Boy who claimed he had been to heaven retracts story, bestselling book is pulled

NEW YORK, N.Y. – A bestselling account of a 6-year-old boy's journey to heaven and back has been pulled after the boy retracted his story.

Spokesman Todd Starowitz of Tyndale House, a leading Christian publisher, confirmed Friday that Alex Malarkey's "The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven" was being withdrawn. Earlier this week, Malarkey acknowledged in an open letter that he was lying, saying that he had been seeking attention. He also regretted that "people had profited from lies."

"The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven" was first published in 2010 and told of an auto accident which left Malarkey in a coma. According to the book, he had visions of angels and of meeting Jesus. "The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven" has long been disputed, including by Alex's mother.