An apparent childhood disappearance sent Akiane Kramarik's family and police scrambling to find her, but the artist who famously painted Jesus at age 8 says she was somewhere no one thought to look.
"I recall I am in this entire zone, I'm seeing my whole family and all the dogs and all of the police below," Kramarik said on the "Hang Out with Sean Hannity" podcast.
"It's as if I have like an eagle-eyes perspective."
Kramarik, 32, recalled feeling as though her body had "zoomed out" before everything went black.
According to Kramarik, her disappearance sparked fears of a possible kidnapping, prompting family members, neighbors and police to launch a search.
"My mom comes and she can't find me. My brothers search around the house, they couldn't find me. [They] call[ed] my dad. Every single neighbor, every friend... The police come, their dogs come, everybody is around the whole neighborhood searching for me. I'm missing, and no one knows where," she said.
"They think it was a potential kidnapping," she continued. "So my photo was displayed in all the town."
Kramarik said she was just 5 years old when the incident occurred in Missouri, recalling that what she described as a journey through another realm corresponded to nearly seven hours of elapsed time, according to her parents.
"My parents told me it was about six and a half, seven hours, something like that," she shared.
During that time, Kramarik said God showed her extraordinary sights and imparted knowledge to her. She described the experience as lasting longer than the nearly seven hours she said she was missing.
Kramarik's account is one of several spiritual experiences she has described from her childhood, a period also marked by her exceptional artistic talent.
At age 8, she painted "Prince of Peace," her now-famous portrait of Jesus that helped propel her to international recognition as a child prodigy.
Kramarik said her otherworldly experience left a lasting impression that extended beyond her artwork. She said the experience also prompted her parents, who had raised their children in a nonreligious household, to reconsider their beliefs.
Viewers and listeners can watch or listen to Hannity's full conversation with Akiane Kramarik on "Hang Out with Sean Hannity," available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and iHeartRadio.
A priest preparing Communion was fatally struck by a falling crucifix during a livestreamed Mass in Ecuador, turning a moment of worship into a frantic rush to save him.
Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari was standing at the altar of Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro Church in Guayaquil on Saturday when the large wooden crucifix behind him suddenly fell forward and struck him.
Video of the service captures screams erupting inside the church as worshippers ran to his side and called for help.
The Archdiocese of Guayaquil confirmed his death in a Facebook statement, identifying him as the parish priest of Perpetuo Socorro Church in its Central Vicariate.
"Our dear Fr. Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari … has departed to the Father’s House to enjoy His presence and His glory," the archdiocese wrote in Spanish.
"Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen," the statement concluded in Latin.
The tragedy unfolded just one day after the archdiocese congratulated Sánchez Molinari on the anniversary of his ordination, Ecuadorian news outlet Primicias reported.
The Mass was being livestreamed on social media when the crucifix fell, recording both the fatal incident and the desperate response from those inside the church.
"Father, Father … call an ambulance," a woman can be heard shouting in the video.
Sánchez Molinari belonged to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, commonly known as the Redemptorists. Before serving in Guayaquil, he spent several years as parish priest at San Lorenzo in Vinces, in Ecuador’s Los Ríos province, according to Primicias.
His former parish mourned his death in a social media tribute, remembering the dedication and pastoral love he brought to its community, El Universo reported.
The founder of Christian human rights organization ChinaAid is raising concerns over the health of an imprisoned Chinese pastor who may be suffering from advanced liver cancer, and his family continues to face restrictions on visitation and access to medical information.
Rev. Dr. Bob Fu, founder and president of ChinaAid, told Fox News in an interview that reports concerning Pastor Wang Yi's health are "very worrying," citing information received from multiple sources inside China.
Wang, the founding pastor of Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, has been imprisoned since December 2018 and is serving a nine-year sentence on charges of inciting subversion of state power and illegal business operations.
Although Fu believes that reports of advanced liver cancer are credible, he acknowledged that his organization has not been able to independently confirm the diagnosis.
