Sunrise in Heaven 2019

The film, based on the life of Jan Hurst, follows Bonnie Burroughs as a daughter under the watchful eye of a protective military father, and it centers on her deepening romance with Steve, an Air Force airman portrayed by Randy Crowder. The story unfolds across two timelines, weaving present-day reflections with flashbacks that illuminate how their bond formed and endured despite looming obstacles. At the heart of the drama is a steady thread of faith and family that pushes Jan to navigate loyalty, love, and the expectations placed upon her by a strict household.

In the present, a devastating car crash leaves Steve on life support, and Jan faces an overwhelming choice while guiding their daughters through grief. The film lingers on her quiet, steady resolve as she leans on memories of their courtship and the faith that sustained them, trying to find a path forward when the future feels uncertain. The emotional weight of the crisis underscores how the couple’s history continues to shape the family’s present and future, even as they confront an uncertain horizon.

The flashbacks open in a cafeteria where Teen Jan, Caylee Cowan, serves meals and catches the eye of Teen Steve, Travis Burns. What begins as playful teasing from friends soon blooms into a real connection as they grow closer, share moments of vulnerability, and begin to understand that their affection might withstand the long miles and looming separations of young love. The romance quickly becomes a defining chapter in Jan’s life, one that her father, Jim, Corbin Bernsen, views with wary eyes and protective concern.

The relationship is complicated by a lie Jan tells to her parents: that Steve is merely a student, a partial deception because Steve is actually serving in a demanding program. When Jim uncovers the truth, he strives to intervene and shield his daughter from a path he fears could bring hardship. The emotional conflict is heightened by Jan’s mother, Marion, Dee Wallace, who steps into the fray with a blend of tenderness and practicality, reminding Jim of the heart behind their own early romance and urging him toward a more forgiving stance.

As the bond deepens, Steve is assigned to a remote base and expresses a clear wish: he wants to marry Jan before he leaves. Jan insists that she will not marry without her father’s blessing, choosing steadfast honesty over convenience. In response, Jim makes a difficult, transformative decision after listening to his wife’s plea and weighing the couple’s history against his fears. The two men eventually meet on the base, and Jim grants his blessing, a turning point that seals the couple’s decision to marry in a ceremony surrounded by family and friends, with the support of a community that believed in their commitment.

Back in the present, the family gathers under the guidance of the pastor who helped shape their early relationship, Pastor Robert [Alex Morris], as they face the long goodbye. The farewell prayers become a quiet, intimate moment of closure, a living memory that holds the family together even as Steve’s illness progresses. The film closes on a poignant tableau: Jan standing with her daughters outside what is assumed to be their home, the weight of loss tempered by a fragile hope. When asked if she is okay, she admits that she thinks she will be. The final image lingers on a woman who has carried love, faith, and endurance through every season, clinging to the belief that life can still hold meaning even as the story moves toward its hardest goodbye.