When will the heaven begin? Get to know the remarkable story of Ben Breedlove as told by his sister Ally

November 07, 2013

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You may remember the story of Ben Breedlove - the YouTube blogger who posted a variety primarily aimed at providing relationship advice to his peers. Ben was diagnosed with Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy at a young age, and the heart condition led to his untimely death on Christmas Day 2011. Ben was 18-years-old.

Just weeks before his death, Ben posted a video that has since gone viral, introducing himself and describing a near death experience he had as a result of his heart condition. His sister, Ally Breedlove, was the only person Ben had told about that experience and she has now written a book, When Will the Heaven Begin?: This Is Ben Breedlove's Story, about her brother’s life and death. Ally joined Glenn on radio this morning to talk about the book and how her family is coping with Ben’s passing.

“I think it was just about a two years ago that we saw the video… of a young man named Ben that most people had never heard of that had a heart condition. And he had died briefly. And they resuscitated him. His family didn't know, after that experience, he went in and cut a video with cards. I know if you saw it, you would remember it,” Glenn said. “You could see the joy in him. You could see the truth in him and what he had seen. He explained what his condition was through these cards. And then explained how he died and what he saw afterwards. It was such an amazing video.”

“We had the Breedlove family on with us. And then Tania and I took the family to dinner, and we just got to know them. And they are remarkable people,” he continued. “Ben's sister, Ally is joining us now. She's written a book, When Will the Heaven Begin? And it's an important story, especially for anybody who has lost hope in anything and you are struggling to hold on. This will restore your confidence in God and put your feet back on a good path.”

To start, Glenn asked Ally to explain the message of the book.

“Well Ben went through a lot of suffering in his life, but he lived everyday with peace, hope, and joy,” Ally said. “And despite what he went through, he knew that the peace of God was available to him. He knew that there was the hope of heaven, and he knew that he was here for a purpose, and that we need to live our lives with purpose and with joy everyday.”

On December 6, 2011, Ben went into cardiac arrest, and his heart stopped for a full three minutes. As Ally explained, during that time, he awoke in what he described as ‘the waiting room of heaven,’ where he was able to reflect on his entire life. In that moment, Ben believed that he was able to see himself through the eyes of God, and he wholeheartedly believed he was going to go to heaven. But then he woke up and found himself back on earth.

“And when he woke up, he was disappointed because he really believed that he was going to heaven. At this point, he was really struggling with that – being back and why he couldn't have just left the suffering of this world,” Ally said. “And he had a very intimate conversation with me, one of the only serious conversations I've ever had with my brother because he was such a jokester, where he described the vision in detail to me. And at one point, I asked him if he was happy that he had woken up. And he said, I guess. And then he started crying really hard. And I just had to remind him that if he was back, he was back for a reason. And essentially, he said, ‘I think you're right. I think God let me have that vision so I wouldn't be afraid of dying. And so I would know that heaven is worth it.’”

That story is the premise behind When Will the Heaven Begin?: This Is Ben Breedlove's Story.

Ally hopes that the story will serve as a source of hope and joy in spite of pain and encourage people to recognize the reason and the purpose in every situation. During her stay in Dallas ahead of her interview this morning, Ally was already able to accomplish at least a small part of her goal.

“There are people that are writing you guys, telling you how you have changed lives,” Glenn said. “You were coming here, you were in the [the hotel] and you sat down coincidentally, some would say. Tell the story. Can you?”

“I was in the lobby of my hotel, and a man asked me, you know, what was I there for. And I told him about the book. And coincidentally – well, I don't believe in coincidences – but he had a form of cardiomyopathy,” Ally explained “And I told him how Ben lived everyday with joy. And he looked at me and said, ‘Does the joy last because I don't think it has for me.’ And so I handed him a copy of the book, and it is my deepest desire that this story will bring peace and hope to people’s lives.”

