Abhiroop Das
Helmed by Randall Wallace, ‘Heaven is for Real‘ is based on the eponymous book by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent, and chronicles an extraordinary chapter in the life of Colton Burpo. At the age of three, he is diagnosed with a life-threatening medical emergency, and consequently has to endure a long, grueling treatment and recovery process. However, upon returning home, he begins vividly recounting a trip to heaven, where he met Jesus, along with a host of deceased people. Colton’s father, a pastor, is initially taken by surprise, but as the layers to this mystery unfold, he soon realizes that there might be more to his son’s story than he initially believed. From there, the Christian family drama movie develops into a microcosmic study of faith, where a child’s perspective on reality nearly comes into clash with adult skepticism.
Nancy Rawling and Jay Wilkins are Potentially Modeled After Real People in the Burpos’ Lives
While ‘Heaven is for Real’ is based on the eponymous book by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent, Nancy Rawling and Jay Wilkins are fictional characters added to the film adaptation by writers Randall Wallace and Christopher Parker. Despite not having any direct real-life inspiration, neither Jay nor Nancy is without vague antecedents in the source material. In particular, one narrative beat surrounding Nancy appears to be inspired by one of Todd Burpo’s real experiences. In the movie, Nancy is depicted as a mourning mother who lost her son to war, and in response, Todd expresses that her son was likely welcomed in heaven, the same as Colton. This exchange appears to be partially based on a real conversation Todd had with a woman who had lost her baby, as claimed in his book. While the contexts are completely different, the movie taps into the thematic link and develops its own creative rendition through Nancy.
Similar to Nancy, Jay Wilkins bears a vague resemblance to some real-life figures in the Burpo family’s life. In the movie, he is an esteemed banker and a board member at the church, which puts him in a similar position as Phil Harris, Todd Burpo’s real-life friend and then district superintendent of the Wesleyan Church. Although the overlap between the two characters is largely superficial in nature, Jay Wilkins’ narrative significance as Todd’s best friend puts him in close proximity with Todd’s friend circle, which includes Phil Harris. As such, it is possible that Jay is a composite character loosely inspired by the people who guided and supported the Burpo family in their time of need.
Nancy and Jay Serve as a Lens into the Larger World of Heaven is for Real
Although Nancy Rawling and Jay Wilkins do not share a name with any of the Burpo family’s real-life connections, they still serve as a glimpse into life as a part of the Wesleyan Church community in Imperial, Nebraska. In real life, Todd Burpo’s claim that his son went to heaven was met with mixed opinions, with many people doubting the authenticity of what he was describing. To that end, the film uses Nancy and Jay to convey a sense of skepticism, blending in multiple perspectives on the issue. However, by adding depth to the characters and their pasts, the writing team avoids an unbalanced examination of the town’s psyche. The integration of real-life elements from Todd’s account into these fictional entities serves that purpose, further grounding the story in reality.
A large part of what makes Nancy and Jay shine through in the story is how they are brought to life by talented actors, Margo Martindale and Thomas Haden Church, respectively. In the same vein, their own take on the story and Todd Burpo’s claim in the book have a direct impact on their performance. In an interview with Deepest Dream, Thomas explained his initial skepticism about the story, stating, “This is either one of those ‘whatever’ and walk away moments, because I am a bit of a skeptical guy.” However, the actor ultimately stepped into the role after visiting the house of his deceased friend, which helped him understand the value of faith-driven narratives. This strongly parallels the space Jay Wilkins occupies in the movie, both as a support system for his friend, Todd, and as someone who does not hesitate to ask difficult questions. As such, both details from the original novel and the actors’ lived experiences likely shaped Nancy and Jay’s characters.
Read More: Where is Colton Burpo Now? Update on Heaven is for Real Survivor
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