Gabe Poirot was left in a coma after falling from his skateboard at nearly 30mph, hitting the pavement headfirst -but his near-death experience changed everything

When Gabe Poirot's skateboard hit something in the road while he was travelling at almost 30mph, it proved to be a life-altering moment. The then 20-year-old was thrown 6ft into the air, crashing headfirst onto the pavement without wearing a helmet.

His friend, John Michael, who was present at the time, described the horrifying moment of the accident, saying: "He was lying unconscious on the ground. Eyes were closed, we're praying over him. Speaking over him like, 'Gabe, you're going to live. You're not going to die. You're going to live. You're not going to die.' Just, you know, over and over again."

However, despite being unconscious, Gabe was aware of the prayers being offered for him. He explained: "I witnessed his prayers. And I also knew in the midst of a moment that is so intense, I had no fear. By the time the ambulance had gotten there, honestly, I was suctioned up by light; this tunnel of light suctioned me up out of there."

While they rushed Gabe to the hospital, John Michael desperately rang his friend's parents to tell them about the accident. By the time Gabe was admitted, he was already on a breathing machine.

Dr Forrest "Dell" Moore, Vice Chief, Surgery, stated: "It was clear he had had a pretty bad head injury. He was taken into one of these trauma bays and then resuscitated, was found to have a very significant, traumatic brain injury.", reports the Express US.

He added: "The traumatic brain injury included subdural haemorrhages, extravasation haemorrhages, contusions, and there's not really anything we can do for that other than to make sure his brain's getting the oxygen that it needs and the support that he needs to try and heal."

Speaking in a YouTube video, Gabe explained how his experience differed dramatically from that of his friends and family. He said he found himself transported away from the hospital and into another realm.

He said: "I immediately knew that I was being suctioned up to an appointment with Him. It was like this city of pure glory, pure light, pure love. But then, as the closer I got to the centre of the city, He was there waiting for me. Seeing Him changed everything.

Back in the hospital, Gabe's condition began to worsen, leaving doctors increasingly worried. Even if he survived, they said his life would likely never be the same again.

Dr Moore said: "When we put a patient in a medically induced coma for a traumatic brain injury, the outcomes are not good. Even if the patient survives, the chances of being neurologically devastated are very high."

John Michael remained with his friend at the hospital as others joined them. He said: "We're all waiting outside, for a while there, like, Gabe's condition was very, very critical.

"When the word started to spread about Gabe being in the hospital, it was like the whole community came together, and we had a worship night that night; we live-streamed it. We, you know, on all of our social media, you know, we just blasted it to the world and, really, felt like the whole community, the whole Christian community, extended community across the world came together to pray for Gabe."

Gabe added: "I literally saw the prayers of the saints, the sons and daughters of God. I saw them from heaven's perspective. They were gathered up into this bowl, this golden bowl, every single one of them. And literally, they are presented to the throne room of heaven, and all of heaven stands at attention because our prayers are the Father's priority.

"God delights in our prayers. He both cries with us and rejoices with us at the same time. It was so beautiful a picture."

After 18 days in a coma, a close family friend named Ginger visited the hospital and prayed over him, urging him to wake up. Gabe added: "Closer to the end of my time with Him, these prayers formed a bridge on the earth.

"I literally saw these bridges that were being formed. And sure enough, the bridges gathered, and then Jesus united himself with them, and they got bigger. And bigger and bigger. And as everyone was on the earth, I saw the prayers of those like Ginger. I saw her praying over my body. I saw my parents and my family and my friends, and I saw those prayers go right into the heart of Christ - it was those prayers that I was actually sent back on."

Ginger told how suddenly they saw Gabe starting to come to. She said: "I said, "Gabe, Gabe, look at me. Are you awake? I said, 'you're going to wake up and you're going to get up and I knew that he was going to be okay'.

When Gabe regained consciousness, he says he felt "out of place" and after spending time with Jesus he felt "such a foreigner". He added: "It was so odd because here I am in the same body I was in just 18 days ago."

Within days of emerging from his coma, Gabe walked out of the hospital, a recovery that astonished medical staff. Dr. Moore remarked, "I mean, it is nothing short of a miracle. And, it is God's grace that he is here today and that he's fully recovered. Very few patients with his injuries, requiring his amount of care, being put in that pentobarbital coma, very few survivors, and even fewer that have a full recovery."

Gabe added: "We are here on the credit of his grace. He has such an amazing plan for all of our lives and people don't understand the amount of actually crazy situations the Lord has saved them from.

"And they have no idea, like getting home safe is such an underrated blessing, let me tell you. So my prayer is that everyone would realise how great a purpose they have to be on this earth, that God Himself has written for their life, and that they are not an accident at all. Their life matters more than they realise."

Gabe has now published a book recounting his experiences. 18 Days in Heaven: I Left My Body. I Met Jesus. What He Told Me Will Wreck You is released on April 7. You can pre-order it on Amazon now.