Bonnie Nettles

(1927-1985)

Bonnie Nettles was born, into a Baptist family. As an adult, she moved away from the religion. After becoming a registered nurse, she married Joseph Segal Nettles in 1949, and had four children. Nettles met Marshall Applewhite in 1972. They had an almost instantaneous "spiritual" connection; Applewhite decided that Nettles was "to be the sage, he the speaker." They left together in 1973. 

Nettles and Applewhite established Heaven's Gate together as equals, with Nettles running the group and Applewhite speaking for her. Nettles claimed to have communicated with aliens about the Next Level and told Applewhite to tell their followers. 1976, Applewhite recognized Nettles as higher up on the level of command than he was. 

1983, she was diagnosed with cancer. Nettles stated that the doctor was ignorant and believed, along with Applewhite, that she could not die, as they had to ascend together. The cancer worsened, and she died in 1985. Applewhite convinced the rest of the group that Nettles' "broken-down vehicle was left behind". Applewhite explained to the group that Nettles had left because her work was done on this level but that he himself still had more that he had to do. Her death would lead to would eventually culminate in the group's mass suicide in 1997. (cited Wikipedia)