Bruce Y NDE

Experience Description:

I ignored the symptoms of heart problems for over a day but finally decided to drive myself to the hospital. About a half hour later they barely had me hooked up when I told them 'something was happening'. I started to go numb and the next thing I knew, I was in this warm, golden light and was very peaceful. I then saw several people in white robes who I recognized (but later forgot) welcoming me. I then felt this Love that was beyond measure which I later concluded could only have been God's Love.

I then came to and saw a hospital employee who was very pale and who said, 'I've never had to do that before,' meaning using paddles to bring me back. I had a nice burn mark on my chest for proof along with a lot of IV's. Even though I had a wife and children, I remember being a little angry with them for bringing me back. A few days later, I had a triple by-pass but was not nervous at all. During recovery at home, I had a unique experience involving Mich'l W. Smith's song: 'Breathe'. I also became like a human juke box for a while and could hear all kinds of contemporary Christian music which before my NDE I didn't even like.

I was reluctant to tell many people about my NDE but when I told a fellow employee he told me what I experience was a NDE and there were websites related to it. Since then I have visited some sites and read a few books, which seems to help. The 'juke box' effect has gone but I still have one more that has not gone away which I'm not sure is related to the NDE. Quite by accident I have discovered that I can do arm curls with a twenty-five weight dumbbell for pretty much a long as Mich'l W. Smith's 'Agnus Dei' is playing. I have done as much as one hundred and forty curls in each arm. Without the music, I can only do about thirty. No one else who I've tried this on is affected. I'm not sure what to do with this. Currently I try to read the Bible every day and discern God's will for me.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 5-09-2002

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Heart attack Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) I had a heart attack and they had to use the paddles to shock me back.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

Did you feel separated from your body? Uncertain No

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? Normal consciousness and alertness

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Not sure.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Neither

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Neither

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more so

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? Neither

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? Saw them

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes They were welcoming me - motioning me to come to them. I think I knew them but forgot whom they were when I came back to life. I wonder if a hypnotist could bring the memory back.

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 It was a warm golden light - I'm not sure how light can be warm but it was.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? Clearly mystical or unearthly realm

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Warmth, peaceful, and mainly feeling LOVED.

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

Did you have a feeling of joy? Incredible joy

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? Neither

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

Did scenes from your past come back to you? Neither

Did scenes from the future come to you? Neither

Did you come to a border or point of no return? Neither

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Conservative/fundamentalist

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I can make the distinction between religion and spirituality.

What is your religion now? Conservative/fundamentalist

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I can make the distinction between religion and spirituality.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? Neither

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? Saw them

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? No

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I am more conscious of loving God and my neighbor.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes The indescribable amount of Love I felt. I can best describe it as GOD'S LOVE!

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? No

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Feeling GOD'S LOVE! What more is there?

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I think I told my wife a few days later. I think some people have felt better knowing for sure that God does love them. I'm sure others think I'm nuts or it was just a dream.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Uncertain I might have read about people going through a tunnel toward some light.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was probably real I felt somewhat homesick and definitely not afraid of death. Later, I wondered if I had died would I have gone to Heaven or was it just that God loves everyone?

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I have never dreamt or experienced anything like it. The first NDE narrative I ever read was very similar to mine but the person had not died. Since then I have read hundreds but none were as close as the first one I read.

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