John R NDE

Experience Description

I looked clearly at the face of the woman in the approaching car. She was not watching the road; rather her glance was out sea on this very beautiful and clear morning. The sky and sea were both a brilliant blue, with a sharp horizon line far out at sea.

Immediately upon beginning to roll I thought, 'oh, now I am going to watch myself die.’ I knew I could not possibly survive the fall that was about to take place. I was very calm, firmly gripping the wheel as the truck rolled. The moment I made that statement, I felt the presence of something very new and unique in my experience. It was as if somebody had come up behind me and wrapped a protective cloak around me (or a pair of angelic wings), completely enveloping me in a loving embrace. I felt no fear throughout the experience, but rather the most opposite occurred. I was awash in LOVE. My first thought was that this was Christ, but I immediately rejected that notion, figuring that it was likely a lower order of celestial being, whose task it is to deal with soul transitions from Earth life to what is next. I realized that I was heading for the greatest adventure of my life. So far, everything looked very promising. I was excited by what was to come. One disturbing thought did come to mind: ‘What about all those things left incomplete in my life?’ The immediate response was (and still is), 'everything is just as it should be.’ As the truck nosed down onto the roadway, I felt an extreme sense of disappointment at the loss of this embrace that portended such exquisite delights just ahead in another dimension.

The truck had come to rest on its right side. I immediately asked my passenger if he was okay (he had a concussion from hitting the windshield, and injured his knee hitting a knob on the dashboard). I leaned against him in order to kick open my door, damaged in the collision. Somehow, I got out of the cab, pulled my passenger out, got him a safe distance from the truck, and then turned to look at what had happened to the other car. It was a small MG Sprite, 2 seat coupe, with the top down. It was sitting on all four wheels, in the middle of the roadway, quite normal looking, except for the smashed in front left side of the car. When the collision occurred, I had turned my wheel enough to make it a glancing blow for me. But, for the other driver that was not the case. As the Sprite front left hit my front left fender, it slid along the left side of the truck, including my door, until it hit the utility boxes on rear bed of the truck, abruptly stopping the motion of her car. In the resulting sudden abrupt stop in forward motion, the driver was thrown forward. Because she did not have a seat belt on, she was thrown up and forward into the corner of the windshield. The results of that impact where such that about half of her head was scooped off. When I approached the car, she was sitting in a normal position, having landed right back in her seat after the impact. Blood was spurting up out of the cavity that had once been her right cheek eye and entire right side of her brain. Her left eye had popped out of the socket and was hanging down on her left cheek next to a fully intact nose. As the blood spurted, a deep rasping sound came from expelling air mixing with all the body liquids, as somehow, her intact lower brain was still operating the diaphragm, allowing the lungs to still function.

I stood, transfixed before this gruesome scene, knowing not what to do, when a woman appeared by my side, blanket in hand, saying, 'I'm a nurse, and will take care of this.’ She then opened the passenger side door, got into the seat, wrapped the blanket around the expiring driver, pulled her to her chest and then held her in a most loving embrace, until the shudders ended.

I hardly remembered what happened after that. People came and took me away. My injuries were minimal, mainly whiplash in the neck and middle back. From that, I guess I still bear some scars today. Both areas easily get sore and ache when put under stress.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 1975

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' I was driving south, on the ocean side of the road in an area called Devil's Slide, along the coast south of San Francisco. At a blind curve, the approaching car from the other direction was drifting directly on a trajectory for a head on collision. I was looking directly at the other driver. She appeared lost in thought, looking out toward the ocean. My immediate reaction was to turn the wheel to the right, thus avoiding a direct collision. When she hit me, it was a glancing blow for me. I smashed into the guardrail, flipped up and began rolling. My small truck rolled one and a half times, then came to a stop, balanced atop the guard rail, hesitating for a few moments before the front end nosed down onto the roadway. I knew exactly where we were. I drove this route on a daily basis. On the outside of this curved roadway's guardrail was a 400 foot drop, pretty much straight down onto the rocky shoreline below.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Entirely pleasant

Did you feel separated from your body? No No

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 Time slows down, thus allowing greater observation of the details.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? It seems, upon reflection, that I was quite alert throughout. I could see so clearly that her mind was somewhere else from the instant I saw her. Everything I did was so rational, my thinking that I couldn't survive the fall, so clear, and without panic. But experiencing the presence of another and distinct personality was the peak. It all happened in the few seconds it took for the truck to roll one and a half times.

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 It was of short duration, in the stopwatch sense, just knowing the mechanics of the event. Time was elastic. My 33 years all squeezed into several seconds to condition the experience I was having.

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. My experience was not visual, more like an embrace.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. No memory of hearing changes.

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? No

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? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm While I never felt that I left my body, so to speak, there was clearly an extra dimensional element to it.

