Steve Kang, once deeply addicted to drugs and now a Christian pastor, shared a powerful and terrifying story about what he believes happened when he nearly died. At the time, Steve was in a very dark place in his life.
He had been using hard drugs like methamphetamine and ecstasy, and even created his own dangerous mix that he called “the death bowl.” His addiction was so severe that it pushed him to the edge. One day, he says he heard a dark voice, which he described as an evil spirit, urging him to end his own life. In that moment, Steve stabbed himself, trying to escape the pain he was feeling inside.
As doctors rushed to save him, working to repair the damage he had done to his body, Steve says something extraordinary and horrifying happened. While his body was lying on an operating table, he claims his soul went somewhere else.
He believes he was taken to Hell. He says it felt absolutely real and unlike anything he had ever imagined. Steve described it as a cold, empty, and terrifying place. There was no light at all. There were no trees, no plants, no signs of life—just a rough, rocky ground as far as he could see.
He remembers feeling completely alone and in constant pain. He said he saw a massive chain stuck in his body and could sense the presence of other souls nearby, all suffering in silence. The pain was so intense that no one even tried to speak. It was just endless misery. In this dark place, he also saw huge, dark figures—monstrous beings that stood as tall as buildings. These terrifying creatures seemed to be in control, watching and judging everyone around them.
Steve had grown up Buddhist and had never believed that Hell existed. But during this experience, he says he suddenly knew deep inside that he was a sinner. He realized that the life he had been living—the drugs, the choices, the pain he caused—had led him to that place.
For the first time in his life, he said, he truly felt he was a bad person. He believed he was never getting out of that place. Even though the experience lasted about eight hours in the real world, to Steve it felt like only minutes. But in those moments, he felt hopeless—trapped in what he thought would be eternal suffering.
While Steve was in this terrifying state, his mother, desperate to save her son, reached out to the only Christian she knew—Steve’s former drug dealer.
That person gathered a prayer team and began praying hard for Steve’s life. Steve believes it was those prayers, not just the work of the doctors, that brought him back. He remembers feeling a sudden, deep peace come over him. He said it felt like Jesus was calling him, telling him to return to life.
When he finally woke up, Steve was not the same. He had experienced something so intense that it completely changed his beliefs and the way he wanted to live. He no longer followed Buddhism. Instead, he gave his life to Jesus and decided to dedicate himself to helping others. Today, Steve Kang is a Christian pastor at the LA Gospel Community Church in Los Angeles, California. He now spends his life sharing his story and guiding others toward faith, healing, and a better path—one he believes saved him from eternal pain.
