Carmen M NDE

Experience Description

I was driving on I10 Highway heading to San Diego. I was just outside of Fort Stockton, Texas when my tires hit the rumble strips and I tried to turn the steering wheel to get back on the highway. I was not asleep or drowsy because I had stopped not far from there to gas up and take my puppies for a walk. It was about fifty miles into the trip was when my car went out of control. When I turned my steering wheel, it overcompensated and the car spun and hit the mountain head on, spun, rolled and caught on fire. The strange thing is that when my car started to go out of control it seems like a peaceful feeling engulf me and I felt like a floating sensation and in a dreamlike state. I do not remember ever hitting the mountain or the car rolling or any sensation of impact. I felt like I was watching a slow motion picture - but it didn't make any sense to me. Somewhere in that state, I remember thinking about my kids and how sad they would be if their mom was dead in an accident. I saw flashes of their faces, then total blackness.

For a long time I felt like I was walking in a black tunnel and no way out. The next thing I remember is looking up into a face of a man - he's trying to talk to me. I don't feel like I am in my body but hovering or disconnected from it somehow - I felt nothing - no pain, nothing, just peace. I looked past him and saw my car a few yards away and there were many people standing around looking at me or looking at the car. Then I went back into the tunnel - pitch black.

I came to when they were putting me into a CAT-scan. I still feel disconnected from my body - I felt a sense of calm and inner peace throughout the whole process. Nothing bothered me; I was not worried about anything. I later found out I was unconscious when they pulled me out of the car, bleeding from the head, neither of my airbags were deployed. My seatbelt was the only thing that saved my life - I was hanging out the door with seatbelt choking off my airway and seatbelt burned to my chest. They thought I had broken my pelvic bone, ribs, arms and severe head trauma. I sustained no broken bones, only bruises and a gash to my head. I lost consciousness before impact and that was what saved me from major broken bones - because I was in a state of relaxed and limp form. My pup was ejected out the window during impact and died. The other one survived because he was between my legs. Everyone calls me the miracle walking girl when they see the photos of my injuries and my wreck car. Highway patrol, doctor, paramedics, and even the person who pulled me out said I am one lucky lady. They can't believe I survived.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 07/02/2010

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident. Direct head injury 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' Head trauma, bleeding, in major car accident, car was totaled.

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 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? Less consciousness and alertness than normal Just before the accident.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Just before the accident.

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 Time was slowed - seems like it was a long time - when I woke up it was only an hour of unconsciousness.

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 seems like it was hazy or like streaks of lights on the outer edge - more focused in the center - like a dream state or slow motion. Like time slowed down.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Almost like listening in a distance.

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? Yes I was in a dark tunnel - pitch black.

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

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

The experience included: Darkness

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? No

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

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? As if I was floating near my body but not completely left it, just inches off or hovering over the body.

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? 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? Liberal Methodist

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I now believe that there is something more after you die.

What is your religion now? Liberal Methodist

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I now believe that there is something more after you die.

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? No

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes Feeling of peace, a calmness that enveloped me - as if I was watching it in slow motion.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Uncertain I have some psychic ability before the event. I knew that morning around 9:30 am when I text my ex-boyfriend and told him I felt like I was going to die on the highway that day. 4:30 pm same day I had my accident.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? The sense of peace and calmness that I felt throughout the whole ordeal. Even of hearing about my puppy that died in the car accident. I could not shed a tear or was apprehensive after finding out that I had been in a major accident. I felt numb or no sense of pain despite my five inch gash to my head, concussion and multiple bruises and cuts. No pain. I took no pain meds since the day of release from hospital. Despite advice from a doctor for me to not drive but to take a flight home. I drove from Texas to San Diego on my own with no pain meds and was not scared to drive. I also noticed that my wounds have healed extraordinarily fast. In less than two and half weeks - my scar is barely noticeable and bruises are gone. Most people are amazed that I act so calm about the whole thing and walking around like I was not even in an accident.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Two weeks - had positive feedback from some - some kind of changed the subject or felt uncomfortable talking about it.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Uncertain Not really, never really paid much attention or believed it.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real I believe it is real because of unexplainable things that I have no explanation for or the sense of peace I feel inside despite the ordeal.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real It is still vivid in my mind and a nagging feeling that I need to understand it.

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