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Absolutely ecstatic.

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 myself or others A certain peace is still with me 35 years later. I've had plenty of tough spots to work through in life since that event, but the abiding spirit that resides with me in my deepest consciousness knows ‘that everything is just as it should be.’

Did scenes from your past come back to you? No

Did scenes from the future come to you? No

Did you come to a border or point of no return? No

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What importance did you place on your religious/spiritual life prior to your experience? Moderately important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? Other faiths- New age Raised as Methodist, but not serious about it. In my mid twenties I read ‘The Urantia Book’, which is Christ centered, but NOT the same as Christian, but probably is closest to how I structure the Universe in my mind.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No Since early childhood I have had a sense of spiritual connection that transcends the normal limits of human awareness. My religious upbringing didn't provide adequate scope to deal with it. I was agnostic and searching for something more complete. The Urantia Book went quite a distance towards providing a more rational explanation for human development and its place in the meaning of the universe, but it had its limits. I have on occasion had experiences that have stretched the normal boundaries, to the point that I know events can transpire in a ‘magical way.’ It rarely does any good to talk about it to others, other than a very select group of people that are open to such concepts. The experience I had during those few moments suspended between life and death as I rolled along that guard rail are a huge exclamation point on all that went before and what has transpired since.

What importance do you place on your religious/spiritual life after your experience? Moderately important to me

What is your religion now? Unaffiliated- Nothing in particular- Secular unaffiliated All religions seem somewhat primitive to me. I do not denigrate their positive teachings on how to interact with their fellow humans, but totally reject any narrow definitions of what reality means.

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 Since early childhood I have had a sense of spiritual connection that transcends the normal limits of human awareness. My religious upbringing didn't provide adequate scope to deal with it. I was agnostic and searching for something more complete. The Urantia Book went quite a distance towards providing a more rational explanation for human development and its place in the meaning of the universe, but it had its limits. I have on occasion had experiences that have stretched the normal boundaries, to the point that I know events can transpire in a ‘magical way.’ It rarely does any good to talk about it to other than a very select group of people that are open to such concepts. The experience I had during those few moments suspended between life and death as I rolled along that guard rail are a huge exclamation point on all that went before and what has transpired since.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes It really enhanced my beliefs in a larger universe.

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 A high being, clearly of great intellect, exuding comfort and love.

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? No

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 The fact that this presence was with me at this critical juncture, is evidence to me of a circuitry of such sophistication, that instant notice and response is all part of the larger system.

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? God definitely exists

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes It was totally clear to me that the next step would be a place of great learning and growth.

Do you believe in the existence of God after your experience? God definitely exists

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Yes I know that I have been privileged to have a peek beyond the normal. It gives me a comfort that most people don't have. I do not fear death. Oh sure, I have some fear about how I will die, but there is no doubt at all about what I have to look forward to.

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are meaningful and significant

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? Yes Everything is just as it should be. What is important is not what life's situations are, but how we approach whatever is put before us to deal with. It is all about learning.

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? An afterlife definitely exists

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists Yes The fact of knowing the presence of a distinct other personality made it absolutely clear that continuity is unquestioned

Did you fear death prior to your experience? I did not fear death

Do you fear death after your experience? I do not fear death

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Slightly fearful in living my earthly life

Were you fearful living your life after your experience? Not fearful in living my earthly life

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are meaningful and significant

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant after your experience? Are meaningful and significant

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 previous statement pretty much covers it. I have had one near, near death experience since the 1975 accident. In 1982, our home was swept away in a debris flow, from which we narrowly escaped. I had another NDE when I was 12, in about 1955, when I

Were you compassionate prior to your experience? Moderately compassionate toward others

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Yes The paramount element of reality.

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Moderate changes in my life My life has been enriched. While concerned and involved in the community, I also have a certain detachment to it all. I have less concern for what people think of me. Much less need to pursue the trivia that makes up much of modern life. As a consequence, I have had more time than most folks to just observe the world free of most of the attachments people carry along with them.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Yes Shortly after the auto accident my marriage at that time was not going well. She was developing a closer relationship with her musical partner than was suited for a monogamous marriage. It reached a combustion point, at which time I knew that I must leave the relationship immediately. I believe I gained a stronger inner sense of myself, from the experience of the accident, that allow me to take the steps to end the marriage, and I moved out of the house the very next day. I would say it has made me more resilient in the face of disappointment.