“I think it will,” Glenn said. “I can't encourage you enough to read this story and pass it on to a friend. It will lift you up. I believe that it was a story given to Ben. You may say it was given to Ben, and maybe it was given to Ben for Ben, but I believe [it was] for a reason. And you who are listening, you may be the reason it was given. Pick this book up, When Will the Heaven Begin?: This Is Ben Breedlove's Story, by Ally Breedlove available in stores and online everywhere.”

Watch the entire interview below:

Glenn's daughter honors Charlie Kirk with emotional tribute song

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On September 17th, Glenn commemorated his late friend Charlie Kirk by hosting The Charlie Kirk Show Podcast, where he celebrated and remembered the life of a remarkable young man.

During the broadcast, Glenn shared an emotional new song performed by his daughter, Cheyenne, who was standing only feet away from Charlie when he was assassinated. The song, titled "We Are One," has been dedicated to Charlie Kirk as a tribute and was written and co-performed by David Osmond, son of Alan Osmond, founding member of The Osmonds.

Glenn first asked David Osmond to write "We Are One" in 2018, as he predicted that dark days were on the horizon, but he never imagined that it would be sung by his daughter in honor of Charlie Kirk. The Lord works in mysterious ways; could there have been a more fitting song to honor such a brave man?

"We Are One" is available for download or listening on Spotify HERE

Murder is NOT debate: The line America cannot cross

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Celebrating murder is not speech. It is a revelation of the heart. America must distinguish between debate and the glorification of evil.

Over the weekend, the world mourned the murder of Charlie Kirk. In London, crowds filled the streets, chanting “Charlie! Charlie! Charlie!” and holding up pictures of the fallen conservative giant. Protests in his honor spread as far away as South Korea. This wasn’t just admiration for one man; it was a global acknowledgment that courage and conviction — the kind embodied by Kirk during his lifetime — still matter. But it was also a warning. This is a test for our society, our morality, and our willingness to defend truth.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni recently delivered a speech that struck at the heart of this crisis. She praised Kirk as a man who welcomed debate, who smiled while defending his ideas, and who faced opposition with respect. That courage is frightening to those who have no arguments. When reason fails, the weapons left are insults, criminalization, and sometimes violence. We see it again today, in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

Charlie Kirk’s life was a challenge. His death is a call.

Some professors and public intellectuals have written things that should chill every American soul. They argue that shooting a right-wing figure is somehow less serious than murdering others. They suggest it could be mitigated because of political disagreement. These aren’t careless words — they are a rationalization for murder.

Some will argue that holding such figures accountable is “cancel culture.” They will say that we are silencing debate. They are wrong. Accountability is not cancel culture. A critical difference lies between debating ideas and celebrating death. Debate challenges minds. Celebrating murder abandons humanity. Charlie Kirk’s death draws that line sharply.

History offers us lessons. In France, mobs cheered executions as the guillotine claimed the heads of their enemies — and their own heads soon rolled. Cicero begged his countrymen to reason, yet the mob chose blood over law, and liberty was lost. Charlie Kirk’s assassination reminds us that violence ensues when virtue is abandoned.

We must also distinguish between debates over policy and attacks on life itself. A teacher who argues that children should not undergo gender-transition procedures before adulthood participates in a policy debate. A person who says Charlie Kirk’s death is a victory rejoices in violence. That person has no place shaping minds or guiding children.

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For liberty and virtue

Liberty without virtue is national suicide. The Constitution protects speech — even dangerous ideas — but it cannot shield those who glorify murder. Society has the right to demand virtue from its leaders, educators, and public figures. Charlie Kirk’s life was a challenge. His death is a call. It is a call to defend our children, our communities, and the principles that make America free.

Cancel culture silences debate. But accountability preserves it. A society that distinguishes between debating ideas and celebrating death still has a moral compass. It still has hope. It still has us.

