Lizzette Possible NDE

Experience Description

During the summer, I was on vacation at my father's place. My stepmother, older brother, his wife, and my male cousin were also there.

It was very hot and we decided to go swimming in the neighbor's pool. The neighbor allowed us to use the pool while he was away. The big rectangular pool had a roller shutter cover.

Everything went all right when we were playing. When time came to get out of the pool, my brother and cousin decided to go back into the pool with the pool cover closed. I followed them.

We had fun scaring ourselves by diving under water then coming back up to the surface pushing up the cover with our head for air. A few minutes later, I realized that they had gone and that I needed to do the same. I was at the opposite side of the pool from where the ladder was. I also didn't want to pull myself up with my arms, so I decided to go back under water. Having reached about the middle of the large pool I wanted to take some fresh air and started going up naturally. In the process I let go the air from my lungs and when I reached the surface the cover didn't lift up as it was suctioned tightly to the water.

The first thing I felt was total incomprehension as to why the cover so heavy or what was happening. Then I felt pure panic when the cover wouldn't lift because I wasn't strong enough to push it up. I started taking in water instead of air. Time stopped and everything was calm and still around me. I saw myself moving my arms but I didn't feel my body anymore. It was as if I were looking through my eyes but not really 'in' my body. It was a floating sensation, maybe the effect of the water.

Then I calmly told myself, 'Okay, I'm dying. Nobody knows what's happening and nobody will be coming.' My panic completely vanished and I was thinking calmly as if nothing had happened. I was thinking about plenty of things that happened in my life, in my family. I had the impression of 'making a review' and then I saw the border of the pool. I started to brush against the side of the pool with my hand.

I felt a rush through my body, and a gigantic wave of energy came to me at that moment and I thought 'I don't want to die. I don't want to die'. The moment of floating vanished and I became aware of my situation again. I grabbed the border of the pool and my arm automatically pushed me up and out of the pool. I was spitting like never before and the water was coming out of my lungs.

I didn't understand right away what had happened to me. For those around only a few minutes had passed. They asked me what I was fussing about.

I don't remember anything else from the rest of that day except the moment in the pool. I wasn't talking about this experience for weeks because I thought that I had imagined it. I thought I created my own movie. But I started having anxiety attacks under the shower, in the hug of somebody, putting on a pullover that blocked at the height of my face, or even under the cover in my bed. I told myself that something must have happened.

At any rate, even if the anxiety is better now, I don't go near swimming pools.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 2014

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Drowning. Life threatening event, but not clinical death. I started drowning and was blocked under a pool cover.

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

Did you feel separated from your body? No. 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. It's difficult to explain. I felt outside of myself while seeing with my eyes. I was sure of what was happening and that I was drowning, while at the same time I was calm and serene like never before in my life.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? After I understood that the cover wouldn't lift, that I was blocked, and that nobody would come for me.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Time seemed to go faster or slower than usual. Time clearly was slow. I saw my arms swimming in slow motion. I had time to think about many things of my life, while my arms were moving 'without me'. The feeling of a time was almost as if frozen but still moving was clear to me.

Were your senses More vivid than usual? More vivid than usual

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I would say the same, I saw as usual. My vision was as clear like outside of the water.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Before the experience there was lots of noise. Then under water everything went calm and empty; even the water pressure was quiet in my ears.

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 encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? 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? No

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt confusion and fear, then total panic, and finally I felt a serene relaxation and determination.

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

Did you have a feeling of joy? No

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? No

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? No

Did scenes from your past come back to you? I remembered many past events

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 was your religion prior to your experience? Unaffiliated- Nothing in particular- Secular unaffiliated Raised in Christian Catholic religion from baptism until communion, then changed to 'secular'.

What is your religion now? Unaffiliated- Nothing in particular- Secular unaffiliated changed to 'secular'.

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. I didn't see anybody or anything. I was alone during the complete process. Being 'secular' I'm not saying what is or is not, and do not refute anything as I'm respecting the beliefs of others. I felt serene and in peace at a moment, but I didn't see anything that makes me change my beliefs/values.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes My values about death have changed. I realized the importance of life and that I didn't want to die.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? No

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? No

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? No

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? No

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? No

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? I was uncertain if an afterlife exists No

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? No

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life When I was young I had problems with my family etc. and I was thinking a lot about death (suicide) without really wanting to take the leap, I just kept scarifying myself. I was thinking that death was nothing and that I didn't care if I was dying. Coming close to death for the first time I realized that my life was the most important thing and that I didn't want to die.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes The feeling and the state which I was in, has been unique in my life. I had a sensation of a void and of a calm comprehension of a dangerous situation that make an explanation complicated.

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. I remember the heat and small details. The minutes preceding the accident are clear. Of everything what happened after coming out of the water and hearing the reactions of those around, there is no memory available.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? No

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Yes, I think that it was at the moment when I let go, when I felt as serene as never before in my life, and when I had been endowed with a strength to pull myself out of the water (like pure adrenaline) whereas I had been thinking that I gave up.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Several weeks went by: I was on vacation at my fathers place when this happened and I waited to go back home-with my mother- to talk to her about. She was sad and unnerved that nobody saw/ did anything. I don't know if this influenced her, my mother is a practicing Christian.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes I was born prematurely with 7 months and had an arrest immediately after my birth and they had been putting me in a coma for several days, so I was explained the 'ins and outs' of my birth. My stepmother was involved in a car accident as a child and had told me already about her experience when she was in a coma. I was also interested in the subject.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real At the start I didn't believe it. I thought that I might have been dreaming, the people around had not seen anything. But I started having anxiety attacks about everything what was 'blocking' my breathing; a hand in front of my mouth, coughing, taking a shower, being held tightly. I became claustrophobic. This experience made that I had a lot of after-effects.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real As I explained I started having anxiety attacks (many at the time) what reinforced my thought that it wasn't a dream. I needed several years to overcome all this and now I can reconsider to put my feet in a pool again. I think that what I sensed is normal; panic then a regain of energy, maybe it was adrenaline? The only thing I don't understand is the sensation of serenity and calm without a single noise, this I can't explain.

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? Yes

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? For a long time I couldn't stand being hugged or being approached without feeling panic (fear of suffocation).