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? Uncertain I have had multiple experiences of different sorts that leave me very open to a wide range of possibilities as to the parameters of reality. This event provided all the 'proof' I needed. Since that time, even more events in my life have further enriched my being. The sense of 'magic' has been enhanced. With all the crazy antics of human civilization, largely based on fear and greed, it is little wonder that it is taking so long for mankind to advance to the higher levels of consciousness we are already capable of now. All the people on Wall Street or inside the Washington DC beltway and other power centers of the world are caught up in a materialistic nightmare that threatens to tear the fabric of humanity apart. I think that prior to this NDE I would not be able to remain as calm as I am in the present.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I have told this story a number of times. It usually brings rapt attention, and often tears to the eyes of the person with whom I am speaking. Usually it is in the context of a discussion about things of a spiritual nature. Sometimes I have been quite surprised when years later someone has brought the story up in conversation, remembering a surprising amount of the details as I had told them earlier. I think it has help to augment feelings that they may already have held.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes When I was 12, I was nearly drowned in raging surf. The lifeguards had left the beach. There were no other people on the beach, except down at the far end of the beach where folks were enjoying pit fires and their early evening picnics several hundred yards away. I was about to leave the beach when I saw a big set of waves approaching the shore. Foolishly, I went into the water, racing out into the surf in the hopes of catching the third of the set, which is usually the largest. Very quickly, I realized I was in trouble. These waves were much larger than what I had been swimming in earlier in the day. I became caught in the rip current that wanted to drag me out into area where these monster waves were breaking. My only recourse was to try to dive down to the sandy bottom to reduce the impact of the turbulent break of the waves above. I was tossed and thrashed about like a rag doll, slammed into the sand. At last, the turbulence subsided from that wave enough to allow me to get to the surface for desperately needed air. As I gasped for air, a small backwash wave splashed me in the face, causing me to choke and lose what air I had. Another wave was approaching. I had to go to the bottom or I would be killed by the violence of the breaking wave, but with even less air in my lungs then on the prior dive. Somehow I was able to endure the forces and make back to the surface once again, but much weaker than before. I remember looking at the bluff above the beach. I could see our house. There was no one on the beach to call to even if I had the strength to call out. I had very vivid memories of reviewing my life, distinctly feeling I had seen it all in an instant, and very clearly. I knew I could not survive another dive, that the end was very near. With that realization, a voice to my left (I was looking towards shore) said ‘You look like you could use some help. Here, take hold of this.’ As I turned my head, I saw a middle aged man, with a white pasty complexion of one that did not get in the sun very much. He was balding and slightly overweight. He was holding a flimsy air mat one might buy in a variety store for a few dollars. I took hold of the mat, and the next thing I remember is being picked up by the wave and being sped into the shore. As I sat on the shoreline, knees up, head down between my knees trying to recover my breath and strength, I thought to thank my benefactor. I looked up and turned my head to say thank you and found no one. I had a clear view in both directions along the shoreline and well up the beach away from the water. No one was to be seen, other than those folks way down the beach having their picnics. There was no air mat. Just me sitting on the shore. I didn't speak of it very much. I couldn't tell my parents or they wouldn't let back on the beach by myself. A few days later, I saw some friends on the beach and I told them what happened. They thought I was making it all up, so I never spoke of it again until some years later.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real The biggest issue I had to deal with in the days after the accident was the condition of the woman in the other car. Every time I closed my eyes at night, her image was seared into my memory. It has receded into the deep background, but still vivid when recalled, as for this document. As with the experience of near drowning, I quickly realized that few people could understand what had transpired, so I didn't speak of it much. But, as time passed, on occasion, situations would arise when it seemed appropriate to speak of it. In nearly all cases it has had an impact, giving people a moment's pause to consider the implications of what I tell them.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real My reality is sprinkled with something I can only call 'magic' for lack of a better term. First the near drowning as a lad, then the accident on the cliff's edge. Then in 1982, about seven years later, my wife, her son, and I hopped out of a house that would be completely swept away a few minutes after we left. We left because my wife had a very clear message imprinted on her brain, to ‘LEAVE NOW!’ This was another affirmation of a link to another dimension of some sort. These experiences, as well as others, form a mosaic in my life that makes all it very very interesting. Not a bad role to be playing, though I have always been puzzled as to why I have had so many unusual occurrences.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Uncertain On rare occasions I have felt 'dimensionally expanded' and aware with super normal senses. Nothing seems to materialize in a direct sense, but I accept that there are other PERSONALITIES residing outside our normal sensory ranges. At times the veil that separates these dimensions seems to become very thin, which I almost think I can see through. Perhaps that will only come upon my own final departure.

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? I realize I have moved between three different experiences while completing this form, but in a sense they form a composite imprint on my mind that seeks to find a 'unified field theory' to bring personal understanding to what this all means as I journey into my autumn years. My life is filled with magic. I accept that this is the case. Not everything is magical by any means; however, key events have transpired that led me down paths of fulfillment in many aspects of my life. 'Magical Powers' are available to us - if we stay alert, so that we may see them when they appear.