Joe A NDE

Experience Description

I was running track at my high school. I was a fast runner and was ahead of everyone when I turned my head to look back at the other runners. When I turned back around, I ran into a steel pole (light pole for the baseball field) I was knocked out. I remember seeing myself from above as I lay there. I saw myself lying there and the other boys gathered around me. It seems like it only lasted a few seconds. I remember having a strange feeling of seeing myself lying there.

When I came to, all the boys that were running with me and the boys practicing on the other baseball field were standing around me. The coach had them carry me to the gymnasium where the high school principle met us. They called my brother who was a senior at the time and had him drive me home. When we got home, my mom called my dad and they took me to the hospital. At this point, I was still awake and alert. They took x-rays, checked me out, and sent me home.

Later that evening I was vomiting blood. I went into a coma sometime that night. My mom tried to wake me the next morning, but I was unresponsive. She called my dad at work and they took me to the emergency room. The doctors there said I had a blood clot in my head and advised my dad to take me to Oklahoma City to University Hospital where they were waiting for me. At this time, I was still in a coma. The doctors performed surgery to remove the blood clot from the back of my head. I woke up the next day with my head bandaged up and barely able to see out of one eye because my face and head were swollen from the surgery. I found out later that I almost died on the operating table. However, I did not experience anything during this time.

I recovered from the accident and did not think about my experience. I was sixteen and had never heard of near death experiences. Through the years, I have watched shows on this, but never really made the connection (or maybe I was in denial). Until recently, I hadn't really thought about it much. But then two or three years ago, I started thinking about it. I can't remember anything specific that triggered it, I just know that I started thinking about it and realized that this (NDE) had actually happened to me. I think about it a lot now. I don't really talk about it to anyone. I don't know why. I guess I just feel uncomfortable telling anyone that I may have died or almost died that day.

Thank you for listening.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: April 1974

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? No Accident. Direct head injury 'Illness, trauma or other condition not considered life threatening'

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? No 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 It seems like throughout.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? It seems like throughout.

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

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. It was clear. Don't remember about color or brightness.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Don't remember hearing anything. It seemed very quiet. Even though I know they were talking around me.

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? 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? No

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Confused.

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 None

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Moderate None

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

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? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Uncertain Still trying to come to terms with it.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Uncertain Sometimes I see things, or unwillingly imagine things, that happen later on.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? No.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? No

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 probably real I was confused and a little frightened.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I know it was real. It's almost as if it happened recently.

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