Some stories don’t just entertain they stir your soul. Miracles from Heaven is one of those stories. It’s the kind of film that grabs your heart and doesn’t let go, not because of fantasy or make-believe, but because of something even more powerful: hope rooted in reality. Behind the movie is a real little girl, a terrifying illness, an unimaginable fall, and a recovery that left even doctors at a loss.
If you’ve seen the movie and thought, “No way this could actually happen,” well you’re not alone. But believe it or not, this unbelievable journey is based on real events.
Let’s walk through the powerful, true story behind Miracles from Heaven, meet the real Annabel Beam, and uncover the miracle that made headlines and changed lives forever.
Who Is Annabel Beam and What Was Her Life Like Before the Miracle?
Before the cameras, before Hollywood, before the world knew her name, Annabel Beam was just a little girl from Texas living an ordinary life. That life took a heartbreaking turn when she began suffering from intense abdominal pain and digestive issues that no one could quite explain. After countless hospital visits and misdiagnoses, Annabel was finally diagnosed with a rare, life-threatening condition called pseudo-obstruction motility disorder.
This wasn’t just a minor inconvenience. The disorder meant Annabel’s intestines didn’t function properly. She couldn’t eat normally. She endured constant pain. Her days were filled with medications, feeding tubes, hospital stays, and moments where her family feared the worst.
Her mother, Christy Beam, remembers the helplessness. In interviews and in her memoir the book that inspired the movie Christy described lying awake at night, praying, weeping, and clinging to the last strands of faith.
The Fall That Changed Everything
This next part? It sounds unbelievable, but every word is true.
On a seemingly normal day in 2011, then 9-year-old Annabel was playing with her sisters on the family’s property. They climbed a hollowed-out cottonwood tree something they’d done before. But this time, the tree rotted and gave way. Annabel fell 30 feet headfirst into the trunk.
Imagine falling from the top of a three-story building that’s what happened to Annabel.
Rescue workers had to fish her out, a task that took several hours. Everyone feared the worst. A fall like that should’ve ended her life. But Annabel survived and not just that. When she came out of the hospital, she no longer had the disease.
That’s not a dramatic rewrite or Hollywood embellishment. It’s what actually happened.
What Happened During the Fall?
According to Annabel and her family, something incredible took place while she was trapped inside the tree.
Annabel says she lost consciousness but in that time, she had a near-death experience. She described going to Heaven. She said she saw Jesus. She told her mother about feeling weightless, free of pain, and surrounded by peace. Most strikingly, she said Jesus told her she would be okay and that it wasn’t her time yet.
When she was finally rescued, she not only had no major injuries from the fall but also began to show signs of full recovery from her illness. Doctors were left baffled. They couldn’t explain it. Her symptoms never returned.
What Is the True Story Behind Miracles from Heaven?
So, is Miracles from Heaven based on a true story?
Yes very much so.
The movie closely follows the events in Christy Beam’s memoir of the same name. Christy wrote the book as a way to process everything she and her family went through. It was never meant to become a film. But soon, the story’s powerful message caught the attention of producers, and before long, Jennifer Garner signed on to play Christy.
The film adaptation, directed by Patricia Riggen, captures the heartache, the miracle, and the deep faith that pulled the Beam family through.
While certain events and characters are condensed or slightly altered for storytelling purposes, the core of the film is true: A child with a debilitating condition, a freak accident, a near-death experience, and a healing no one can explain.
How Far Did Anna Beam Fall?
One of the most jaw-dropping questions is this: How far did Anna fall?
The answer? 30 feet down a hollow tree trunk.
To put that in perspective, that’s about the height of three floors in a building. Rescue workers had to carefully lower ropes into the tree and pull her out. It wasn’t just dangerous it was miraculous she even survived.
But what makes the story even more shocking is what came afterward. No broken bones. No brain damage. No internal trauma. And most importantly no more signs of the illness that had haunted her young life.
Was Angela a Real Person in Miracles from Heaven?
In the movie, there’s a cheerful waitress named Angela, played by Queen Latifah. She brings some levity and love into the Beams’ lives during one of their hospital trips to Boston. Angela isn’t a character pulled directly from the real-life story, but she does represent the kindness of strangers who helped the family during their difficult journey.
Christy Beam has spoken publicly about how many people including hospital staff, church members, and even people they’d never met offered support, prayers, meals, and kindness during Annabel’s illness.
Angela might not have existed exactly as we saw her, but she’s every kind-hearted stranger who stepped in when the Beams needed it most.
Is The Girl Who Believed in Miracles the Same Story?
No, but it’s easy to see why people get the two confused.
The Girl Who Believed in Miracles is a different Christian film released in 2021. It also centers on a young girl who believes strongly in the power of prayer and experiences unexplainable healings. While it shares similar spiritual themes, it’s a fictional story not based on real events like Miracles from Heaven.
Annabel Beam’s story is one-of-a-kind, rooted in her actual medical records, family accounts, and the undeniable shift in her health following the fall.
What Happened After the Miracle?
For the Beams, it was never about convincing anyone. It was about reminding hurting families that hope still shows up, even in the darkest hours.
Christy Beam’s book became a bestseller. Annabel has since grown up, giving occasional interviews and inspiring people worldwide with her story of resilience and faith. The Beam family, once buried in fear and uncertainty, became symbols of God’s grace in impossible circumstances.
Is Miracles from Heaven a Good Movie for Families?
Absolutely and not just because of the touching performances or the high production quality.
It’s a film about:
Unshakable love between a mother and her daughter.
Unseen strength found in the darkest places.
Unexplainable healing that defies science and logic.
Faith that grows not in perfect conditions, but in pain.
Yes, you’ll cry. But you’ll also walk away feeling lighter, like maybe, just maybe, miracles are closer than we think. And for families, especially those who’ve walked through illness or uncertainty, it feels deeply personal.
Where Can You Watch Miracles from Heaven?
If you’re ready to experience this incredible story, you can find Miracles from Heaven on:
Netflix (available in select regions)
Amazon Prime Video
YouTube (rent or buy)
DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon and other retailers
Always check your regional streaming availability, as titles sometimes rotate in and out.
A Miracle You Don’t Forget
We live in a world full of questions. Not all of them have clear answers. But Miracles from Heaven doesn’t try to explain everything away. Instead, it offers something deeper: the quiet hope that even when we don’t understand, love never stops fighting.
Annabel Beam’s journey reminds us that miracles aren’t always about spectacle. Sometimes, they’re about survival. About peace in the storm. About getting up when the world says you can’t. And about a little girl who fell 30 feet and rose with a story that would change lives.
Jessica Savitch, with a deep passion for journalism, brings her expertise to istruestory.com as a dedicated author. MA in Arts & Journalism.