Francisco GV NDE

Experience Description

I was studying during the ninth semester of my career and in the university there were extracurricular activities like culture and sports. I practiced in the Aquatic and Diving Rescue [division of] sports activities. Only persons experienced in swimming and without fear of the water were admitted since it was a high risk activity. The segments were three times per week: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, three hours per segment.

At the end of every segment, I practiced an exercise, which is called amnea. This exercise is swimming below water holding your breath. During my final amnea I commented to the instructor that I wanted to swim seventy-five [metros] underneath the water. He was in agreement. I hyperventilated, filled my lungs with air, and submerged myself to the bottom of the pool. I passed the sixty metros without problems.

All of a sudden, my vision started to malfunction - I saw the edge of the pool [as if] very far away and I stopped feeling any kind of sensation, like cold, wanting to breathe, emotion, etc. Suddenly what I could see, I saw from afar as if I was drowning in my own vision. Everything turned dark for a very brief instant, because after that, I saw a tunnel of a dark color and my body headed towards it.

When I reached the end of the tunnel I found a landscape of an intense white color, but it did not hurt my vision. I didn't feel afraid. I felt very tranquil. Then I saw a friend who had died a while back; he had been my best friend. His name is Nestor. I felt very happy to see him, but at no time was I afraid. We had the following conversation:

Nestor: How are you?

Me: Good, very good.

Nestor: Don't worry about anything. Everything is fine.

Me: Thanks. How are you?

Nestor: I am good. Everything in life shall be fine; everything will come out very well for you. Don't worry about anything.

That was our conversation; I remember very well those words. The two of us were face to face and my friend touched my shoulder. I wasn't afraid and in that moment I was only happy to see him and his words made me feel very content. It seemed as if he'd never died; his body and face were the same as the last time I saw him alive.

Then I wanted to ask him many questions but I felt as if a force pulled me backwards; it pulled me in a very soft way. I saw how it pushed me towards the tunnel. I looked behind me and saw myself floating over a group of persons; they were pressing my chest to bring me back to life. I saw everything they were doing: their faces [filled] with fear, their desperation and I saw myself lying on the ground face up, totally pale.

All of a sudden, I opened my eyes and I was very calm. I didn't feel any fear whatsoever. I was very relaxed and content. I asked them what had happened and they couldn't answer me because they were too scared. The instructor only told me to not to move, to stay calm, but I responded that I felt totally well. I was the one who was calming my companions. They asked me to sit and breathe. I was calm and without problems.

Fortunately, water didn't enter my lungs so I didn't have difficulty breathing. I didn't tell my friends about my NDE for fear of what they would say; I only told my father and one friend.

That is my version of what happened, but there is also the version of my companions and the instructor. Their version is very different from mine. They recounted the following:

When I was doing the amnea they saw that I reached the seventy-five meters without problems. I raised my head from the water and once more submerged myself into the pool. As they saw I had finished the amnea, they turned their eyes away and in another direction, towards the watering cans (showers). One of my companions had forgot his visor and flippers and got out of the showers and headed toward the other side of the pool. Suddenly, he saw me submerged at the bottom and he thought it was a joke but then he realized I was unconscious at the bottom. He called the instructor and between all of them, they pulled me out of the pool. When they finally got me out, they couldn't bring me back to life. I wasn't breathing; they took my pulse and couldn't find it. They didn't give me mouth-to-mouth resuscitation; they only gave me a strong punch to my chest which is when I opened my eyes.

I don't remember having reached the seventy-five meters in my amnea but they say that I did reach it; therefore, I lost that part of my memory. About the respiration and pulse, those who were present are experts in that. One is a fireman, another is an emergency nurse; another is the instructor of aquatic and diving rescue and the rest were diving rescuers.

Although I'd be afraid of the water after what happened, but to the contrary; the water seems more agreeable from that moment on and I'm not at all afraid of death, even the site where I saw myself during my NDE seems pleasant. I am not an expert on NDE's and I've recounted my experience on forums trying to resolve some concerns and to find people with similar experiences. I've even been restless enough to want to hypnotize myself to relive that moment if that is possible.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: octubre del 2004

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? No al realisar un entrenamiento de buceo en una alberca Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) mis pulmones dejaron de funcionar asi como mi corazon fuy vuelto ala vida por un experto en rescate acuatico y buceo

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

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? Normal consciousness and alertness

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? While I chatted with my friend who, months ago, had died; when I arrived at the light and when I left the light.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Incredibly fast

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning I lost all notion of time; I didn't know what time I was chatting with my friend or how long my trip was; I don't know, either, how much time I was unconscious.

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 saw the objects far away but very sharply.

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 I passed through a tunnel to arrive at an area filled with 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 I saw a friend who months ago had died. He was my best friend. His name is Nestor. We had a conversation.

The experience included: Void

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 At the end of the tunnel I saw a light. When I arrived at the light I realized that it was a place without borders - all lit up and completely silent.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm fue un paisaje totalmente iluminado muy tranquilo

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt very tranquil, relaxed, without fear, happy.

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? Moderate

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes In reality, I was never very religious but my way of seeing religions changed; I respect them very much more; I am more tolerant about the beliefs of others.

What is your religion now? Moderate

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes In reality, I was never very religious but my way of seeing religions changed; I respect them very much more; I am more tolerant about the beliefs of others.

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? Yes The only awareness that I had was that what awaits me after death is something beautiful and wonderful; and that in my life I should not worry; that everything will be all right.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I am more patient, calmer. I don't get stressed as I used to before.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

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? There were several significant experiences. For instance, the seeing of my friend who had died. The message that my dead friend gave me. My seeing myself stretched out on the ground without life. And awakening feeling happy and content.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I told my father after a week and also one friend and they seemed very surprised. The took a posture that indicated a belief similar to mine in what exists after death.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes I had heard talk of them, but I didn't know much about the topic.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real Very real; I know it was real. I didn't imagine it. It was something that definitely occurred.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real It was real, very real. I remember many details, even more details than experiences that I have day-to-day.

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? One year after that experience I was eating with my family in the dining room; it was 3:00 in the afternoon. When we finished eating, my parents went to their room to watch TV. I laid down on the rug of the living room. Suddenly I felt, several times, as if I were sinking into the floor and I couldn't move, try as hard as I might. Additionally, I couldn't talk, nor could I yell. To one side of me, I saw my father sitting on the sofa, looking at me and smiling. When I saw him I became calm. He told me to calm down; that he'd come to tell me everything would be alright; not to worry about anything; that everything would be alright in my life. At that moment, I calmed down a great deal; the body of my father was the same but his face was more tranquil, full of peace. The words that he spoke to me and the calm that he imparted were the same that my dead friend had given me during the NDE. When I could move, I turned to see that my father was not present. I got up with much difficulty; I was very tired. I arrived at my parents' bedroom and I saw them asleep. I awoke my father and asked him if he had gone into the living room; he told me that, no, he'd been asleep. I didn't want to tell him of that experience.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? If you would like other details or information you can communicate with me via letter, preferably, or, if not, email.