Debra B NDE

Experience Description

I don't remember anything before the accident, as me and my ex-boyfriend were drinking heavily.

All I know is it happened around 3:00 a.m. and the next thing I know, I feel this floating sensation - I wasn't in my body. Next, it was really dark, like a tunnel floating toward this light and as I was floating further on the light was getting bigger and brighter. Next, I saw my mom (she died in 2000) and she was standing in front of the light. She was wearing this white gown and it looked as if she was glowing. She had her head down and her eyes up staring at me and we were communicating in our minds. It was as if we could read each other's thoughts! I don't remember what we talked about, but I still remember what she looked like and that stare - the stare she always had when she was alive and worried about something.

I was in a coma for a month, but it didn't feel that long at all in my NDE. It felt like maybe an hour or less, which tells me time doesn't exist in the afterlife!

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 'April 23, 2005'

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes AccidentSurgery-relatedDirect head injury Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) My ex-boyfriend pushed me out of his car moving at 40 mph I lost ten percent of my brain when I was pushed from the moving car, I cracked the left side of my skull and part of my brain was dragging on the street. I cracked my left eye socket and my brain was coming through my eye pushing it out. I was in an instant coma, I had a tracheotomy, I was on life support, etc.

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 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 When I saw my mom, but I was still confused.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When I saw my mom, but I was still confused.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Faster than usual

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning It didn't seem like any time existed there.

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. I didn't feel like I was in my physical body at all, I felt as if I was floating toward the light and my mom. Communication wasn't of this world as we know it here - it was in our minds and reading from your mind what each one of us was saying.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. It was very clear.

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 It was a dark tunnel with a floating sensation moving toward a bright light.

The experience included: Presence of deceased persons

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 My mom and we communicated in our minds, not by mouth verbally like we do in this world.

The experience included: Darkness

The experience included: Light

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 a little light and as I was floating closer to the light it was brighter and brighter.

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Confusion, relaxed, unafraid, and peaceful.

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 'I don't believe in any religion, I believe in God and that there is a Heaven / after life.'

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I don't go to church, I never have. I believe in God and if I want to pray, he will hear me wherever.

What is your religion now? Liberal 'Don't have a specific religion, I believe in God and when I pray I can do it anywhere and the lord hears me.'

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I don't go to church, I never have. I believe in God and if I want to pray, he will hear me wherever.

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? Uncertain I'm uncertain, I sensed I was out of my physical body on my way to the afterlife.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I love my husband, I met a man who I love that doesn't make a lot of money - but that doesn't matter. What matters to me in life, now more than it used to, is having love. You're rich if you have love and you're in love.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes When I woke up from my one month coma I was calling everyone mom and asking where my mom went?

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes I sensed a few things after my NDE and they happened.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Yes, I always believed but until a NDE happens to anyone they change for the better. At least I did! I pray all the time and not for selfish things. I care about people more and want to help if I can. I really do thank God for my experience; I think it has made me a far better person today.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes As soon as I came out of my coma I was calling everyone mom. I still tell others, but not as much. Some people look at me in a strange way. I can't tell if they think I'm full of it - I get a sense they fear me when I tell people. So I tend to keep it to myself - to strangers anyway!

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes My mom had a NDE when she was younger and it was nothing like mine, she saw colors she couldn't explain that don't compare to any colors here in this world.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real I know it was real and this is the part that is hard to put into words for people to understand it. I just know it was real and nobody you can share your story with will every feel what I felt until they experience it themselves.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real It was real, I can say no more. You have to experience it or others won't feel what I felt.

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