The Heaven’s Gate cult was located in Rancho Santa Fe mansion in San Diego County. It was led by Marshall Applewhite.
In late March 1997, Applewhite and 38 of his followers drank a lethal mixture of phenobarbital and vodka and then lay down to die, hoping to leave their bodily containers, enter the alien spacecraft, and pass through Heaven’s Gate into a higher existence” (History)
The world was shocked.
This was not the only New Age group in Southern California talking about mass ascension. The Extra news station tried to interview another similar group only 90 miles away – Morningland.
In the video below, the Extra’s newscaster compared Morningland’s Sri Patricia (Sri Donato) to Marshall Applewhite. Both talked about UFOs, mass ascension, and higher planes of existence. Both prayed to their deceased partner. Applewhite thought he was a Christ, while Patricia thought her late husband was one. Sri Patricia (Donato) said there was a massive UFO hovering above Morningland, waiting to take thousands up to the heavens. Rightfully, the newscaster wondered whether she, too, would commit mass suicide. Sri did not speak to them. The Extra interviewed Morningland’s survivor of alleged sexual abuse and former member, revealing that Sri’s followers would do anything she told them to. Another former member said that Sri Patricia was just as persuasive, charismatic, and even more intense than Applewhite.
(Trigger Warning for the video below, containing graphic material related to mass suicide) See on YouTube
