Curtis S NDE

Experience Description

In the summer of 1975, my family was visiting friends in Colorado. My family consisted of four children and the other family had three children. We quickly got bored and asked if we could go outside to play. My younger siblings had to stay with the parents. My older brother was 8 years old and the three other children were ages 7 to 12 years old. We all walked down to the end of the street to an alfalfa field. There was an irrigation ditch that ran through the field and into a culvert under the street. The opening of the culvert had a metal grate to keep trash and debris from clogging the culvert. The ditch was full. As we were playing, I fell backwards into the water. When I hit the water, I could hear everyone screaming my name.

I could see sunlight through the dirty water. Then I started to swallow and breathe in water. The current quickly sucked me under the grate and into the culvert. I was then slowly floating upwards into the sky and looking down at all the children running back to the house to get help. I could see all the houses on the street and even saw the family car parked in front. I don't remember seeing anyone leaving the house but I do remember looking up into the sky. I felt at peace and had no feelings of fear at all.

I then heard my father calling my name. I came back to consciousness while floating on my stomach. I quickly stood up while coughing and puking up water.I saw the light at the entrance of the culvert and had to fight the current of the chest deep water to reach my father. I was about 30 feet inside the culvert. My dad told me to hold my breath as he pulled me out from under the grate. I was carried back to the house where I continued to puke up water for some time.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: Summer, 1975

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident. Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function) I had drowned.

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

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I saw my brother and the others running back to the house. 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. While I was floating above, I was more alert and conscious then I can ever remember being.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? While I was floating above

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

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. Colors were more vivid

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

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? No

Did you see an unearthly light? No

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Peace and acceptance of the situation

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

Did you have a feeling of joy? No

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? No

Did scenes from your past come back to you? No

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? Unknown

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Catholic. I was unaware of the concept of religion or God at the time of my experience.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

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

What is your religion now? Unaffiliated- Atheist

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was both consistent and not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience. I wasn't aware of religion or God at the time

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? No

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? No

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? No

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? No

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? I was uncertain if God exists

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? No

Do you believe in the existence of God after your experience? God does not exist

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

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

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

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

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? Unknown

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? I am uncertain if an afterlife exists. No

Did you fear death prior to your experience? Unknown

Do you fear death after your experience? I do not fear death

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Not 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? Unknown

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant after your experience? Are not meaningful and significant

Did you gain information about how to live our lives? No

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

Were you compassionate prior to your experience? Unknown

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

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? No changes in my life

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

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.

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 had dreams that came true and was awoken from sleep as a child by voices a couple of times.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes About 39 years and got the 'he's crazy' look.

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 never thought much about it untill later in my life

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. It is the most vivid memory of my childhood

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

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? I never acquired a fear of water. I even went on to serve 7 years in the U.S. Navy.