In the Uffizi Museum in Florence, I stood stock still, mesmerized. In front of me was a painting, The Assumption of Mary, which depicted Mary in a baroque-style chair flanked by two angels. My heart pounded.

Previously, I had only seen such a chair in personal visions. To be precise, an angel chair had revealed itself to me on three separate occasions just prior to the death of a female family member.

In each of those revelations the chair had been accompanied by two angels, and it had ascended with the angels guiding the chair upward.

This was my first time to see this painting, this rendition of The Assumption of Mary. Awestruck that I was seeing this amazing image outside of me, I stood transfixed.

After several moments as the shock abated, I could view the painting more objectively. I admired how the artist had portrayed the beauty of Mary, the angels, and the ornately carved chair. I was soaking up all the details of this old-world masterpiece when suddenly, Mary’s face changed. Yes, right there in Uffizi museum, Mary’s face became the face of someone else—a face I knew well, a face I dearly loved. My eyes blinked repetitively in disbelief. Even still, there was no mistaking it. The beautiful woman who now occupied the chair was Donna, my beloved sister. Tears flooded my eyes.

Seconds later, my cell phone vibrated. Donna’s number flashed on the screen. Alarming anxiety filled me. I found the exit and went outdoors in the courtyard to call her. She apologized for bothering me in Italy, but she had serious news. Her lymphoma had returned. And it had spread. She needed me to come, needed my help as soon as I returned to the States.

That was August of 2002. Nine months later in May of 2003 my sister, Donna Horn Huie Thetford, died peacefully.

I am grateful for the angel chair’s prophecy. It helped to prepare my heart to let her go, to accept her death to Earth.

Adventurous as she was, I believe Donna jumped enthusiastically onto the chair, and enjoyed the ride the angels provided for her as they transported her to the afterlife.