John S Probable NDE

Experience Description

I went bowling and pulled a muscle in my back. I was admitted to a local hospital for pain control. They ended up over-medicating me and I was left alone. I vomited and aspirated on the vomit. I was sent emergency to a bigger hospital. I developed adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and then sepsis. They put me on a ventilator and into a medically induced coma. I was near death, but not officially dead. I knew I was dying and was fighting to stay alive. I remember just feeling tired of fighting. I was half out of it all the time, I guess due to the medicine to keep me in a coma.

All of a sudden, my alertness was greatly heightened and I was on an elevator going up. The doors opened and there were some people there. I didn't know them but I had a certainty that one of them was a relative of mine; he was in charge of my entire family line. There was another person there that was a person in charge. I was given the choice to stay on earth and live, or the suffering could end and I could go to a very comfortable, pain free, place. I thought about my children left without a father and profound sadness settled over me, as I knew that I would have to come back if it was up to me. All of this happened with no words, it was just thoughts that contained communication. I knew that all I had to do was step off the elevator and everything would end in this world and begin the next chapter of my existence. Nothing about the experience was religious at all. It was very peaceful. I didn't step off the elevator and came back to my body. I was very sad to leave what was offered to me but I had to try to take care of my kids.

Anyway, that is my experience. I am not religious at all - I was a little bit before this happened, but after this experience, I knew without a doubt that there was something for us after this life. I also knew it had nothing to do with traditional religion. There was no deity, no judging this life or anything like this. I had the sense and knowledge that this life is just a phase or segment of our overall existence. This life was presented to me as a chapter in the book of what is our life or existence.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: January 2000

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Illness ARDS with sepsis 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death'

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

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 soon I got on the elevator.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? As soon I got on the elevator.

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. More clarity of the situation. I felt a very strong emotional pull.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. No words, the conversation seemed to through thought, not spoken.

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 was actually in an elevator, and it went up and the doors opened. I NEVER got off the elevator. I knew if I got off I was choosing to die.

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 didn't know them, but I knew who they were or represented. They just communicated my options to me. They were like delegates. Each represented something else.

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 I was somewhere that wasn't on this earth.

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Very strong emotions. Sort of like an emotional explosion.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Relief or calmness

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

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control I learned that there was no Heaven in the traditional sense. I learned that this life is just a chapter in our overall being. This life isn't the beginning and it isn't our ending.

The experience included: Vision of the future

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 None

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I am not religious at all now.

What is your religion now? Moderate Raised in the Mormon church but never really a believer

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I am not religious at all now.

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 I came to know there is no Heaven.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

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

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Maybe a half of a year. I told my mom and she didn't say much about it.

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 definitely real It changed everything I had ever been told about Heaven and death.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real

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