Visits From Heaven. Josie Varga

could accompany the doctor to her office. At this point, Dr. Kübler-Ross recognized the woman as a patient who had passed away about ten months prior and began to second guess herself.

      Dr. Kübler-Ross was sure that this was, in fact, Mrs. Schwartz, but how could this be? She even touched her skin to see if it were cold or warm or if it would disappear when touched. But Mrs. Schwartz was still there. When they arrived at Dr. Kübler-Ross' office, Mrs. Schwartz opened the door and told her that she had come to thank her for all the help she had given her and to ask her to promise not to give up her work on death and dying.

      The doctor went to her desk and did a reality check, but Mrs. Schwartz was still there and again asked her to promise not to discontinue her work. She agreed but asked Mrs. Schwartz first to sign and write a note. Mrs. Schwartz did as she was requested, walked out, and disappeared.

      The doctor kept the note and later told this story many times. Although Kübler-Ross considered having fingerprint and handwriting experts examine the note to determine if they matched up with those of Mrs. Schwartz, she never did. “Death is simply a shedding of the physical body like the butterfly shedding its cocoon,” Dr. Kübler-Ross later wrote. “It is a transition to a higher state of consciousness where you continue to perceive, to understand, to laugh, and to be able to grow.”

      At the onset of my spiritual quest, I visited with a local medium from New Jersey named Artie Hoffman. This was my first visit with a medium, and I had no idea what to expect. To say that it was more than I could ever have imagined is an understatement. The reading which was scheduled to take thirty minutes took well over two hours. One by one my deceased relatives came through with validation after validation. I was just amazed by Artie's accuracy.

      I bring him up, though, because of a message he gave me. Artie told me that I was working on a book that was meant to be written. “You are being guided by the Other Side and will be given many validations.” This message confirmed what I had already known deep within and marked the beginning of my receiving several validations.

      When the spirit of my father-in-law came through, for instance, he told my husband and me that we would receive a very special hello in the clouds. “I don't know what it's going to be, but I am being told that it will be well defined. As soon as you see it, you'll know what it is.”

      Five months later I was returning home from an evening at the mall with my family. As we made our way up the walkway to the front door, my eight-year-old daughter Erica exclaimed, “Mommy, look at that cloud!” My husband, six-year-old daughter Lia, and I immediately looked up at the night sky. What lay above me took my breath away…a beautiful cloud in the shape of an angel. Erica began yelling, “It's an angel! It's an angel!” All four of us witnessed the precise outline of its gown and big majestic wings.

      It took me a few seconds to realize what was happening, but I yelled for my husband to run into the house to get the camera. Just as I said this, the cloud began to disperse. It was as though it was meant for our eyes only. Within seconds it was nowhere to be found. It simply disappeared the same way it had appeared.

      It wasn't until much later that night when I remembered Artie's words. “I don't know what it's going to be, but I am being told that it will be well defined. As soon as you see it, you'll know what it is.”

      Is there life after death? If so, is it possible for those who have crossed over to communicate with us? In the pages that follow, I will attempt to answer these and many other questions. My intent is not to change minds but rather to open them. I have chosen to include third parties or intermediaries in this book. My reasoning is simple. I don't believe it matters how the communication from the Other Side occurs. Regardless of whether such communication is spontaneous or initiated by a medium, it does not change the fact that it occurred.

      For the purposes of this book, therefore, the term after-death communication or ADC will not be used. Instead, I will use the term “visit from heaven” or “visit,” for short, to refer to a metaphysical experience that takes place when a person is contacted either directly or indirectly through the use of a third party by someone who is deceased. Also, this book includes only evidential accounts, which means that every story is backed up by some sort of proof.

      Do you believe in an afterlife? The answer must come from within. My hope is that this book will, in some way, help you discover what your soul has always known.

       A Ghost Named Andrea

      As I mentioned earlier, this book marked the beginning of many validations for me. Perhaps the most startling experience occurred when I received a visit in my own home from an unwelcomed ghost named Andrea.

      When my six-year-old daughter Lia kept complaining about seeing a ghost in her room, I didn't think much of it. I suspected that it was just her imagination. But, after her complaints to both her father and me persisted for more than a month, I began to wonder if there was something more going on.

      One day while I was on the phone with my friend, a medium named Anthony Quinata, he nonchalantly asked me why I had not told him that I had a ghost in my house. I was stunned beyond words as he continued to tell me that he sensed Lia had been complaining about seeing a woman in her room. He, then, told me to hang on and about a minute later came back on the phone and said, “Do you want to know her name?” I was totally speechless and wondered nervously, “What does he mean by her name?”

      Anthony quickly interrupted my thoughts and told me that I, indeed, had a ghost in my home and that her name was Amanda or a name that sounded like Amanda. I stood there in my living room with the phone pressed to my ear. I couldn't believe what I was hearing and wasn't sure I wanted to hear more. But Anthony continued, “She lived in your house a long time ago. She used to sleep in Erica's (my oldest daughter's) room. She says that she is very fond of Lia and often visits her in her room just to watch over her.”

      I wanted to let out a scream, but my mind was too busy scanning the house for any signs of Amanda. “Who has the pink room?” he asked. Lia's room was pink. “Who has the purple room?” He went on. Erica's room was purple. “Is there a linen closet in hallway outside of Lia's room?” Yes, there is. “Do you have a big yard with a white fence around it?” Yes.

      At this point, I couldn't hold it in any longer and yelled, “Anthony, STOP! How do you know that?” Anthony lives in Colorado, and I live in New Jersey. He had never been to my house before nor had I ever described it to him. Yet he was providing accurate descriptions of my house.

      I can't say that I was relieved when Anthony replied, “She is showing me your house. Do you have a clock stuck between 8:45-10:45?” I was almost frantic at this point. “No, I don't know what you're talking about. I don't have a clock stuck on that time!” Anthony insisted that I did; Amanda was telling him so.

      “Does Lia cough a lot at night?” Again, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. My daughter suffers from frequent sinus infections and often coughs at night. “Yes,” I replied almost telepathically. “Why do you want to know?”

      “Amanda is telling me that she watches over Lia. She said she is not ready to let her go. She does not mean to scare Lia.”

      “What? What does she mean she's not ready to let her go?” At this point, my motherly instincts set in. Maybe Amanda did not mean to scare my daughter, but she was. I yelled into the phone demanding that Anthony tell Amanda to leave Lia alone. To which he replied, “You just did. She's standing right next to you.”

      I felt like I was going to faint. “Anthony, you're scaring me!” I shouted.

      His feelings were somewhat hurt, but I didn't mean it the way it sounded. After all, I am a believer and have no doubt whatsoever in the afterlife.

      Anthony tried to calm me by assuring me that this spirit was earthbound and that he would guide her to the Light. Knowing that I was Roman Catholic, he then asked me if I happened to have holy water in