Karen Kingsbury Shares the Incredible Story of a Real-Life Angel Encounter

Karen Kingsbury's Angels Walking book series remains one of the most popular titles from the Christian author, weaving in stories of angels sent on special missions to intervene in human lives. Perhaps surprisingly, Kingsbury says the series was inspired by what she believes was a real-life encounter her family had with an angel.

Kingsbury shared details this week with Crosswalk Headlines about the angel encounter as she promoted her new movie Someone Like You, currently streaming on Great American Pure Flix and launching on Great American Family Feb. 22. 

The angel encounter, she says, occurred in 2007 after her father suffered a heart attack while laid back in a recliner. 

"My nephew, Andrew, was home [with dad]. He's only 11 years old, and my mom had a cast on her arm from a fall. So Andrew called 911, and they walked him through it, giving my dad CPR for like 11 minutes. … The paramedics got there, my dad was blue and not responsive, and Andrew ran into the next room and began to weep because dad was sort of his father figure. He didn't have a dad growing up. They are trying to resuscitate him. It doesn't look good."

Suddenly, a police officer ran into the house, grabbed her mother's arm, and asked, "Ma'am, do you believe in Jesus?"

"And she said, 'Yes, yes, we do, but I don't think my husband's going to make it.' And he never wavered. And he said, 'Well, then, we need to pray that the power that raised Lazarus from the dead will breathe life into your husband right now so that that young man out there does not grow up thinking this was his fault.' So they prayed this powerful prayer. … And when [the police officer] said 'in Jesus' name, amen' -- in the other room, the paramedics yelled out, 'We have a heartbeat.' And it was just like this most miraculous thing." 

Her father, who suffered from diabetes and had multiple health issues, lived another eight weeks. Those eight weeks, Kingsbury said, were a gift. 

"We sang worship songs around his bed and prayed over him. And he was with us. I mean, he was awake enough to be able to have a conversation. Everything we wanted to say was said."

Shortly after her father's death, Kingsbury's mother contacted the police department, wanting to thank the law enforcement officer who had prayed with her. 

"She had his name and his badge number …and she asked if she could speak to that officer. And the person she talked to didn't know of that person. She was passed from one employee to another. And finally, she was talking to the head of personnel at the department, and that man just said, 'Ma'am, I'm sorry. We've never had a police officer by that name, and we've never given that badge number to anyone.' 

"And so she told us, and we're like, 'Well, that sounds like a Hebrews 13 situation to us: Be careful to entertain strangers for in doing so, some of you have entertained angels without knowing it. 

"There was no other option but to go -- that had to have been an angel. How could it have not been -- a mysterious, non-existing police officer who changed the moment so dramatically? And that just inspired me to write the Angels Walking series of angels that are clandestinely moving about among us on mission, sent by God and making an impact and a huge difference." 

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Someone Like You follows the story of a young woman whose life is upended when she discovers she was adopted as an embryo. She then goes on a journey to learn more about her past and, in doing so, finds love.

Left Photo Credit: ©Great American Family
Right Photo Credit: ©Instagram/karenkingsbury

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel. 

Originally published February 13, 2025.