"Miracles from Heaven" is the real life story of Annabel Beam – a young Texas girl who suffered from an incurable digestive condition and came to Boston Children’s Hospital for treatment.
Annabel’s mom Christy – played by Jennifer Garner – wrote the book that the movie is based on.
"Really this is just a movie about persevering through struggles," said Christy Beam.
The actors who portray the Beam family, look a lot like the real Beam’s.
Annabel eventually got better – but according to her and her family- it wasn’t the treatments that cured her – it was a 30-foot fall from a tree.
"This beautiful young lady used to be a very very sick girl. She couldn’t eat, she couldn’t drink. 10 medications. It’s a miracle," said Christy.
Annabel says after her fall she had a near-death experience, and God wanted her to come back to earth, but she didn’t want to.
"Well, I asked him if I could stay and He said, ‘No Annabel, I have plans for you on earth that you can not complete in heaven,’" Annabel said.
The Beams, along with Jennifer Garner, were in Boston this week for the movie’s premiere.
I asked how they would you characterize the city of Boston.
"It will always be a reminder that God has a plan," said Christy. "He places people in your path to help you along the way, because by no means were we alone ever in Boston, so far from home."
One of those people is Angela Cimino – a waitress at the hotel the Beam’s stayed at while they were in Boston. The Southie native is played by Queen Latifah.
"Queen Latifah? Can you get any more exciting than that? That is so cool. I’m like you did tell her that I’m white Catholic and Irish," said Cimino.
"She truly embodied what I felt like was the arms of Christ loving us through other people, and that’s what Angela Cimino was to us," said Christy.
The Beams’ say Angela was their personal tour guide – helping them have fun during a very difficult time.
"She is also very Bostonie. She has a very thick accent," said Annabel.
"I taught them how to J-walk, like a real Bostonian," said Cimino.
"My favorite places to go are Paul Revere’s House, then to the Children’s Museum," said Annabel.
As for Anna’s recovery, Angela saw it first hand.
"It was a miracle, I don’t want to push it and say, it was a miracle from God- because I don’t know. But it was a miracle," said Cimino.
Dr. Samuel Nurko, is the world reknown gastroenterologist at Boston Children’s Hospital who treated Annabel.
"I think that something remarkable happened, and you know- the way she fell, something reset," said Dr. Nurko.
"He wasn’t a doctor who said everything’s going to be fine, it’s all going to be OK, I’m going to fix everything. But
he said, we’re going to have hope," said Christy.
"There always has to be hope," said Dr. Nurko.
Actress Jennifer Garner was touched by the woman she played…
"She is such a steadfast, and true and fearless mother, that she really inspired me," said Garner.
Annabel hopes Boston movie-goers will be touched by her story
"I hope they take away a sense of faith, hope and love, and to keep fighting, and that God is good and He is real," said Annabel .
Boston Children’s Hospital has created The Motility Research and Treatment Discovery Fund in honor of Annabel. It will support Dr. Sam Nurko’s most urgent priorities in research, patient care and physician training: http://www.childrenshospital.org/annabelsjourney
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