Dennis G NDE

Experience Description

I was driving out west with my destination being Hollywood, California. My place of departure was Baltimore, Maryland. I met a guy going west in Kentucky. After seeing his license and determining his ability to drive safely we relieved each other on the trip out there. Somewhere in Arizona, I became too tired to drive. The other driver had slept several hours and stated he could drive safely. I got in the passenger seat, put the seat back to relax, and reminded him of the need for safety that late at night. I took off my seat belt to stretch out (a bad idea).

After I had slept for some time, I heard a loud voice cry out, 'Oh my GOD!' I felt a floating sensation then a terrible impact. I felt my body being tossed around violently. (My background in landing on the ground during my skydiving days trained me to totally relax in order to minimize body damage.) Then a strange thing happened. Time seemed to stand still and I saw a black hole with a bright light at the end of it. As I passed through the black hole, the noise was deafening and made a whooshing sound as I exited it. I found 'myself' above my body with my friend trying to bring me back to life using any means possible. As I was 'floating' above my body there was a feeling of serenity like I've never experienced before.

Evidently, he was successful in getting me back because I felt like I was falling into a black hole. I looked up into his eyes with him saying 'My God' I got you back!' At this time, whatever injuries I suffered during the crash was evident by the pain I felt. I had a concussion and a badly sprained shoulder. My head was also cut after going through the windshield. The funny thing was before going back to the body there was no feeling of pain whatsoever. A state police car pulled up and I got up and walked to the patrol car with much difficulty. After going to a hospital in Needles, California it was established the cause of the accident was a car crossing the median strip and on a possible head on collision with us. To be honest with you (up to that time) I really was uncertain of any life after death or anything pertaining to it. My car had come off a large hill at approximately eighty miles an hour, rolled over several times and partially tore the engine out of the car. I walked away from it with minimal injuries. My sister picked me up at the hospital driving from Venice, California. We drove to a location where my car was towed to pick up my valuables. The tow truck driver couldn't believe someone could have lived in that car. It seems it just wasn't my time.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 'June 12,1977'

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes AccidentDirect head injury Life threatening event, but not clinical death Serious car accident.

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 As above.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Strangely, my clearest recollection of the accident was above the body because I could see quite a distance from my 'vantage point '.

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

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 only thing I noticed is that I really didn't feel like I was in a body but seemed to be part of the wind. It's really hard to describe.

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 A very dark hole.

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

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? No

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 The light was at the end of the 'tunnel'.

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? It's like an obligation that was held over your head and was suddenly paid. An uncanny feeling of serenity.

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

Did you have a feeling of joy? Happiness

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? Moderate

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Uncertain

What is your religion now? Moderate

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Uncertain

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? No

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Uncertain

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes At the time it wasn't as recognized as it is now.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes I seemed to be acutely aware of the presence of a deceased person in a funeral parlor. I seem to feel that the person lying in the coffin is nearby but in another state. I don't feel death but the existence of a soul.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? The feeling that death is only a part of life with death being just another journey into the unknown.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Quite some time after the 'event'. At that time, it wasn't discussed on television as it is now. After seeing several discussions, relating to paranormal events, it was much easier to relate what happened to me. I didn't want to be labeled a nut.

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 There was no way I could have seen the damage of the car from a low vantage point. The damage was too extensive and widespread. I was able to see my friend try to 'bring me back' like I was at a vantage point approximately thirty feet in the air.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real It has changed my viewpoint on death and (when at a funeral parlor visiting a relative) wanting to talk to the deceased because I feel the presence of the person.

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 have read many articles about life changing experiences and was also interested in a problem I experienced earlier in life. As a boy, I encountered a 'gift' that came about without any warning. At the age of fourteen, I was talking to a friend's grandmother on a porch one afternoon. It was just a casual conversation while I waited for my friend to finish dinner. As we were talking her face seemed to light up even though it was broad daylight. To be honest with you it startled me. I looked around to see the source of the light but there was none. She passed away the next day. Several years later, I was talking to my uncle in his garden. His face seemed to light up and it sent a chill down my back. He died the next day. The next summer I was attending a Catechism class and my pastor up front of the classroom was asking questions. The same chills swept up my spine. I thought it really wasn't possible because he was only thirty-one and the picture of health. Two days later, he dropped dead on the church steps. I was dating a girl but never met her father. During the time of our dating, she showed me a picture of her father. The same chill swept down my spine and about a month later, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He died shortly after that. After that, I was in my bed and actually spoke out that I didn't want the responsibility of knowing the imminent death of a person. How do you look a person in the face and tell them your feeling is they are close to death? After talking aloud, in my bedroom, about not wanting the responsibility anymore the feelings subsided. I was alone in my bedroom and there was no one around to hear me but somehow it never happened again. Who was listening to my plea? Why did it stop and could it come back or something else if I requested it?