Christian YouTuber and evangelist Gabe Poirot has described an encounter with Jesus Christ during an 18-day coma following a near-fatal skateboarding accident in October 2021.
Poirot, who was 20 years old at the time, said he was riding an electric skateboard at approximately 30 miles per hour without a helmet when he struck an object in the road and was thrown headfirst onto the sidewalk.
He sustained a severe traumatic brain injury and was placed on a breathing machine. According to Poirot, his skull was under so much pressure that it almost cracked from the inside.
Speaking to Fox News’ Saturday in America with Kayleigh McEnany, Poirot described his physical separation from his body at the accident scene.
By the time the ambulance had gotten there, honestly, I was suctioned up by light to this tunnel of light, suctioned me up out of there, Poirot said.
He said he then entered what he described as a city of pure glory, pure light, and pure love, where he encountered Jesus face to face.
Poirot provided specific physical details about the figure he identified as Christ. He said Jesus stood approximately 5’11 or 6 feet tall and had darker-toned skin with features he associated with the Middle East.
His hair was medium-length, slightly curly is how I would describe it, Poirot said. Not super curly though, not flamboyant.
He also described Jesus as appearing 33 years old while simultaneously eternal.
Poirot emphasized that Jesus possessed a distinctly masculine presence. He rejected characterizations of Christ as soft or passive.
There are so many cultural things that present him as if he’s some tolerant guy, Poirot said. That’s not the Jesus I met, he’s a lion. But he’s not a lion angry against me, he’s a lion angry for me. He’s a mustang on my behalf.
Talk about testosterone, like a mustang, I’m telling you, he added. He’s the lion of Juda and there’s a roar within his voice.
Poirot also described Jesus’ eyes as burning white and red at the same time and said the figure represented an ocean of love.
During an interview with podcaster Lila Rose, Poirot was shown a traditional artistic depiction of Jesus. He said the image did not capture what he saw.
I can assure you there’s no image you can hold in your hands that does him justice, Poirot said.
He identified the Shroud of Turin as the most accurate existing representation, though he maintained that even that cloth cannot fully convey Jesus’ appearance.
The Shroud of Turin is a cloth yet it’s not just a cloth, Poirot said. It represents the supernatural light of Christ. Because the light of Christ touched that cloth and so I love the Shroud of Turin.
Poirot said he also witnessed prayers from people on Earth being gathered during his time in heaven.
I saw the prayers of those like Ginger, he said. 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.
After 18 days, a family friend prayed over Poirot, and he said he woke up. He described his recovery as miraculous, stating that his memory was downloaded back into his brain over the course of a couple of days.
Poirot has since become a pastor, evangelist, and content creator. His YouTube channel, @gabepoirot, has approximately 2.2 million subscribers.
He has authored a book titled 18 Days in Heaven: I Left My Body. I got to know Jesus. Your eternity will be changed by what he told me.
Poirot’s testimony has drawn attention from both supporters and critics. Some Christian discernment ministries have questioned the consistency of his public accounts over time.
Justin Peters, host of the podcast Sound Theology and Discernment, has examined Poirot’s claims and the broader phenomenon of modern heaven tourism testimonies. Peters has raised concerns about inconsistencies in Poirot’s public statements and the deletion of hundreds of videos from his channel.
Medical professionals have noted that near-death experiences are reported by some survivors of critical illness and typically include perceptions of tunnels, light, peace, and encounters with religious figures. No scientific evidence currently exists to confirm or deny that such experiences correspond to supernatural events.
Poirot continues to share his testimony through interviews, podcasts, and social media platforms including YouTube and TikTok.
