18 year old Ben Breedlove passed away on Christmas Day 2011, but not before leaving the world with his inspirational story.
Breedlove, a Texas teen who cheated death three times before, lost his life during the fourth battle with an ongoing heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a disease in which one part of the heart is thicker than the rest, making it difficult for the heart to pump blood.
Before passing away, on December 18th, Breedlove posted two YouTube videos where he held up several flashcards each one going more into detail about his encounters with death. Both videos have over five million views total.
At the age of four Breedlove experienced his first life threatening experience when he had a seizure. Doctors reported his blood sugar had dropped to 14. Blood sugar levels normally range from anywhere from 70 to 139.
The second time Breedlove cheated death was during a surgery to have his tonsils removed; this surgery is a normal surgery that doctors perform very often. During Breedlove’s surgery he went into cardiac arrest, otherwise known as having a heart attack.
Breedlove’s third battle for his life was only 19 days before his death. December 6th Breedlove was rushed to the hospital when his heart stopped. He described how he could not move or talk, only watch and listen.
During all of the close encounters Breedlove describes being in a place that was almost like heaven’s waiting room. The third encounter, Breedlove wrote, also came with a strange visit. In this vast white room in which Breedlove found himself, rapper Kid Cudi appeared before him.
“Kid Cudi brought me to a glass desk and put his hand on my shoulder,” Breedlove wrote. “Right then my favorite song of his came on, “Mr. Rager.” The part where it said ‘When will the Fantasy end … When will the heaven begin?’ And he said, ‘Go Now.'”
After viewing the video Kid Cudi shared his reaction with the world.
“I watched the video he left for the world to see, and him seeing me in detail, in his vision really warmed my heart,” said Cudi in a post on his Tumblr. “I broke down, I am to tears because I hate how life is so unfair. This has really touched my heart in a way I cant describe, this is why I do what I do. Why I write my life, and why I love you all so much.”
Breedlove’s parents were unaware of their son’s video until the day after his death. His parents reported that it was as if he was speaking directly to them. Breedlove’s 19 year old sister, Ally, spoke briefly about her brother’s videos.
“They were brought to tears, seeing their son again. And they too were amazed at the depth he showed in this video,” Ally said in an interview with PEOPLE magazine. “Ben told us he wanted to go back, of the peace he experienced and how he wanted to go back to that place. And that he was ready. And I personally think he left it for us to find.”
At his memorial service over 1,500 people showed up to pay their respects to the grieving family and their lost son. Breedlove has inspired many and continues to inspire more and more until this very day.