Neale Donald Walsch grew up in a Roman Catholic family that nurtured his spiritual development. He studied the Bible, the Rigveda, and texts from the Upanishadic collection, a compilation of philosophical writings from Hinduism. Initially, Walsch's life seemed to be spiraling out of control in the early 1990s. A devastating fire destroyed everything he owned, his marriage crumbled, and a severe car accident left him literally broken.
Despite this, Walsch's downfall continued. He lost his job, became homeless, and was forced to spend the night in a tent in Jackson Hot Springs, just outside Ashland. To survive, he had to collect aluminum cans and trade them for money at a recycling station. Walsch thought his life had come to an end. However, he managed to escape homelessness by landing a job in a radio talk show. When the show went bankrupt, he wrote a furious letter to God, which, according to Walsch, was answered.
