Anthony S NDE

Experience Description

Prior to the experience on November 28, 2007, I had been at work at a Sears Call Center. All that day I had a headache that would not go away. Co-workers told me that I kept falling asleep at my cubicle, yet I didn't even realize it. Later after lunch that day, I began to 'see' what I can best describe as a 'red flashing slash' over my right eye? It remained there the rest of the day. I mention this and will explain later.

I was driving to a local grocery store after work to pick up a few items for dinner with my family. I never made it to the store. I suffered a stroke and heart attack while driving. I drifted into oncoming traffic and was hit by a large truck nearly head on. The impact left me hanging partially out the driver's side door by my seat belt. I was conscious enough to release the belt. Fortunately, an off duty firemen across the street responded immediately. The crazy thing is that I was outside my body watching the EMT drop his taco and run across the street to help me. Next I saw myself lying on the street from just above my body as the sound of sirens came closer. Half of my body was bathed in, what I can best describe as, a white and silvery light with the other half of me bathed in the darkest of blacks. I don't know why, but something told me that the side with the deepest of black was something no one could return from.

Off to my left, I heard a voice chewing me out for how I had lived my life to that point and that 'GOD doesn't take fence sitters.' The voice then stated, 'Go back and experience the pain you've caused others!' Six days later, even though it felt like just a few hours, I awoke from a coma. They told me that my heart had stopped en route to the hospital and that I nearly died.

When I awoke my wife, my wife was there. I was told that I had congestive heart failure, at age 49. I was also told that I would have many months of physical therapy and that it would be a long road back. I was weakened by the stroke on my left side and it sure appeared that many months to recover. I couldn't count to 10, nor could I even say the alphabet. A month later, I was released from physical therapy on Christmas Day 2007. I walked out of the hospital not perfect but I did walk. GOD is Truly Great!

Update: couple of odd things happened while in the Intensive Care Unit. I remember telling the charge nurse that it was odd that the folks who assisted me throughout the night looked so much like kids I went to high school with and how kind they were. I specifically remember one attendant stating, 'I was here when they brought you in and you were in pretty bad shape!' Imagine my amazement when the nurse told me that nobody had been in my room overnight other than to check my vital signs because I was heavily sedated.

Update2: Starting in or around February 2009 until it stopped suddenly in 2012, I would awaken every night at exactly at 3:16 a.m. EVERY NIGHT. Just to test why this was happening, I even stayed awake one day the entire day going and then going to bed at 2 a.m. and I still woke up at 3:16 a.m.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 11/28/2007

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident. Heart attack. Stroke aka the Trifecta. Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) I suffered a heart attack and stroke, then drifted into on-coming traffic and was struck in an offset head-on collision.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Entirely distressing

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes The EMT at the taco stand dropped his taco and ran across the street. I was able to verify this months later. I clearly left my body and existed outside it

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? More consciousness and alertness than normal I was more aware than any time in my life. I seemed more aware of everything going on around me in 360 degrees. But it also seemed key words were repeated. A lot I could not remember.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I felt I was at my most alertness just after the crash.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Faster than usual

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning Time seemed to lose any sense of relevancy.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? More vivid than usual

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. More like tunnel-vision. I felt I had to turn my entire body to see.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Extremely precise, focused and I can remember the individual conversations to this day.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? No

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? No

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? No

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? A light clearly of mystical or other-worldly origin

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes Half of my body was bathed in silvery blue light.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? No

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? This part is a little difficult. I felt unwanted and not good enough. It was extremely disturbing.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? No

Did you have a feeling of joy? No

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? No

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? No

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control Really can't recall

Did scenes from the future come to you? No

Did you come to a border or point of no return? No

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What importance did you place on your religious/spiritual life prior to your experience? Not important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Protestant

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes Just more aware.

What importance do you place on your religious/spiritual life after your experience? Moderately important to me

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I found a church I connected with and it became someplace I really felt I needed to be at least weekly, if not more.

The experience included: Presence of unearthly beings

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? I encountered a definite being, or a voice clearly of mystical or unearthly origin Disembodied voice of authority.

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? No

Did you encounter or become aware of any beings who previously lived on earth who are described by name in religions (for example: Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, etc.)? No

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? Uncertain Just not sure!

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Uncertain What I did discover during my experience is that there appears to be a 'gatekeeper' so to speak and an almost instantaneous vetting process...I know this sound strange.

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? God probably exists

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Uncertain No I did not or don't recall.

Do you believe in the existence of God after your experience? God definitely exists

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Uncertain The only purpose I can recall was to spread my story as far and wide as possible.

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are possibly meaningful and significant

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? No

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? I was uncertain if an afterlife exists

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists Yes Yes, the disembodied voice that stated to me cleary 'GOD does NOT take fence sitter!" You have to make a choice what you choose to be!

Did you fear death prior to your experience? I moderately feared death

Do you fear death after your experience? Unknown

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Moderately fearful in living my earthly life

Were you fearful living your life after your experience? Not fearful in living my earthly life

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are possibly meaningful and significant

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant after your experience? Are meaningful and significant

Did you gain information about how to live our lives? Yes Hard to explain this one but I will try. I came to the conclusion through my interaction with the disembodied voice that 'everyone we personally come into contact with can be enhanced or harmed by our interaction? By that I mean things said tThe hat are not meant to be armful actually hurt people on the cellular level and it (emotional pain) remains with them?

During your experience, did you gain information about life's difficulties, challenges and hardships? No

Were you compassionate prior to your experience? Not compassionate toward others

During your experience, did you gain information about love? No

Were you compassionate after your experience? Moderately compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? I think before I speak, trying to be respectful of others' feelings. I seem to be more 'tuned in' to that little voice that says 'don't do this' or 'yes do that': whereas, before I was not tuned-in to the situation. My life seems much better because of that connection. I think before I speak, trying to be respectful of others' feelings. I seem to be more 'tuned in' to that little voice that says 'don't do this' or 'yes do that': whereas, before I was not tuned-in to the situation. My life seems much better because of that connection.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes My family comes first and foremost. I am the parent of a, now 17-year-old, daughter with autism. She's very difficult. I wanted the quick and easy way to fix her. We clashed a lot it and it almost destroyed our family and my marriage. I then decided one day to take some time and find out what her life is like with Asperger/autism. It was then that I began to connect with my daughter. It's not perfect, she still has her moments. But, I found by committing more time than lip service to her, we now have a great relationship. My marriage of 17 years is on solid ground again and home life has become much happier. My daughter even gets along with her 26-year-old stepsister. Awesome!

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

How accurately do you remember the experience in comparison to other life events that occurred around the time of the experience? I remember the experience more accurately than other life events that occurred around the time of the experience I remember the experience more accurately than other life events that occurred around the time of the experience

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Uncertain Long-term memory is excellent but my short-term memory is poor since the accident. Complete strangers always seem to seek me out to tell their story.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes About 2 years, it took me that long to process all that happened. I'm not sure if it changed their lives.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? No

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real I kept wondering why I could not remember most of my time in the hospital. Yet, specifics regarding the accident, the response by first responders, and their conversation were crystal clear.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I believe my experience was definitely real for the following reasons: I needed a wake-up call, so to speak that life is something to be lived not just something to mark time. I needed to better understand the needs of others other than my own selfishness. I was pretty much just drifting through life, not really committed to anything toward a goal or focused on my family. I pretty much took the day as it came, and never planned ahead.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Uncertain