Dave M NDE

Experience Description

On the morning of 11/27/2015, before going to bed after working the night shift, I started to experience chest pain. I dismissed it as heartburn. After about 10 minutes, the pain went away and I went bed. I slept for about 4 hours but was having trouble sleeping, so I got up. When I got out of bed, the chest pain started up again. But this time, it was more intense and wouldn't go away. I broke into a cold sweat and felt nauseous. I realized that I was having a heart attack and called 911. It took the paramedics about 5 minutes to arrive at my apartment. They sat side by side with me on my bed. I told them I thought I was having a heart attack. The pain slowly got worse and after about 5 minutes, I started to lose my hearing. Then, I lost my peripheral vison and everything started to get dark. I also lost the feeling in both my arms just above my elbows. I kept shaking my arms saying, 'I can't feel my arms.' Then, I fell unconscious.

I felt myself fall out of my body. It felt like I was peeled out of my body. What seemed like a couple seconds more, I woke up. But I wasn't where I thought I had fallen. I was in some other realm. At first, I didn't know I had died because I was totally conscious. I was in total awe and amazement at my surroundings. I was surrounded by a green mist. There was a low level of light coming from one side. It seemed to be coming from behind the mist, like I was in some sort of void.

It only took me a couple seconds to realize that I had died. I found myself in a sitting position and I didn't feel any pain. I felt like I was surrounded and wrapped in a warm blanket of fog. I found myself sitting was th green mist. I was alone. I saw that I was transparent. I moved my arms and could just make out the outline of them. I could just make out the outline of my body and I could see the green background through it. I could also see that my legs had different colored veins or lines running through them. I was so observant because I wanted to remember everything I could. I felt like I was sitting right next to my bed, even though I couldn't see it and I knew the paramedics were working on me.

I was so conscious and aware. A million thoughts were going through my mind. I was in total awe and amazement. I just sat there not wanting to move because I thought that if I did move, that I might not be able to come back.

Then I realized that I didn't want to stay there. After I realized I had died, I was upset and became apprehensive. I didn't feel like it was my time to go. I was amazed that we don't die and our consciousness lives on after our physical body dies. But I did want to come back. I sat there for what seemed liked about 20 minutes. The novelty of my situation wore off really fast when I realized how permanent this was and that I might not be coming back. I was saying, 'No, no, no, oh no!' I was torn because the way I felt was wonderful. I felt no pain. I was so conscious and aware. I was in such a beautiful place. It was so surreal. But, I wasn't ready to leave the physical world. Although I am not religious, I sat there hoping and praying that the paramedics could bring me back.

I fell asleep on the other side; in this dream state, I knew exactly what this was. I was conscious that I was dreaming and that I was back in my body. Instantly, a feeling of relief came over me. I don't know how long I was like this, maybe seconds or a minute? I woke up lying on my bed and surrounded by paramedics. The one paramedic kneeling on the bed next to me, told me that my heart had stopped. I just looked at him and was at a loss for words, but I already knew this. I heard a lady paramedic say that my heart stopped for 1 minute.

All of this happened in just a little over a minute. I was amazed because it felt like I was there forever, like time was stretched.

They transported me to the hospital cardiac center where I received two stents in my heart because it was 95% blocked. It's been over 5 years now with no problems. I changed my diet and exercise now. It was a big wakeup call and I am very lucky to be alive. I can't thank the paramedics and staff at the hospital enough for saving my life. I learned something from this: to take better care of myself and to not take life for granted. Consciousness does not die when our physical body dies. We move on, and I caught a glimpse of this. I'm still agnostic as I didn't see anyone. But after what I experienced, anything is possible and I'm a lot more open-minded.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 11/27/2015

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Heart attack. CPR given. Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function) Cardiac arrest with 95% blockage of the left coronary artery

How do you consider the content of your experience? Both pleasant AND distressing

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes. 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 felt more conscious and my thinking was very clear. It didn't feel like I was in a dream-like state. I was totally aware and conscious, if not more so than in the physical world

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I was more conscious the instant I found myself in this other dimension. It was amazing how clear my thoughts were. It wasn't like a dream until the paramedics were able to revive me. I actually fell asleep on the other side when they revived me. I was sitting there in this void. Then I just fell asleep and came back to my ody.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Faster than usual

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Time seemed to go faster or slower than usual. It felt like at least 20 minutes had gone by, like I was waiting forever for the the paramedics to hopefully revive me. I found out my heart had only stopped for one minute. That was hard for me to believe.

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. My vision was perfect there. My everyday vision is poor and I need glasses.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I didn't hear anything but I could hear myself talk. I said aloud, 'I died?' After I figured out I had died and I heard myself say this loud and clear.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere, as if by ESP? No

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? 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 I was surrounded by a green mist or fog with a low level of light coming from behind this mist. The light seemed to be coming from one area where I found myself sitting. It was like sitting in a room with the lights turned on very low.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm. I was transparent and surrounded by a green mist or fog; it was very surreal.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Amazement, awe, astonishment, peacefulness, apprehensiveness. I was upset because I didn't feel like it was my time, but when I was revived by the paramedics I was little upset because it was so peaceful there and I was in pain again. I was torn but happier to be alive.

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? No

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? Unaffiliated- Agnostic

What is your religion now? Unaffiliated- Agnostic I am still Agnostic but know that there is an afterlife

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'm agnostic but always felt that we couldn't just cease to exist. That has always bothered me. I'm not religious but now I know our consciousness does not die when our physical body dies.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I treat people with a lot more respect. I'm way more careful how I treat others.

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

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? Uncertain. If you would say that knowing our consciousness does not die after our physical body dies is a special knowledge.

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

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? I was uncertain if an afterlife exists

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? Slight changes in my life. I think I show a lot more compassion and empathy towards people after this experience. It was a very humbling experience; I felt helpless.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No Yes because when I found myself on the other side

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. I remember every little bit of this event more than anything that was going on at this time in my life, it's like a movie in my head, I made a real conscious effort to remember every last detail of what happened on that day. I'm a little OCD about it and probably have some PTSD also, but in a good way. It was a true revelation for me to know that we just don't die. I have lost most of my fear of death, although will always be a little apprehensive about it even knowing what I know.

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? I was amazed at how I was in no pain whatsoever. I could feel my spirit body and how conscious and aware I was.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I shared it right away, I had people that listened and believe me, people that scoffed at me, and people that would get down right angry, it was a mix of reactions from people. How I feel is that I know what happened was very real and I don't have to prove it to anyone.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes I had read a few and found them interesting stories, I wasn't sure about them until I had one of my own to tell.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real. I was way to conscious for my experience to not be real. I was there and it was not a dream. Everything that happened adds up to being real; like the feeling of my spirit peeling out of my body and just waking up in this totally different realm or plane of existence wide awake. It was definitely real. There was no question in my mind then now, or weeks later. I never doubted myself.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. I remember ever last detail like it's a movie recorded in my mind.

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? Yes