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SALT LAKE CITY -- Almost four years ago, Stephanie Nielson was nearly burned to death in a plane accident in Arizona. Since then she has moved back to Utah, had numerous surgeries, and written a book.
The book, "Heaven is Here" is a memoir about Nielson's before and after the accident that burned 80 percent of her body and left her in a medically induced coma for four months. The book, she said, is part of the promises she made with God during the early stages of recovery.
"One of the deals I made with God, is he asked me if I would share this story with people who also had similar trials, and I promised I would if I could just be me again -- be a mother and wife again," Nielson, of "Nie Nie Dialogues" said.
Nielson said that a big reason for the success of her recovery was that she had her husband Christian, who was also burned in the accident, by her side and her four young children to live for.
"I always had hope. It never went away," she said. "The scariest part was facing the actual truth of what happened."
Friday, hundreds of people lined up at the City Creek Desert Book to get a signed copy of the memoir. Readers say her blog has been an inspiration for them as they go through trials, and the book will be too.
"I follow her blog and I've watched the trials she's been through," said one reader. "It's kind of inspirational to see how she's always stayed positive."
Though Nielson wants the book to give others hope, she wrote it as a gift to her children, to help them understand life's difficulties and that no matter what, their faith in God will help them get through what they are facing.
"I wouldn't care if nobody read it but my children. I wrote it for them," Nielson said. "…My faith -- that I had a family and I realized I'm still a mom and still a wife -- the accident didn't take that away from me."
Before the accident I knew my individual worth, I knew my husband loved me and that didn't change one bit after.
–- Stephanie Nielson
The book, she said, also records the love story of her and "Mr. Nielson" (as she refers to him on her blog) and about the journey their relationship has been through.
"(Christian) never gave up and he loved me no matter what I looked like," she said. "Before the accident I knew my individual worth, I knew my husband loved me and that didn't change one bit after."
The couple is expecting a baby girl any day -- a miracle in itself.
"Once I just let go of worrying about my husband not thinking I was attractive anymore or that my children didn't want me as a mother anymore and I realized this is my plan this is my goal and it just started to come back to me."
Writing the book was a challenge for Nielson.
"It was really emotional and hard. To remember some of the things was really difficult," she said. "Hopefully it gives people hope - that's what I want. A life, not even a life that has been in a tremendous accident, it's a life. …We're stronger than we think we are."
Nielson will have another book signing Saturday at the Deseret Book at the University Mall in Orem at noon.
