Kimberly F NDE

Experience Description

I was shot on May 8th, 1982 at the age of twelve. I was shot in the right chest at four feet range with a 4/10 gauge shotgun. The reason I was shot is that a seventeen year old (who was renting a room from the woman whose daughter I was staying the night with) wanted something from this twelve year old I was not prepared to give. When I fought him, it angered him and the shooting was a result. When I was shot, I got up and walked out of the house and into the yard to sit down in Miss Jean's car (the friend's mother) who was washing it at the time and had a look of sheer horror on her face when she saw me. I told her to call my daddy because Bobby Joe had just shot me. I sat down in the back seat and waited for the ambulance. When the ambulance arrived they rushed me to the next town (the nearest hospital), where they told my daddy I would never survive life-flight because I had lost too much blood. Needless to say, if you knew my daddy you would understand why, they put me on life-flight and flew me to Hermann Hospital in Houston.

I had never once lost consciousness or went into shock, which amazed everyone. I can still remember everything in perfect detail. As the helicopter landed, I did begin to feel sleepy. They told me NOT to go to sleep and began running with me down the long hallway in the hospital. I remember counting the lights on the ceiling as they whizzed by to stay awake. They said, even though they were running with the gurney, which was soaked through with blood, that there was still a trail of blood on the floor all the way down the hall. They took me into the operating room and began to prepare me for surgery. The last thing I remember was the nurse putting a mask over my face and telling me to count backwards from ten - the last number I remember was eight.

I then felt like I was walking backwards with my eyes closed. Then it felt like I bumped into a wall with my back. I opened my eyes to a very bright (although strangely not blinding), white, misty light that covered everything. Slowly the mist started to move away and I saw myself lying on the operating room table. It looked like I was many, many stories high and looking down on myself. I saw them working on me and then I noticed I heard (but not with my ears, more like with my spirit) something like singing or voices speaking but I couldn't make out any words. It was all around me. At this point, I turned around and that's when I saw 'the tunnel'. It was like the inside of a tornado. It was sucking the light and mist into it at what appeared to be warp speed. I had a feeling of total peace all throughout this experience. I started toward the tunnel in a motion, not like walking, more like floating. It seemed like as soon as I entered the tunnel I was on the other side, that quick! I noticed the same bright light and mistiness of the surroundings.

I also noticed I wasn't alone. There were dozens of 'people' standing in a horseshoe type formation of which I was standing in the center of when I exited the tunnel. I could not recognize anyone because I saw no features; they were more like figures in shadow. Then I was told 'NO' by a voice. Strange thing is that it was neither male nor female but it held an enormous amount of authority! Then I (with my stubbornness that I carry to this day) asked it, 'Why can't I come home?' I was promptly told 'You cannot come home yet.' I continued to try to go forward and it kept telling me 'No, not yet, it is not your time.' I then felt compelled to turn and look back at the tunnel. That was when I was transported back through and out the other side of it. I looked down and that's when I saw them bringing that paddle machine over to my body. I saw the doctor grab the paddles, say something to the person standing next to it, they turned some knobs, and the doctor put them on my chest and hit me once with the shock. I saw my body jump but I felt nothing. I then saw the doctor say something to them again, they moved the knobs again and he hit me a second time - nothing. Then, I saw the doctor put the paddles together for a moment (as if saying a prayer) and then said something to the person again - the person shook their head in disagreement but went ahead at the doctor's insistence and moved the knobs again. When he hit me the third time I awoke in the intensive care unit.

The doctor told my parents that I had died, I was what they call 'sheet-faced' and he took a chance by hitting me with the paddles a third time. He admitted to not being a really religious man but he said he felt he was being told not to quit - so he didn't. I was expected to be in the hospital for at least two months but was home in ten days. I was called a 'miracle child' on TV and in the papers. I would not trade that experience for anything in the world. Many things have been happening to me since though. Before that, I was able to see, smell and feel spirits. I grew up in a haunted house.

