Joe W NDE

Experience Description

In 1975 I was traveling on a road that runs parallel to Highway 2, North of Fort Lewis. I was travelling at about 50 mph when a car to my right ran a stop sign, pulled in front of me and stopped. I hit my brakes hard to avoid it and skidded into the oncoming lane of traffic, hitting a very heavy truck. My last conscious thought was the date I thought I had died, October 31, 1975.

The next thing that happened was I was walking in clouds in bright light. I felt that I was not in my human body but in my spirit body. I could see myself and was wearing my army uniform. I tried to convince myself that I must be dreaming but it was clear that I was in a different dimension. Every time I felt fear or anxiety, a warm nurturing feeling would overwhelm me and any fear was dispelled. I felt a great sense of love towards me. Next, I tried to make some sense of what was happening. My deceased aunt (my father’s sister) walks out of the foggy clouds to greet me. At the time of her death, many years ago, she had a stroke, which left her with walking and speech difficulties. I told her that I must be dreaming because she seemed perfectly healthy. Aunty told me that I was in-between life and death and if she was to appear in her spirit form I would not recognize her. Again, a warm and loving feeling came over me. I continued to walk in and out of the clouds and at least six deceased relatives walked in front of me. They just stood there, in front of, me and smiled.

I thought this must be a dream. My grandfather told me that they appeared that way to me because I would not recognize them in their spirit form. They disappeared and within the cloud, I saw ‘swirling clouds’. I felt a presence in there and tried to clarify whom it was. I could not see a face but felt the presence of Jesus on a throne. I said ‘who are you?’ He replied ‘I am your Lord Jesus ’and I fell to my knees. Jesus said ‘Don't be afraid, I love you’. I do not have the words to express the feeling of his presence. He had unconditional love towards me and said ‘what do you think of your life so far?’ I had a strong sense I had not completed what I need to learn as a human being. Jesus said ’You may stay with me or return to being a human being’. I told Him that I wanted to stay with him but needed to go back to learn more about love and knowledge. He said, ‘If that is your decision let it be.’

I found myself regain consciousness. The first thing I heard was medical personnel saying that I was not dead. I had been trapped in the truck for over an hour. I now suffer with a traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the accident. I am rated 100% disabled and suffer with frequent headaches.

I have found since that love can be painful and knowledge is hard to acquire in a human sense.

My other NDE happened March 13, 2000. I wish to write about that event later.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 'October 31, 1975 and March 13th 2000'

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes AccidentIllnessDirect head injury TBI in 1975. sleep apnea in 2000 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' I was in a terrible vehicle accident. I was unconscious for 45 minutes and experienced an NDE. In 2000, I had sleep apnea. I had stopped breathing and was not sure how long I was out for and experienced an NDE. When I came back, I was gasping for air.

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? More consciousness and alertness than normal As above.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? As I spoke to Jesus.

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 There was no time as we experience it on earth.

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. All of the above. A great sense of knowledge

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Jesus spoke to me through thought.

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 Walking in clouds like in the movie ‘Heaven can wait’.

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 Deceased relatives. It was communicated to me that I had fee will and could choose to stay with God or return to my earthly life.

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 I went into the light.

The experience included: A landscape or city

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm I was not on earth

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Great love and warmth.

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

The experience included: Special Knowledge

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe

The experience included: Life review

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control I remembered I was married and in the Army.

Did scenes from the future come to you? Scenes from the world's future

The experience included: Boundary

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? Yes I could go to heaven or return to my earthly life.

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? Conservative/fundamentalist Roman Catholic

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I am more spiritual more than religious.

What is your religion now? Moderate

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I am more spiritual more than religious.

The experience included: Presence of unearthly beings

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 As above and that love has a personal relationship with us.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I try to be genuine and truthful in my relationships.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes It was difficult to find the correct words to express 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? Jesus exists.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes About eight years afterwards.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was probably real I could not believe it had happened but I know that it did.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real When you have experienced the truth you cannot deny it to yourself.

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