Lee C NDEs

Experience Description

Early last November, I went in for a long overdue physical. Along with various issues, I was having acute pain in my kidney area. I was inspected from head to toe, but neither the doctor nor I followed up on the pain in my back. I just attributed it as the cost of aging. The exam went great and the doctor said I would live to be 90. Fast forward to the Sunday after Thanksgiving. About half way through our church service, I felt like a baseball bat had slammed into my midsection. I said my goodbyes and made towards the back of the church, where I had to sit down or collapse. I made it to my truck, drove 10 miles, and barely made it to the door. I told Betsy, my wife to be, I was having a kidney stone attack. I tried to rest but could find no relief. She tried to get me into the car but I couldn’t make it. We called 911. They bypassed emergency room and went right into a CT scan room. The next thing I knew I had 10 nurses and doctors cutting off my clothes and preparing me for emergency surgery. I had an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), 10.5 cm long and it ruptured as we headed to surgery. A 5 cm AAA has a 95% death rate and mine was twice that long.

At this point things got hazy, but I'm told that before I would let them operate, I had the surgical team sing, 'You are my sunshine with me.' What are the odds that I got to the hospital with minutes to live, the head surgeon was on duty, and I picked the only hospital that can do this procedure. Imagine Betsy, who came in thinking it was a kidney stone and hearing this news. I lost 8 pints of blood just as they got started operating. After extensive surgery, I had lost all function beneath my ribcage, including kidneys, intestines, and my right leg went from blue to black. I was given a 50% chance of survival for the next 24 hours. After 2 days, I woke up in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Some hours after that, I looked at my Betsy, held her hand, and said 'Here I go.' I coded and died again. Betsy told me the scene of the team giving me chest compressions and fighting to save me is etched in her mind forever. I had another extensive, emergency surgery to fix my lower gastro-intestinal tract and woke up 2 days later. For 11 days I was in the ICU, fighting to stay alive. On top of all that, I had to learn how to walk again. Yet, I stand before you today, by the grace of God and the best surgical team in Tennessee. My hospital stay did end on a high note. Betsy and I had planned on getting married before this happened, so we got married at the hospital.

When Walter, my spiritual mentor, found out what had happened, his first words were, 'Praise God!' and his second words were, 'What did you see?'

I woke up in a place that was dark and warm. The first thing I noticed were the stones. They were as tall as me and in so many colors; bright reds, yellows, greens, and blues. They were glowing with writings on them that were older than time itself. Although I could not read them, I understood them. There was an arrow on each one, That pointed to the next stone. I was confused until it hit me. My favorite book in the Bible is John and begins with 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.' In Genesis, God said, 'Let there be light,' and in the middle of the darkness, the stones were leading me home.

My second experience was more dramatic. This time, my life flashed before me. Whole years of my life flashed by in a second, but with complete clarity. Time had no meaning here. Even more dramatic, decisions I had made in a split second were played back to me. I understood not only the impact they had made in my life, but the impact oncountless other lives as well. Some decisions I was proud of, while some I lowered my eyes in humiliation and shame. Yet, there was no judgment, other than my own. The review simply let me see that choices have consequences. But it was the third event that had the greatest impact on me. At the end of this experience, I was picked up and held by the most loving presence. Words can't even describe it. Any parent here knows the feeling of holding a baby close to your chest and feeling heartbeats merge.That was what it was like for me. I was too awestruck to speak, but I'm sure we talked because I remember being gently released. And then I woke up in ICU.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: Nov 28, 2018

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes. Illness. CPR given. Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. Other 2 events, bled out and heart failure

How do you consider the content of your experience? Both pleasant AND distressing

Did you feel separated from your body? 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. I not only understood a language I couldn't read, I felt it. I was able to view separate life reviews at the same time. I felt a Universal LOVE that went through every cell in my body

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? The entire experience with emphasis on the life review

Were your thoughts speeded up? Faster than usual

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning. Time had no meaning where I was

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. Normal, but with increased perception

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Normal

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere, as if by ESP? No

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? No

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? No

Did you see an unearthly light? No

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm. I was just at the veil. I could go either way, either home or back to earth

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I first felt confusion, then awareness. Next, I felt comprehension of the ancient runes, connecting me with the Infinite. During the life review, I was humbled and very excited at the good I had done and its ripple effect. Then I felt a period of shame and sadness for the selfish hurt I had inflicted on others and its ripple effects. Last I felt the Overwhelming Love that I didn't think possible as it was flowing through me.

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

Did you have a feeling of joy? Happiness

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. I gained many insights into the Universe

Did scenes from your past come back to you? I remembered many past events. There were two screens. The first was a replay of every moment of my life to this point and included what I was thinking and speaking. The second screen showed the ripple effect of both good and bad actions on my part and how it impacted other peoples lives. This was very intense.

Did scenes from the future come to you? No

Did you come to a border or point of no return? I came to a definite conscious decision to return to life. The Father Creator relayed his thoughts to me and sent me back to the earthly plane of existence

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Protestant. Not so much religious as deeply Spiritual in my Philosophy

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes. Heaven is real and there is a calm assurance in that fact

What is your religion now? Christian- Protestant. Faith is not a religious experience but rather a personal relationship with the Universal Creator

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. God is Love. He is not harsh judgment; just an affirmation that choices have consequences and not condemnation

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes. Don't sweat the small stuff. Personal success is not as important as developing other peoples goals. Death is just the beginning and Heaven is more than we can imagine

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. I was held in the arms of the Creator, in a loving embrace

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.)? Yes Jesus

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? No

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Yes. I am in the Father and he is in me. We are one.

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes He held me in his arms and shared his Love

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Yes From this life-altering experience, my purpose is to tell others that death has no sting, death is just the beginning.

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? Yes Two lessons. 1. Love God, Love Others (yes, even the mean, hurtful ones), Love Yourself! I am a unique expression of the Universal whole, with my flaws and all. 2. Express Gratitude for All Things in your Life; big and small, good and bad. Human life is temporary and worldly things are an illusion. Simply seek 'To Be' and the Eternal will flow in you

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? An afterlife definitely exists. I was part of the Universe and it was part of me, we were one in Universal Love

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? No

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Yes I experienced Universal Love to the core of my Being

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Moderate changes in my lif.e An immense 'Attitude of Gratitude', looking at others with more patience, compassion and wisdom

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I'm more passionate, compassionate, and grateful in relationships and it shows in others at their reactions to me.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes The human experience can't relate to the vibrant glowing colors I saw, the emotions I experienced, and the power of Universal Love that enveloped me. Words alone will never convey what I experienced.

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. The ICU was a blur; yet this experience was vivid and to this day I remember the tiniest of details

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes An increase in discernment of others actions and why they did what they did

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Life review and being held in the arms of Universal Love

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I signed up to be a speaker for a community outreach center. I speak to churches, civic groups, conventions. As soon as I could walk and stand again, I was conveying a message of hope. People are touched by this message. I get a standing ovation, but I look at it as the power of the message. It isn't about me.

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 know what I know; I saw what I saw. As a trained scientist, I deal only with the facts and this was as real as it gets.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. Same answer as above. I don't defend my experience; I relate it.

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? Be grateful, show compassion, and Trust

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? no