Kenneth L NDE

Experience Description

(I used question two for the events preceding my NDE.)

I went out, and immediately opened my eyes and was in a different place. It was dim and dank, but I could see clearly, although there was no visible light anywhere. It was more real than a dream, and more real than reality in certain ways, but not quite as clear as reality in other ways. I took my surroundings in in a split second, and then the action started. That split second seemed to pack an eternity of information though. I knew I was underground. I was in a dungeon. The walls were thick stone (how I knew they were thick is part of that more real than reality - I just knew it). The walls were wet, moist, and the air humid and warm. There was moss and slime, some other green growth on the walls. The room was square and had four doors, each in the center of the wall. The doors were ancient, iron bound wood, swollen and rotten in their hinges. I could smell the decay. The next split second, I became 'aware' of a pack of fiends, monsters, whatever you want to call them, were after me. They set up a squabbling, howling, gnarling and gnashing cacophony of noise in the next room, and I could hear them franticly trying to scratch/claw/pound through the door to get me. I 'knew' that if they got me, it was my doom. At the same time, I recognized this as something similar to video games I had played (Wizardry, Bard's Tale) at the time, and I must be hallucinating! Oh boy, frightened out of my skull, but exhilarated at the same time, I set forth to play my role in this 'dream' and not let them get me.

I started to work on getting though one of the doors opposite of the sound the noise came from, and it was almost impossible to get the door opened, then closed before the gibbering monsters tore through the door behind me. I managed to 'just' get the door closed as they were breaking though the one behind me. All I ever saw of them was a glimpse of claws, teeth, and fur. The only other distinctive thing I remember about them is that they were colorless. I continued this process ad nauseam, going through an eternity of rooms, all similar, but never the same. Each time only barely getting away with my life. I cannot tell you how long this went on, it just did. It could have been decades, it could have been seconds. All I know is that I was exhilarated with fear, relishing and enjoying my first hallucination of my life.

Then it changed. As a foreshadowing thought, I had read some books on NDE's and afterlife things, as I was interested in this since I was cognizant of my identity (around eleven years old?), anyways, I had heard of it before and read accounts of it. Now, after getting through a door and 'just' being able to get it closed as the monsters broke through the door behind me, I turned to find the room was gone, everything was gone, everything, every aspect of existence, blinked out. I was floating for a split second in a void of blackness, but I could still sense myself. A split second a spot of light appeared an infinite distance from me, and quickly expanded to become a tube of light that went past me, leaving me feeling like I was in a tunnel of light. The instant the light touched me; I felt a 'pull' at the center of my chest, as if I was tethered to an invisible fishing line that was reeling me in. I felt the momentum of being 'pulled' towards the center of the light and quickly accelerated to an almost blinding speed. Conscious still, I recognized this as something similar to what I had read in the NDE accounts, and realized this was not a mere hallucination, I was dying!

Well, I wasn't ready to die, so I 'resisted' with all of my inner strength/force of will/whatever you want to call it. I immediately shot up 'through' the ground. I could see rocks and dirt going by my face, but I was traveling 'through' it as if I were non-corporeal. It was well lit, even though I could not see any source of light.

I shot up though the ground, and into a basement of a building, with lots of pipes and ventilation equipment in it. Straight though this, and two more floors of a hospital, seeing inside the floors as I passed through them, as well as people walking in them. I shot straight up and into the chair in which my body was sitting, and into my body, which I saw was slumped over. I saw my room-mate backed into the corner of his bed, frightened out of his wits. I saw my nurses and the orthopedic technician, a large black man who was the only person who could maneuver me in and out of bed, running up the hall towards my room.

As I shot into my body, I came awake, and arched up, taking a HUGE breath (as if I was oxygen deprived) and taking in the events occurring in my room. My roommate was screaming, (sound I hadn't heard, and just realized I did not hear any sounds, just 'knew' sounds were occurring) 'You was dead! You was dead!' and the rush of the orthopedic technician running into my room with several nurses on his heel. It was occurring exactly as I had just seen it from outside my body, just a split second later. I was really sick and nauseous. I had the overwhelming feeling that the 'medicine' they were giving me was poison, and was struggling with the technician, who grabbed me and got me back into bed, to rip the IV out of my arm. I did, but they didn't seem too concerned with that.

