first while they were checking him out I kissed him on the head and something
Told me you will never see him again and 5 weeks later he passed away without me getting to see him
Chris Swain - October 2, 2021 3:15 pm
would never think of it , stronger than the sun coming up
Janie Shouse - October 2, 2021 3:52 pm
Love these stories. I truly believe they are real.
Susie Flick - October 2, 2021 4:21 pm
I had two “angel” visits….after my Dad died (found him after 2 days) I was in charge of his final business. I was the closest to him in many ways. When cleaning things out of cupboards with older sis months after his passing, I found $100 cash and said this is a sign we need to go get massages after this work is done. We went, my sis told the massage therapist about me finding my Dad and how much I missed him. While on the massage table, the massage therapist asked me if I would like to hear form my Dad. I was surprised by this but said yes, since I didn’t get to say goodby. He said you will sometime, I did hear from my son after he passed. Months went by and my Dad has a very distinct deep voice…..in my sleep one night I heard his voice, all he said was “You found me at the right time, I am ok.”
The second visit was when my close freind was nearing death from cancer. Knowing her death was approaching, Ginny asked me to say something at her memorial – I agreed even though I had never been asked to so this before. I spent part of her last day with her and knew death was near. That night, around 2:30 am, my doorbell rang and I went to look, but no one was there. Later that morning, her husband let me know she had passed around 2:30 am. I realized Ginny came to tell me goodby.
Linda Moon - October 2, 2021 4:29 pm
ME – I won’t stop believing. But if some skepticism shows up occasionally I’ll look for God on a motorcycle, and He’ll be wearing a Deus Ex Machina shirt. That’s how I’ll know it’s Him. He showed up today in these stories you sent to us, Angel.
Stacey Wallace - October 2, 2021 4:52 pm
Sean, thanks so much. What beautiful stories. God sends angels to help people all the time. Love you!
Roxanne - October 2, 2021 4:54 pm
Inspired by those who replied with their stories. Here are mine and my mom’s
My mom: She would have dreams where she was in a “Stuck” situation, no matter what she did, she couldn’t get out of the bad situation. WITHOUT FAIL, when my mom had those dreams, within 2 days she would hear from her younger sister. Her younger sister was married to my mom’s brutally abusive ex husband. She could rarely get enough time away from him to find a pay phone to tell the family where she was and that she was still alive. She never left him and only in her last days when she lived in a hospice house did she have respite from his physical abuse.
Me: the day my mother lost her 7-yr long battle with ovarian cancer – a year after her sister (from above) lost her 7-yr battle with fallopian cancer – she lay in her bed, mostly unconscious. She started to stir and her face lit up like a kid in a candy store… she reached up from her bed with her frail arms. I asked her what was going on, she never released her focus above the bed and started saying, “Mar (her sister, Marilyn’s nickname), Mama (passed 24yrs earlier from ovarian cancer)” she made hugging motions with her arms and her eyes were alive and bright blue again. This lasted for less than 2 minutes and once i realized what i was seeing i panicked and begged her not to leave. she lowered her arms and closed her arms and anguished another 6-8 hours before she drew her final breath. My heart hurts for stopping her when they were there greeting her, but i have no doubt she was welcomed with love and celebration when she finally passed… she finally passed about 15min after i told her i was sorry and said she could go and that I would be ok (i lied).
A year or so after my mother passed, i moved back to my childhood home, primarily to avoid going through it and preparing it to sell. Then a newly single mom of a beautiful 4ish yr old. On an evening when my Kayla Danielle couldn’t get to sleep we sat in my mom’s rocker and i was holding her to my shoulder rocking. Suddenly Kayla stood up and reached upward over the back of the chair and said, “Mema! Mema mema…” that is what she called my mom. I froze in place – Kayla who had been grumpy and restless became bubbly and smiles, i watched her out of the corner of my eye… Then i whispered to my mama, just how much we missed her and how hard it is to move forward. That i was alone and scared and needed my mama. Kayla laid her head back down on my shoulder and said, “mema” and drifted off to sleep. We slept in the rocker, i couldn’t move.
