Roma Downey shares profound 'Touched by an Angel' moment that inspired new book: 'I'll never forget'

Actress Roma Downey shared a moving anecdote about her late "Touched by an Angel" co-star Della Reese that she says inspired her upcoming book, "Be an Angel," and explained how she still cherishes her time starring on the popular series. 

Downey, who starred as the angel Monica on "Touched by an Angel" for nine seasons from 1994 to 2003, has produced several Christian films and series since the hit show, including the popular "The Bible" miniseries. Now, she has a new book, "Be An Angel: Devotions to Inspire and Encourage Love and Light Along the Way," in which she shares personal stories from her own life that illustrate how she has been "encouraged to live like an angel on earth." She called her third book an "exciting new chapter in her career." 

Downey dedicated her new 52-week devotional to her late "Touched by an Angel" co-star Della Reese.

"Because she encouraged me to trust my wings, and learn how to fly," Downey told Fox News Digital. "And I wanted to take these personal anecdotes, things that have happened to me. Almost like lessons along the way, and to share in a way that hopefully will inspire others and encourage others to be kinder to each other."  

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Downey shared an anecdote featuring Reese that she described as her "kickoff place" for "Be An Angel." During her time volunteering at a local children's hospital when she and her cast mates were filming "Touched by an Angel" in Salt Lake City, Utah, Downey remembered the moment a family had just come out of a ward, and it was "obvious they had just lost their child." She recalled not knowing where to go to give them the space they needed and tried to make herself "small," but then the mother recognized her from the show.

"'Oh Monica, there you are, I prayed that an angel would come for my baby,'" the mother said, according to Downey. "And here you are.'"

Downey said she took the mother in her arms and prayed with her but "didn't really know what to say to her."

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"When I got home that evening I called Della," Downey said. "Della was so wise, and I knew that Della would know the right thing to say to just help me hold this scenario… I said, ‘She thought that I was an angel, but I’m just an actress.' And she said, ‘Well, baby, she didn’t need an actress. She needed an angel.’ And I said, 'I understand that. But she thought that God had sent me there,' to which Della said, and I'll never forget, ‘And who said He didn’t?'"

"And she said if we're going to be used by this show to be encouragers, to be representatives, of heavenly messengers, then we need to learn to get out of the way, and allow acts of encouragement and kindness to flow through us," Downey continued. 

Downey's 52-week devotional is full of quotes and reflections of wisdom, affirmation, and encouragement from a variety of writers and thinkers, along with Scripture quotes and writings on the importance of gratitude, kindness, friendship, faith, courage and other virtues.

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Each week the devotional includes gentle nudges for readers to look for ways to "be an angel" to those they encounter every day. Downey described her book as an "antidote" to the bullying that occurs in today's world, particularly on social media.

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Downey said people still often approach her to talk about how "Touched by an Angel" affected their lives.

"People not only remember watching the show, but they remember watching it as a family," she said. "Curled up on the couch with grandma, and with mom, and so many memories. We made hundreds of episodes. And it was really such a meaningful time in my life. I'm a person of faith, so to get to be cast to play the messenger of hope, and to deliver a message of, really just of God's love, every week, was extraordinary."  

"Be an Angel," from Convergent Books, is set for release on Feb. 21.