Daniel W NDE

Experience Description

I was in the Army assigned to Germany. I had a childhood friend from the States come to stay for a couple weeks. We were coming back to Germany from Holland and driving down the German Autobahn. I began to feel ill and had a strange sensation in both arms. I decided to pull over to the shoulder as I felt progressively worse. I had just started to change lanes when I passed out behind the wheel. My friend Hobert had been a respiratory therapist for 30 years. He was looking out the passenger side window and did not notice me until the car began drifting closer toward the shoulder. Hobert took the wheel and steered the car onto the shoulder of the Autobahn. Before he could bring the car to a complete stop he heard the 'death rattle' coming from me.

I remember thinking to myself, 'I don't have to breathe' and then I thought, 'Of course you have to breathe.' At that moment, I was suspended in the air and looking down at someone standing in a solid shaft of light, surrounded by a sea of black. I could see the person talking. I then realized that person was me. Instantly, I was now standing in the shaft of light. The light was extremely bright. It amazed me that it did not burn me, I didn't have to squint my eyes, and the light went above me as far as my eyes could see. I looked in front of me and noticed the sea of blackness was immense. I could see through the blackness and into the blackness. It made me question how I could see a shadow on a shadow.

I had been hurt prior to this in the Army, with a broken back, neck, left ankle and had blown out my left knee, so I knew pain on a daily basis. As I stood there though, I realized that I felt great. I didn't hurt or have any pain. Then, I realized time wasn't measured there, so I thought about it. No minutes hours or days? There wasn't any weeks or years. I didn't know how I knew that, but I knew I knew it. I didn't know where I was, nor how I got there. I wasn't afraid. I was fascinated by everything.

The whole time, I wanted to walk forward despite not knowing what I was going forward into. I didn't take a step no matter how badly I wanted to do so because I knew that I could not look behind me. I was thinking about going forward, when a voice spoke to me. The voice was like a thousand rivers, yet I could hear the words and feel the words as they 'washed' over me.

Immediately, every part of what I thought was my being felt even better than before. I felt so happy and joyful. I not only heard the voice in my ears, it felt as if my blood, my cells, and every part of me heard it. I was so alive that words fail me. There is nothing I can say to communicate how great and wonderful I felt. The voice said to me, 'What do you want to do?' I answered, 'I wanted to go forward.' I was asked, 'What about Becky and the girls?' Becky and I had been married over 30 years by then and had two teenage daughters. I answered, 'Becky will be just fine. She is a strong woman and will raise those girls right.' The voice spoke again, but I cannot remember what was said. I remember being taken back and I remember my answer 'Okay? What's next?' This whole conversation happened and I still didn't know who I was talking too.

Then, I was lying in a snowbank on the side of the road. Hobert had pulled me from the driver's seat to the shoulder of the road to begin CPR. He told me he went through several iterations of CPR with no response. He decided to try a cardiac thump procedure that is no longer used or recommended. He later told me that it was the third strike on my chest with a hammer fist that brought results. When I opened my eyes I could not see. I thought I was in a cloud, as the heat from my body was melting the snow under me; like by at least 4 inches. I was engulfed in a steam cloud.

At this time, I was very sick, with my whole body revolting. Hobert had to drag me to the passenger side and load me in the car. Then he proceeded to drive at breakneck speeds to find help. He was visiting Germany; he had no idea where he was and couldn't speak the language. After several miles he found a gas station to pull into. There was only one lady working at the station. Through frantic hand-gestures including praying hands, Hobert got the lady to come out to the car. When she saw me she knew I was deathly sick and soon an ambulance arrived.

In Germany, the ambulances have a doctor. He gave me two injections through my blue jeans into my thighs. I began to feel better and could speak again. I asked, 'Why did you do that Hobert?' They took me to a German Hospital and I was then stable. I stayed two nights there while they prepped me for a MEDEVAC flight out of Germany to Walter Reed Army Hospital. The evening before my flight, I asked the Germans to let me go home to prepare for my flight. I was already wearing a halter monitor so if anything happened they would know. Since I lived so close to the Army hospital, they agreed. I repeatedly asked Hobert, 'Are you sure I was dead?' I ask him so many times, he was angry when he answered for the final time, 'Yes, I know dead. You were dead, clinically dead.' I got home that evening and was troubled, restless, anxious, and just pacing the floor. I could not believe what had happened. I thought it was all a dream. I didn't feel dead. I wasn't dead as far as I was concerned.

