By Derek Ruth

When a hard hit to the head during a youth football game took Derek Ruth to heaven, he stood face-to-face with Jesus.

A gifted multi-sport athlete and a devout Roman Catholic, Derek Ruth was barely one month shy of his thirteenth birthday when he suffered a traumatic brain injury on the football field. As his family, friends, and even competitors gathered, they prepared for the worst while praying for a miracle, as Derek was on an eight-minute life-flight to the hospital where the heroic doctors would work to save his life. But while everyone waited for news, Derek was spending extended time with Jesus in heaven, who offered him a choice.

The Eight-Minute Flight is the remarkable true story of Derek’s spiritual journey as he moved from the football field to heaven and back home again. Through years of pain, rehabilitation, frustration, and grief, Derek was sustained by his faith and his family, and recounts his journey to refocus his discipline and determination to regain the life he nearly lost.

With a compelling urgency, Derek understands his purpose on earth, his close relationship with Mary and her son, Jesus, and desires to share how faith and family have allowed him to endure. An emotional true story of survival and the resilience of the human spirit, The Eight-Minute Flight provides hope and encouragement for readers that there is more to life than our time on earth.

What Others Are Saying:

"Derek Ruth led a normal childhood until experiencing a critical brain injury on the football field at age 12. His journey since the injury is a remarkable account of determination, effort, spiritual revelation, and support of family, friends, and the medical community. His story will inspire the reader to realize what the human spirit is capable of".
-- Tom Osborne, College Football Hall of Fame Coach at The University of Nebraska from 1973 -1997

"I first met Derek Ruth in 2013, shortly after being appointed the Catholic Bishop of Lincoln. Getting to know Derek as a friend and hearing his remarkable story of faith, courage, trust, resilience, and acceptance has profoundly moved me as a bishop. Derek's deep Catholic faith, nurtured by devout parents, continues to inform his life, providing him with a firm foundation for his hope, purpose, and motivation to move forward in life day after day. Through hard work, discipline, and perseverance, and with the heart of a true athlete, Derek continues to provide true hope for all of us, particularly as he describes in vivid language the long and enduring road of rehabilitation".
-- The Most Reverend James D. Conley, Bishop of Lincoln

• Binding: Cloth/Hardcover
  Pages: 136

I was twelve years old, playing in a youth football game, when I suffered a traumatic brain injury. I am now twenty-nine years old, a college graduate, and living my life to the fullest. Up until that day, my life revolved around sports. I was the boy who strived for excellence. I was competitive. I did well in school and sports and was well-liked by my peers. I took on every leadership opportunity to set myself apart from the rest. I held you to a high standard if you were on the field or on the court. I wanted the best for every kid out there. I wanted to be a leader who set an example and never settled for less.

In addition to my athletic and leadership passions, I was passionate about my Catholic faith from a young age. Actively practicing my faith was my number one priority; I had already been significantly blessed in many aspects of my life by Jesus.

On September 6, 2008, my life changed during that youth football game. I was not expected to survive the traumatic brain injury. I endured two major life-saving brain surgeries. The injury caused me to lose the significant functions of my body, including many of the little things that we take for granted. I have fought through many trials and tribulations to get back to where I am today, and it has not been easy.

The competitiveness and optimism I practiced from a young age have compelled me to finish college, travel, and live independently. My ultimate motivation and inspiration come from numerous divine appearances from Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Mother Teresa. Throughout my life, I have learned many important and valuable lessons. I have realized that anything can happen at any given moment in time. You never know what tomorrow will bring or if you will even get a tomorrow, so take every breath God gives you for what it's worth!