Afterwards, there were a lot of nurses and people in my room, as well as someone to talk to my roommate. I had the feeling that something really bad had almost happened and they were relieved it hadn't; a close call in other words. After everything was settled down, my roommate requested a different room. While he was waiting for that to happen, he told me what happened. He was a young teenager (we were in the juvenile ward) and he had truly had his wits scared out of him about this. According to him, after they came in with the bag and hooked it into my IV, I had stopped talking, and then slumped over while watching TV. He checked me, said I was not breathing, and my eyes had rolled back in my head. He had called the nurses for an emergency, they came down and checked me and found no pulse. They then called for a crash cart and the technician from the floor below to come and get me and put me back in bed. I was out for several minutes, up to ten or twelve would be my best guess. He was convinced I had died in his room next to him. That was bad enough for him, then I just 'jumped' back to life, rising 'up' out of my chair with the force of getting some air (exactly as it occurred to me, rushing 'up' into my body from below), gasping for air.

He moved, we spoke not of it again, and I have only told a very few select people about this, as I think most people would think me nuts telling them this.

Checking on it later, I confirmed I had 'seen' as many floors as there were below me, even though at the time, I didn't know what floor I was on. This number is blurry to me with time now though, but I believe I was on the third floor, with the orthopedic technician on the second.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: January 1986

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Uncertain Surgery-relatedAllergic reaction I was in hospital for surgery for complications from an auto accident in Dec. 1984. Extensive reconstruction of lower leg. Was given medicine that may have caused an allergic reaction. Other 'Witness in my hospital room said I was dead, and nurses responded with a crash cart, but 'revived' before anybody pronounced me dead. I was recovering from surgery a year after a traumatic accident and possibly ill and affected by medication to treat tha. I was in hospital for reconstructive surgery on my lower leg from an auto accident in 12/84. I was sick (pneumonia I think) and was given IV drugs a couple of times a day for it, as well as a dozen other things. Whenever I got a particular 'dose' I got really, really ill (nausea and light headed). For a week, I was taking this prone in bed. The first day I was sitting upright out of bed, approximately four or five days after surgery, I was fine until the nurse came in with this 'dose'. It knocked me out; this is when I had my NDE. My room-mate said I was dead, and totally flipped out, calling the nurses, who found me out, and ordered a crash cart and a guy big enough to get me back in bed (they were tiny nurses, and I am six feet tall and bulky).

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes
I lost awareness of my body

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? The entire experience was an equal level of consciousness and alertness.

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 No sense of time in the dungeon. Could have been a small amount of time, or an indeterminate amount of time. Looking at the next question though, things seemed to happen very fast, at a frantic pace, while in the dungeon.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

Did your vision differ in any way from normal? Well, funny you should ask this, as I did my best to explain it before. Try to recap: I could easily 'perceive' my surroundings, even though there was absolutely no light source, so I should not have been able to 'see' anything. It should have been pitch black. Clarity was infinitely more detailed with whatever I was paying attention to though, while things 'outside' my focus of direction were blurry, as if I had tunnel vision. Dungeon was dim, while traveling though the dirt and buildings was as if in bright sunlight. Colors were exceptionally bright in the dungeon, except for the monsters, which seemed to be colorless, or sepia colored. Like an old movie. Depth perception changed as the tunnel of vision did, which corresponded to my center of focus.

Did your hearing differ in any way from normal? As stated previously, I heard nothing, but could 'sense' sounds.

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 started to, but never made it to the end of the tunnel of light. However, I could, for the briefest moment of time, see 'something' beyond it, a peaceful land, trees, sun shining. Typical Nirvana. Not a soul there (pardon the pun). Reflecting on this later, I would imagine this would be where people who had died were waiting for me, but nobody had died in my life at that time, so it was empty.

