Andy Lakey was not trained to be an artist, nor did he want to be one. He sold cars and used his money to buy drugs. He prided himself on the quality of his cocaine. He didn't care about anyone or anything.
On December 31, 1986, Lakey went to a New Year's Eve party. There he 'free-based' cocaine. As the evening went on, he began to feel worse and worse. He felt as if his head was going to explode and his whole body was shutting down.
He didn't tell his friends how bad he felt. He thought he was too 'cool' to overdose. Quietly leaving the party, he headed for his apartment downstairs. By the time he got there, he was crawling on his hands and knees. He crawled into the shower, turned the cold water on himself, and prayed for the first time since he was eight years old.
"God if you spare my life," he said, "I'll never take drugs again and I'll do something to help humankind."
Feeling something swirling around his feet like a tornado, he looked down, and to his amazement saw seven glowing beings of light circling his body. The beings shone like the sun and looked like they were made of crystal. They came up to his chest and put their arms around him. Suddenly, Lakey felt at peace. He knew he had been saved by angels.
In this near-death experience, Lakey was surrounded by seven angels, saw the light of God, and glimpsed the 'other side.' After he recovered, he stopped taking drugs cold turkey, began helping other people, and became obsessed with drawing what he had seen that night in his shower.