All of these thoughts were whizzing through my mind when I felt compelled to go outside. It was late at night or very early morning when I stepped out the patio door and under the porch awning. Under the southwest corner of the awning, I noticed light. The light was the lower half of a circle and I thought it the moon. As I stepped out from under the awning, I saw Jesus surrounded by light and sitting on a white throne. I rubbed my eyes. Then looked again and still saw Jesus on His throne. I covered my face with my hands and fell to my knees. I peeked through the slits of my fingers. Jesus was still on His throne. I fell prostrate into the snow and prayed the Lord's Prayer. When I looked up again, the nights sky was empty save the stars and moon. I cried for some time but was at peace. I was no longer troubled and was at ease with myself. I went inside and turned on the TV because I just knew thousands of people saw what I saw and it would be all over every channel. Yet, it was only meant for me to see. I no longer had any doubt what had happened to me; it was all very real. I knew then that there is a living God and His Son is Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Lord. I just knew it. The proceeding is my testimony, given freely. I know what I saw; what I heard, and I know it wasn't a dream or brain activity. I stood before God and He spoke to me. Although I could not see Him, I knew He was there. It was an amazing and wonderful experience.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: Nov 2006

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? No. Heart attack. CPR given cardiac thump resuscitated Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function)

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

Did you feel separated from your body? No. 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. I knew things I didn't know. I knew that time wasn't measured but I didn't know how I knew that. I just knew it.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When I was standing in the shaft of light.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning Time wasn't measured there. I don't know how I knew that but I did. I absolutely knew it.

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. The strange thing was, I could see through this blackness. It was a towering wall that equaled the shaft of light. It went on and on and on. I could see it to the horizon and I didn't know how.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. My whole body felt like an ear; every part of me heard the voice.

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? A light clearly of mystical or other-worldly origin

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes It was the brightest light the most intense shaft of light. It was like an air raid spotlight but it was so soft. It wasn't hot. I didn't have to shield my eyes.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? Some unfamiliar and strange place. I didn't know where I was but that did not concern me the least.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Joy, LOVE, Happiness, elation, wonderful magnificent...there are no words to describe it.

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 no longer in conflict with nature

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 was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Other Christian I didn't have much religion but I had faith, as I do now.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Christian- Other Christian

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience. I don't understand the question. The content was like something I've never experienced. I didn't know who I was talking to until after I returned to my body

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes God's law is more important to me now than ever.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? I heard a voice I could not identify. It was like the sound of water like a million rivers but I heard the words. It was wonderful.

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

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

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Yes I can see the truth; I can see the lies. I can feel it.

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

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? No

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

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

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life. I have changed my life to attempt to live righteously. I go as far as to try to even control my thoughts and correct myself when I either think or speak in a manner that would displease God. I will witness to strangers and talk about the Lord God, but the words are not my words, they come from my mouth but seemingly without thought, even teenagers whom I've never met before sat and listened to me and nodded in agreement.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Many of my friends family have drawn even closer and now speak of the Lord and the signs and wonders that are happening right now in this world.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes There are no words that can describe it. It was beyond any word and yet all I saw was a white shaft of light and a sea of blackness surrounding it.

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 as accurately as other life events that occurred around the time of the experience. The third time I was spoken to, none of the words are available to me. I remember the rest of the conversation without struggle but I cannot recall what was said prior to my answer of 'Okay what's next?'

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes I saw Jesus sitting on a white throne. I saw n aura of light 360 degrees around Him. He was radiating light so much so I could not see His face

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Knowing that God spoke to me and knowing I was close to God. I believe He could see me. How wonderful is that?

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Immediately. Most were reserved in their reactions, even my wife. Many laugh at me and said it was brain activity or some other happening.

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. At first, I didn't know what had happened I thought it a dream, but then I saw Jesus on His throne and I know it was real. It was all real.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was probably not real. It was real; I've received another message years later as I worked my garden. The voice said to me Stay Ready Daniel, three times, it was so clear so real I looked around to see who said it, when I saw no one there and it dawned on me what had just happened I feel to my knees in prayer.

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? no

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? I've not the slightest idea, but this one seems to be covers all the bases.