Fu said ChinaAid was "not able to really independently verify" the reports, citing restrictions on access to Wang and the absence of an independent medical examination.
The organization first publicly raised concerns about Wang's condition on Sept. 28, calling on Chinese authorities to provide his family with access to him and disclose information about his medical treatment.
During the interview, Fu revealed that authorities reportedly provided information by telephone about medical examination they claimed had been conducted on Oct. 1.
According to Fu, prison officials cited medical information indicating Wang was in good health. However, his family has not been permitted a new in-person visit to independently assess his condition.
Fu said that, despite repeated letters from Wang's wife and relatives requesting access, "no meeting had been granted at all" since the latest health concerns emerged.
The pastor's church has also expressed uncertainty about his condition.
In an Oct. 3 open letter, Early Rain Covenant Church acknowledged the reports but said it could not determine whether Wang had fallen ill. The church called on prison authorities to permit regular family visits, correspondence and telephone calls, as well as provide information about any necessary medical care.
According to the church, Wang's family has been permitted fewer than five visits during nearly eight years of imprisonment.
Fu likewise described severely restricted visitation, saying meetings have been brief and closely monitored by authorities. He alleged that discussions concerning Wang's health or religious beliefs have resulted in visits being abruptly terminated.
"Two years, not a single letter for his wife," Fu said, describing the restrictions on communication.
"That's not acceptable. That's even a violation of its own law."
Wang was arrested Dec. 9, 2018, during a crackdown on Early Rain Covenant Church, an independent Protestant congregation operating outside China's state-regulated religious systems.
In December 2019, a Chinese court sentenced him to nine years in prison. The U.S. State Department condemned the conviction at the time, describing the prosecution as connected to Wang's peaceful advocacy for religious freedom and calling for his release.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom lists Wang as a religious prisoner of conscience and has documented reports of medical neglect.
Fu also raised concerns about the treatment of Wang's wife, Jiang Rong, who was detained during the initial crackdown.
He said Jiang had previously been subjected to residential surveillance at a police-arranged location rather than being allowed to remain in her own home and described the lasting emotional consequences of her treatment.
Fu said he believes the severity of the reports warrants immediate action, particularly given the limited access to Wang.
He called on the Chinese authorities to permit Wang's wife, son and elderly parents to meet with him privately, allow an independent medical examination in the presence of legal counsel and release his medical records, including information concerning medications administered during his imprisonment.
Fu also expressed concern about reports of mistreatment of other prisoners of conscience, including allegations of forced medication and serious physical and psychological harm. Those allegations were discussed as part of his broader concerns about the treatment of detainees in China, rather than as established evidence of what has happened to Wang.
The ChinaAid president urged the Trump administration to raise Wang's case directly with Chinese officials during upcoming diplomatic engagements.
"I really want to see the Trump administration to continue to speak up forcefully," Fu told Fox News, calling for the names of individual prisoners of conscience to be included in high-level discussions.
He pointed to the July release of Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, who was reunited with his family after President Donald Trump raised his case with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a May visit to Beijing.
Fu believes that example demonstrates the potential importance of direct diplomatic intervention, although the circumstances of Jin's release do not establish that such pressure would produce the same result in Wang's case.
Trump and Xi are expected to attend upcoming international summits, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leader's meeting in Shenzhen, China, in November and the G20 summit in Miami in December.
Fu urged U.S. leaders not to allow trade and security negotiations to overshadow concerns about religious freedom, human rights and the treatment of prisoners.
"I think it's time to hold them accountable," Fu said.
In a statement to Fox News, Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Chang said the embassy had no information to provide regarding Wang's specific case.
The spokesperson defended China's religious policies, saying the government protects freedom of religious belief under Chinese law and does not interfere in religious groups' internal affairs.
Liu added that China prohibits illegal activities carried out under the guise of religion and opposes foreign interference in its domestic affairs.
The embassy did not directly address questions about Wang's reported medical condition, family visitation or the possibility of an independent medical examination.
The U.S. State Department did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment by publication time.
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