FF another 13 years – still living in that house, now married with a 17yo daughter and 10yo son… Tragedy struck my life again and my Kayla Danielle was murdered, just outside of our house in the car she was in on her way home. Evil was on the street that night and saw the vehicle she was in and thought it was the vehicle of someone he thought he had the right to kill. He started shooting at the vehicle and the bullet that took her life ripped through the license plate, back of her seat, through her body, out the front window and down the street 3 more house into the mailbox. I was with her and we prayed together, her unable to speak as her lungs filled with blood but squeezing my hand. She made it to the hospital but died in surgery. She has come to me many times in my dreams, but one night – after we left that home and moved to a new one, she was in my room, next to my bed waking me – “mom – mom – mom… I opened my eyes and she was standing there” I saw her smile. She didn’t save my life or anyone else’s… or maybe she did, i was incredibly depressed and nearing suicidal and seeing her warmed my heart. #Justice4Kayla
I have so many more – but these are the most powerful in my life.
caryl clem - October 2, 2021 6:09 pm
I believe in the power of God. I bravely started driving again after recovering from a head on collision. A voice had reassured me I would never be in a life threatening accident again. I was headed up a steep hill in farm country when I felt the need to suddenly turn off the road. The car behind with a family of 6 followed my lead. Just as our vehicles were safely off the road, a large truck came barreling over the hill in the wrong lane speeding down the hill. A snow plow hit my car during a snowstorm, totaling my vehicle. I exited without a scratch. A logging truck rammed into my car at a stoplight, I had to crawl out a window that luckily was open since the doors were crushed shut. Once again, no injuries even though the car was totaled.
MAM - October 2, 2021 7:28 pm
All these are stirring stories. I’m not aware of any calls quite as close as some of these or any helpers later unseen, but I have realized when little things have happened that kept me from being in an accident. Such as the day I was running late for an appointment, and little stalling things kept happening, like getting out the door without my car keys and having to go back inside. But when I got a few miles down the road, an accident had just happened that likely would have included me, if I hadn’t had to go back inside. That convinced me that God looks after me. His angels work in mysterious ways. Don’t quit believing!
Ann - October 2, 2021 7:44 pm
I believe… so many we never hear about… we just need to pay attention ❤️🙏🏻
Dianne - October 2, 2021 8:20 pm
I will never stop believing in visits from angels. I’ve had two such visits. They are real. Just believe.
Naomi Storey - October 2, 2021 8:26 pm
I have many stories, but I don’t know if they were angels; it was voices in my head that told me when one of my family members was in danger. One day, I was on a business trip, and I had to go from one floor in the building. Instead of taking the elevator, I took the stairs, which were inside a stair well. When I got to the landing, I heard a voice tell me that my newborn nephew had to be hospitalized. My brother and sister-in-law waited a long time before they had their first child, and I was thrilled to finally have a nephew. This was before cell phones, so I had to wait until I got back to my hotel to call my brother. He told me that they had to hospitalize their baby that day, although I don’t remember what was wrong with him. Another time, my daughter was driving home from Ohio to Atlanta when I heard a voice tell me that she was in danger. This voice told me to pray for her when she was driving to Tennessee. When she got home, she said, “You’ll never guess what happened to me in Tennessee”. She was driving south on a divided highway when a tractor trailer truck lost a wheel. The wheel bounced in the median, bounced in front of her car and bounced over her car without hitting her.. Another time, my husband had a meeting downtown the next day. A voice told me that he was in danger, but I didn’t tell him because he would have gone anyway. When he got home, I was lying on the bed praying. He was literally shaking. He was stopped at a red light when a lady in a T-Top got in the left lane and turned left while the light was still red; A tractor trailer coming the other way also ran the red light and hit her. She was air born and so was her car. My husband could see her car coming toward him, but he couldn’t go anywhere; it stopped within inches of his car. The girl was killed, and the truck turned over and skidded down the road also killing the driver. One more; this time it happened to me. I was driving to work when I was stopped at a red light. When the light turned green, I was distracted by something, so I didn’t go immediately. When I looked up, a fully-loaded concrete truck ran the red light. If I had gone as soon as the light turned green, he would have hit me and no doubt that I would have been killed. I have a many more stories, but this is enough for now. My husband calls me, “The Prophet of Doom”.
Tess - October 3, 2021 1:00 am
Sean,
I love your angel stories
Denise S DeVries - October 3, 2021 2:35 am
Love and beieve.
Diane Kirby - November 2, 2021 2:41 am
All of you make me cry. There are miracles out there……and angels. Don’t stop believing.
Miguel Adams adams - September 12, 2022 8:10 pm
Please visit The Remarkable God e-magazine http://www.theremarkablegod.com great divine stories to encourage you