Becca L NDE

Experience Description

I was eleven years old. At this time, I was a prominent softball player. I was the pitcher of my recreational team. We had just advanced to the national tournament and were three strikes away from being the best in the country. It was all up to me. I licked my fingers as I watched my next victim approach the plate. We shared a challenging look from across the infield. She squared up to me and I went into my 'zone.' First pitch was a perfect strike, a swing and a miss. I laid the next strike right on the outer corner of the plate. She let it pass. We were one pitch from the national title. I could taste it. I threw my last pitch right to the batter's 'sweet spot.' She made contact with the ball. I heard the crack of the bat and sprang into action, realizing that the ball was heading straight toward me. Everything suddenly slowed down and became completely silent. The crowd was on their toes. I came to the realization that I couldn't stop the speeding ball. It was heading straight for my face. I ducked a bit but my efforts made no difference. The ball hit me square in the eye.

I suddenly felt my world spiral; I saw a bright light, and then total darkness. I heard the crowd gasp. I saw my childhood, my entire short life flash before my eyes like a film. I landed with a loud thud against the soft dirt of the mound. I felt I was dead. Gone. An immense feeling of peace overcame me as I let my eyes close.

I woke up with a broken eye socket and a hospital band on my wrist. The only complications I've carried from the incident are a very tender face and Alexia, a form of Dyslexia brought on by severe head trauma.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 'May 12, 2003'

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Direct head injury 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' Head trauma from a sports injury.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes 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 As I saw the ball coming toward me.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? As I saw the ball coming toward me.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Incredibly fast

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning So slow. Then so fast. Then out of my body above the mayhem looking upon my frail being.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Everything happened so fast.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Silence. Muffled voices.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? Yes, and the facts have been checked out

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? I actually saw them

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Uncertain There were so many people who all seemed ghostly.

The experience included: Darkness

The experience included: Light

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 Incredibly bright, pure white.

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

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Wellbeing, sorrow for my family, peace.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Relief or calmness

Did you have a feeling of joy? incredible joy

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? I felt united or one with the world

The experience included: Special Knowledge

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe

The experience included: Life review

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control My whole life played back to me.

The experience included: Vision of the future

Did scenes from the future come to you? Scenes from the world's future

Did you come to a border or point of no return? I came to a barrier that I was not permitted to cross; or was sent back against my will

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Moderate Christian/Agnostic

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Uncertain I'm now Agnostic.

What is your religion now? Liberal Agnostic

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Uncertain I'm now Agnostic.

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

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I actually saw them

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Uncertain

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Uncertain

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes There were so many mixed emotions and feelings involved all simultaneously.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Uncertain More crisp sense of upcoming events not yet known.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Everything was significant.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Immediately after I woke up I told my parents and they were horrified.

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 It was so true and real. But I could never explain it.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real Same as above.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? No