Warning: 97% fear Gen Z’s beliefs could ignite political chaos

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In a republic forged on the anvil of liberty and self-reliance, where generations have fought to preserve free markets against the siren song of tyranny, Gen Z's alarming embrace of socialism amid housing crises and economic despair has sparked urgent alarm. But in a recent poll, Glenn asked the tough questions: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from—and what does it mean for America's future? Glenn asked, and you answered—hundreds weighed in on this volatile mix of youthful frustration and ideological peril.

The results paint a stark picture of distrust in the system. A whopping 79% of you affirm that Gen Z's socialist sympathies stem from real economic gripes, like sky-high housing costs and a rigged game tilted toward the elite and corporations—defying the argument that it's just youthful naivety. Even more telling, 97% believe this trend arises from a glaring educational void on socialism's bloody historical track record, where failed regimes have crushed freedoms under the boot of big government. And 97% see these poll findings as a harbinger of deepening generational rifts, potentially fueling political chaos and authoritarian overreach if left unchecked.

Your verdict underscores a moral imperative: America's soul hangs on reclaiming timeless values like self-reliance and liberty. This feedback amplifies your concerns, sending a clear message to the powers that be.

Want to make your voice heard? Check out more polls HERE.

Without civic action, America faces collapse

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Every vote, jury duty, and act of engagement is civics in action, not theory. The republic survives only when citizens embrace responsibility.

I slept through high school civics class. I memorized the three branches of government, promptly forgot them, and never thought of that word again. Civics seemed abstract, disconnected from real life. And yet, it is critical to maintaining our republic.

Civics is not a class. It is a responsibility. A set of habits, disciplines, and values that make a country possible. Without it, no country survives.

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Civics happens every time you speak freely, worship openly, question your government, serve on a jury, or cast a ballot. It’s not a theory or just another entry in a textbook. It’s action — the acts we perform every day to be a positive force in society.

Many of us recoil at “civic responsibility.” “I pay my taxes. I follow the law. I do my civic duty.” That’s not civics. That’s a scam, in my opinion.

Taking up the torch

The founders knew a republic could never run on autopilot. And yet, that’s exactly what we do now. We assume it will work, then complain when it doesn’t. Meanwhile, the people steering the country are driving it straight into a mountain — and they know it.

Our founders gave us tools: separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, elections. But they also warned us: It won’t work unless we are educated, engaged, and moral.

Are we educated, engaged, and moral? Most Americans cannot even define a republic, never mind “keep one,” as Benjamin Franklin urged us to do after the Constitutional Convention.

We fought and died for the republic. Gaining it was the easy part. Keeping it is hard. And keeping it is done through civics.

Start small and local

In our homes, civics means teaching our children the Constitution, our history, and that liberty is not license — it is the space to do what is right. In our communities, civics means volunteering, showing up, knowing your sheriff, attending school board meetings, and understanding the laws you live under. When necessary, it means challenging them.

How involved are you in your local community? Most people would admit: not really.

Civics is learned in practice. And it starts small. Be honest in your business dealings. Speak respectfully in disagreement. Vote in every election, not just the presidential ones. Model citizenship for your children. Liberty is passed down by teaching and example.

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We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Start with yourself. Study the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and state laws. Study, act, serve, question, and teach. Only then can we hope to save the republic. The next election will not fix us. The nation will rise or fall based on how each of us lives civics every day.

Civics isn’t a class. It’s the way we protect freedom, empower our communities, and pass down liberty to the next generation.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn's Show Prep

When will the heaven begin? Get to know the remarkable story of Ben Breedlove as told by his sister Ally

Glenn's daughter honors Charlie Kirk with emotional tribute song

Murder is NOT debate: The line America cannot cross

Celebrating murder is not speech. It is a revelation of the heart. America must distinguish between debate and the glorification of evil.

Charlie Kirk’s life was a challenge. His death is a call.

For liberty and virtue

Warning: 97% fear Gen Z’s beliefs could ignite political chaos

Without civic action, America faces collapse

Every vote, jury duty, and act of engagement is civics in action, not theory. The republic survives only when citizens embrace responsibility.

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Taking up the torch

Start small and local