Brian NDE

Experience Description

I've had two near death experiences, my first at age eight. Approximately a week before my appendix was going to burst, I felt like something was visiting me, usually about the time I would close my eyes at night before bedtime and try to go to sleep. It was as if someone or something was putting their face just inches from my face and staring at me, though every time I opened my eyes, nothing was there. Whatever this was that kept visiting me, kept telling me that I was going to die. It didn't say it in words; I just felt it.

I would jump out of bed, run to my parents room and tell them that something was in my room telling me that I was going to die. They would tell me that I was just having a bad dream, tuck me in, and usually I would go right to sleep after that with no occurrences. Then around approximately the fourth day of these visits by someone or something telling me I was going to die, I started having extreme stomach pain. My mom took me to a doctor that wasn't overly concerned and said it was just a common stomachache.

A few more days of agonizing pain had gone by, and I was getting worse. My mom took me to the same doctor who gave me an enema, and again said it was just a bad stomachache due to constipation. That night, I don't remember much, but my mom said that I told her that there was a black horse in the hallway waiting to take me away. At this point, my mom panicked and decided to rush me to the emergency room at around 2:00 am in the morning. From what my parents told me, I was pretty bad off, as my appendix had been ruptured for over twenty-four hours, the poisons from my appendix rupturing was killing me, and my outlook didn't look good. The doctor on call that night was a woman with a strong English accent, and she knew right away that it was probably my appendix. They x-rayed me confirming it was my appendix, and I was shortly thereafter having emergency surgery.

After the surgery, I had a 50/50 chance of living. I had tubes in my nose, throat, IV's in my arms, and a pump device inserted in my lower part of my stomach area, pumping out the poisons in my system. I remember wanting to die, as the pain was unbearable. I don't really remember how many days had gone by, but one morning as I awoke, I looked over at a crucifix that hung on the wall of my room and I remember staring at it for the longest time. I then in my mind, while staring at it, asked Jesus that if he was real to either let me die, or heal me. At that very second, a nurse walked into the room. I remember saying to her, 'I know you're here to take more blood.' She said, 'No, I'm here to take the tubes out of your nose and throat. You're getting better.' I looked back at the crucifix, and again quietly in my mind, thanking Jesus for helping me and telling him that I would always believe in him and never forget that moment. Of course, you get older, forty-six years old now, with kids, great life, and I question my experiences, was it truly a miracle or just some kind of coincidence.

At age twenty-four, I was late for work, so I hopped on my motorcycle and a car turned left in front of me. I hit the car at over sixty mph and flew over it. I was wearing a helmet, but hit my head really hard. I guess that when I was unconscious in the ambulance, I was dreaming that my best friend at the time Scott and I were just hanging out like usual, and he jokingly asked me if I liked God or the Devil. I said, God of course and immediately I found myself in the back of an ambulance, being resuscitated.

Each event has changed the way I look at life, I value each day, and though I don't attend church, I feel a very close connection to God and thank him for giving me a wonderful life.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 1970

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident 'Ruptured appendix at age 8, motorcycle accident at 24' 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death'

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

Did you feel separated from your body? Uncertain I lost awareness of my body

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 Don't know.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Don't know.

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

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

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 Black horse.

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? Uncertain

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Calm, lightness, freedom for being in the body.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Incredible peace or pleasantness

Did you have a feeling of joy? Happiness

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

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

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

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

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes

What is your religion now? Moderate

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes

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

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? Yes It's hard to describe, but a feeling of being in tune with the universe.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Uncertain

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes Knowing I was going to die from a ruptured appendix, and I had a dream a few days earlier about my motorcycle wreck, I told my girlfriend (now wife) that a white car pulled in front of me in my dream and it ended up being a white car that hit me.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Just that there is so much more to life than meets the eyes.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes

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 probably real

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was probably real

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