Since I have had the NDE I seem to have several psychic gifts as well. I still have all the abilities with spirits, only stronger now, and I have dreams that come true very often and also, I have VERY strong 'gut' feelings that I can decipher as good or bad. I can also seem to sense other people's spirits as well. I think the Bible refers to this as the gift called 'Deciphering of Spirits'. I was made to feel like I was 'crazy' when I would try to speak to my family about the things that I was feeling at that time and about my NDE so I subdued everything for many years. I have finally got friends and some family who are now encouraging me to work with my gifts again.

Okay, here goes the dream part of the NDE. The reason I say 'dream part' is that it seems to have taken place between the NDE and me waking up in the intensive care unit.

The dream began with me walking down my street (where I lived at that time) and it was night. I noticed two things, first was I was barefooted (I always was as a kid) and second that I was the only living thing around. What I mean by this is that there were no birds, insects, animals, people or even wind. There were cars stopped in the street running as if people just stopped and got out and homes were lit up as if people were there but no one was. It was as if I were the only living thing on the planet! I went up to the porch and entered my home to look for my parents, brother, and sister and found no one at all, although lights and TV's were going like they were there. When I found no one home, I got a little scared and left the house to walk next door to my Mamow's house to see if they were there. As I walked through my front yard it felt like something was biting and scratching at my feet. This feeling was so strong that I could actually feel the blood running down my feet. I ran from my yard to my Mamow's next door only to find there was no one there either.

By this time, I was very afraid and confused. I ran back out to the street. I looked down the street to the four-way where there was a street lamp. At the back of the circle of light from the lamp, I saw a figure standing there. It was HUGE - very tall. I say 'it' because I do not know if it was male or female - all I know is that it was very tall. I dream in color so I noticed that it was wearing beige or off-white colored robes that were very long and it had shoulder length dark hair. I remember thinking 'Thank God I am not alone!' I began to run toward the figure but as I approached the front of the circle of light, it raised one hand and stopped me. It said 'You are not alone; you never have been and never will be.' I told it that I wanted to go home, that I didn't want to be here. It said to me again, 'Do not be afraid, you are not alone, the Father says you still have much to do and cannot return home yet.' As I was objecting, it said again. 'Not yet' and began to fade away. It seemed to have been sucked up by the street lamp. After it faded away I awoke in the intensive care unit.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 'May 8, 1982'

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Criminal attack I was shot by a 17 year old guy who had attempted to rape me. Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) I was shot by a seventeen year old guy who had attempted to rape me.

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? Normal consciousness and alertness As above.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? It seems as though I was very conscious and alert throughout the entire experience.

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. I have always been very perceptive, alert and detail oriented. I have had gifts all my life that were even more magnified by my NDE.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. The hearing of the voices and 'singing' seemed to be a soul or spirit type of hearing rather than a normal, everyday audible type of hearing.

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

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

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

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Peace, love, awe - a strong sense of just wanting to 'go home' and not return to my earthly existence.

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

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? Moderate

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Moderate

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? No

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

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I treasure people and life more than before. I take nothing or no one for granted. I let people know how I feel about them every chance I get because I know life can disappear in a blink. I want those that I love to know it as often as possible.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes It was so awesome, so meaningful that it seems there are no words strong enough to truly describe the experience completely.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Yes, the 'dream' that followed. I don't understand when it occurred or what it means. I have a strong sense that it is very important though and I feel that it was actually more than a dream.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes As soon as I was put in a private room and was taken off the respirator I began asking the nurses and the doctor questions about my experience. They sent the hospital counselor and Chaplin in to speak with me 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 I knew in my heart and soul that it was real. I was only a very na∩ve twelve and had never heard of such a thing before. I also had many people coming to visit me after I got home. I, nor my family, did not know the majority of these people. They would touch me, cry, and pray. They made me feel like a shrine or something sacred and unusual and it began to scare me so my daddy put a stop to the visits.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real Now that I have studied all I could find on the subject and have read other people's accounts that were similar to mine, it only strengthens my belief that it was a real and true experience.

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? I have been in two auto accidents that were horrible since my NDE. I walked away from both without a scratch and people say I should never had survived them, that again, I was a miracle.