Dr. Samuel R NDE

Experience Description

I went on a weekend white water trip with friends on the Gauly and New Rivers in rural West Virginia. There were six men and a guide in the boat. We went through a dangerous stretch of rapids in the river and the boat capsized. Although we had been instructed what to do in such a given situation, it was terrifying. I went under the water and entered what is known as a hydraulic; like being in a spinning washing machine. I am a type A person but remembered that to survive, I had to stay calm. I was submerged in the river for what seemed like a very long time.

I felt no panic, but instead I felt eerie calm and very peaceful. It was as if I were floating. Perhaps it was an out of body experience, but I still don't know to this day. The feelings of peace and calm were overwhelming, almost like a sense of joy. Then I saw the white light. I really thought I was hallucinating, but swam towards the light anyway. Then both of my deceased parents appeared from nowhere. My parents had died the previous year; within six months of each other in 2009. I was shocked and overjoyed as I continued to make my way to them. I still felt an extreme sense of euphoria, contentment, and peace. I greeted them and told them that I wanted to be with them. I actually pleaded with them to let me come with them. They told me to go back. We argued. I pleaded some more to stay with them. They told me that it wasn't my time yet. I started to cry. I don't know why whether it was the joy of reuniting with them or because of my grief in missing them. My emotions and reasons were very confusing. I did go back away from them and the white light.

In time, I resurfaced under the raft and made my way from under it. I was still in danger, so I floated feet first as I'd been instructed. I saw a buddy who I knew was a very experienced rafter, yet he was also in distress and struggling. I went to him and sucker punched him because I believed he was in shock. We both managed to survive unscathed. We continued on our journey but for the next hour there was dead silence amongst us.

Postmortem I discussed this experience with seasoned guides. They said that I did, indeed, experience the light and my parents.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: Sept 2010

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident. Life threatening event, but not clinical death. White water rafting during a dam release in West Virigina. We were in dangerous rapids and capsized in Class 5/6 rapids

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

Did you feel separated from your body? Uncertain It was almost like a 'Wizard of Oz' experience when Dorothy goes over the rainbow when she really was unconscious. I did feel a disassociation from my body. 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 an adrenaline rush and the flight or fight response associated with that. I didn't feel fear, apprehension, or lethargy.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Before and after the raft capsized. I was lucid during my encounter

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. I know this encounter was brief, but it seemed like an eternity at the time. To this day, I don't know how much time really elapsed. Years later, I saw the movie 'Contact' with Jodie Foster. She supposedly travels to a distant world and loses all sense of time. This was very similar to my experience.

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 during the encounter was extremely clear. Time seemed to have stood still but I believe it was very brief in retrospect. All of my senses were heightened in that moment. At the time, I was surprised how clearly I could see since I was underwater.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. We were in a tempest, hydraulic spin. The rapids were deafening, yet during the experience, it was SILENT.

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? I actually saw them

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 I was submerged underwater. It was a beautiful shade of sapphire. Although it felt like I was looking through a prism that distorts things, it was uncharacteristically clear

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm

What emotions did you feel during the experience? love joy euphoria sadness

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? No

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control. I felt that my parents were lecturing me, telling me what to do, but in a loving manner. They seemed otherworldly.

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. I guess the will to live was strong.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Jewish, somewhat observant customs and religion

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I want to believe in a supreme being. However it is difficult because of all the evil in the world. Covid has exacerbated it.

What is your religion now? Jewish not affiliated. Disenfranchised mainly due to fallout from Covid

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. Consistent with my religious beliefs of the afterlife.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? No

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. I heard both my parents talking to me. Mainly my mother spoke and her words were muffled but discernable.

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.)? No

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? No

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Yes my belief model from reading, outside experiences of others was that the white light is the entry point to another unearthly world such as heaven

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Uncertain I saw the white light. It was drawing me towards it. I was aware of it from what I believed. I felt that God was waiting for me.

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? No

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

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? Yes I was very alert. I do believe I was fully conscious. I did NOT suffer a head trauma. I 'SAW' my parents. It was very real.

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? Yes The absolute certainty that my parents were deceased.

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Yes the love from the encounter was brilliant overwhelming and all encompassing

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Slight changes in my life

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Uncertain Not sure. More aware of others thoughts and experiences

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 more accurately than 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 clarity and realness of the encounter

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes immediately - I'm a talker

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes readings, experiences of others news articles

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was probably real. I was in my late 50s. Why did this not happen before?

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. Maybe we need to believe in an afterlife. I think our physical presence dies, but not our soul.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Yes I few years later, I again went rafting over a waterfall. You must think I'm unhinged. I survived without incident but the experience bought me back to the day on the Gauley in West Virginia.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? It was a comprehensive and quite exhaustive. My expertise is limited regarding data gathering and statistics.