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 Well, if you want to count the gibbering monsters after me, although I only saw parts of them that were breaking through the door as I closed one on them. Nobody in the light though.

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

The experience included: A landscape or city

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm Yes, a nasty, dark, damp, smelly dungeon.

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Exhilarated beyond belief from fear. Scared to death and loving every minute of it while in 'dungeon'. When it changed from dungeon to tunnel, scared to death, (because I felt I was dying) then the most amazing feeling of forcefulness to live.

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

The experience included: Boundary

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? Uncertain I was stuck in a labyrinth dungeon, then I was out, it was instantly gone (along with all reality), to be replaced by the light.

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 'Raised in interdenominational church, but always interested in 'alternative' theories.'

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Uncertain My belief before, and my belief after, were changed from 'who knows?' to 'there is definitely something'. I do not have any major practice, except I choose to agree with the Christian Bible, and live as best I can within its principles. This is contradictory to most practicing Christian religions though, as I have yet to find one that follows them all.

What is your religion now? Conservative/fundamentalist 'Not following any 'set' religion, but adhering to the Christina Bible.'

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Uncertain My belief before, and my belief after, were changed from 'who knows?' to 'there is definitely something'. I do not have any major practice, except I choose to agree with the Christian Bible, and live as best I can within its principles. This is contradictory to most practicing Christian religions though, as I have yet to find one that follows them all.

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? Uncertain Only that when I saw the light, I was dying, and I didn't want that.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I don't value things like other people around me do. Most people that get to know me say I'm different. Worldly things do not concern me much. Money, power, influence, material gains have no interest at all to me. I live my life to spend every second I have of it, doing something that brings me satisfaction. I feel I am more 'in the moment' of things than always worried about what's next. I savor the moments of life, instead of worry about the next one. This kind of puts me out of touch with most who do not feel this way.

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 But I have always felt I have keen insight, or intuitive feelings into others. I get 'feelings' of good or bad people. My father has (purportedly, it's not talked about in the family, as it is considered something to hide) the ability to see auras. I have tried to nonchalantly test this out by bringing known (to me) good or bad people into my father's prescience to see how he reacts. He was staid for the good ones, and fled from the bad ones. So far, he is batting a hundred percent. But we are not allowed to talk of this. I told my mother I had 'feelings' like this, when she shared this information with me that my father had told her in confidence.

However, nothing decreased or increased afterwards.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? I almost died. I resisted. The afterlife is real; there is 'something' there. I am not afraid of dying now. The fact that 'my' perception of my NDE is different from ALL I have read before, has caused me some anxiety though the years. I feel I am on the border between an eternity of damnation or bliss - I ride the edge of the blade. I have never heard of another 'negative' experience before hearing about it on 'Coast to Coast AM' the preceding Sunday night. I feel the urge to share it now, since I have heard of others (and after finishing this, I'm gonna find them and read them if I can!).

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I've been married twice, shared it with them after marriage. First wife thought I was hallucinating from the drugs; second wife likes stuff like this, so she was fascinated. Dated a few girls since my second divorce, three years ago, and they were also fascinated, but they were also interested in paranormal things. Otherwise, if I didn't know they already were interested in paranormal, I kept my mouth shut about it.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes I had read some books about it in high school (which is when this happened).

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real. There is no question in my mind that what I had was real. It was more real (let's say, it touched all six senses instead of just five) which made it 'more' real, even though parts of it were 'surreal'. I have no doubt, AFTER getting out of the dungeon, that what I was experiencing was real. I saw the light; I resisted, and shot straight up into my body, exactly where it was supposed to be. I saw the people rushing up the hall from outside my body, then I saw them coming into my room as I sprang awake. No doubt in my mind at all.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. Same. It was an experience the same as any other experience. It was like watching a movie. The movie is just a projected image on a screen, but it is real. If I had never seen a movie in my life, I might question how it got there, but not the reality that 'something' is definitely there before my eyes on the screen!

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? Don't know. Think I covered it all.