Debbie S Mother NDE

Experience Description

As my mother described her experience to me:

When she was about 25 years old, she had to have surgery to remove a brain tumor. While in surgery, she remembered lying in bed and suddenly seeing a bright light outside the window. In the yard were several cherubs dancing around a Maypole. She said all the cherubs looked just like me. While that was going on outside the window, the Virgin Mary appeared in her room, and told my mother it was time to go with her. Mom said to her that she couldn't go with her because 'Al and the kids need me'. Al was my dad. At the time of her surgery, my sister would have been three and I would have been 1 or 2 years old. The Virgin Mary told my mom that it was okay, that she could stay here and take care of us. The Virgin Mary and the cherubs then left and the bright light was gone. Mom said when she woke up after surgery, the doctors told her that they had lost her on the table and had to resuscitate her.

Two years ago, my mom passed away. Before she did, while she was still coherent and alert, she told us she wasn't afraid to die because she already knew where she was going.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 1958?

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Uncertain Surgery-related. Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function) My mother's experience occurred while she was undergoing surgery for a brain tumor.

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

Did you feel separated from your body? Uncertain I can't answer this. 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 I'm not sure.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I'm not sure.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

Were your senses more vivid than usual? No

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I would guess it was the same.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I would guess it was the same.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? No

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Uncertain

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

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes The cherubs, who were outside the window, all looked like me.

The experience included: Unearthly light

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? An unusually bright light

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes Mom said she saw a bright light outside a window.

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Judging from the way Mom relayed the experience to me, I'd have to say she felt peace and love.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Relief or calmness

Did you have a feeling of joy? Happiness

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? I came to a definite conscious decision to return to life My mom told the Virgin Mary that she couldn't go with her yet because her family needed her.

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

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What importance do you place on your religious/spiritual life after your experience? Greatly important to me

What is your religion now? Other or several faiths This is my mother's experience and she is now deceased. She has related her experience to me, in great detail, several times over the years.

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 Encountering the Virgin Mary would have been consistent with my mom's beliefs as a Catholic.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes After my mom's experience, she was certain of where she would go when she died.

The experience included: Presence of unearthly beings

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 Mom said she saw and had a conversation with the Virgin Mary.

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I actually saw them

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.)? Yes The Virgin Mary

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? God definitely exists

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes My mom was absolutely certain, the being she encountered, during her experience, was the Virgin Mary. God definitely exists.

Do you believe in the existence of God after your experience? God definitely exists

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? An afterlife definitely exists Yes My mom said the Virgin Mary told her it was time to go home with her.

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? Unknown

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? Unknown

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? Yes I would have to guess that Mom felt a great sense of love from the Virgin Mary.

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Unknown

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 as accurately as 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? No

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? The whole experience was very meaningful to my mom. It was something that she never forgot, and wasn't afraid to talk about it openly.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Besides myself, I honestly don't know.

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'm sure she believed her experience was real.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real Mom knew her experience was real right up until the time of her death. She told us she wasn't afraid to die because she already knew where she was going.

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