Marci S NDE

Experience Description:

I was underneath a structure that collapsed on top of me. I had no warning, nor did I hear any sound that warned me that I was about to have a ton and a half crash down on me. I found myself out of my body and looking down at my body. I remember the position and place my body was in, yet it was of very little concern to me. I had absolutely no emotional attachments to the body that I had occupied. I remember thinking that the body was too injured for me to go back into. I really didn't even consider that as an option. It was just a matter of fact thing. I was flying through the air, yet I seemed to have complete knowledge of everything going on around me. I was completely at home and I had no thoughts of being anywhere but where I was. I somehow knew that I had died because I wanted to see my sister that had died in 1997 from brain cancer. I wanted to see Phyllis, my sister. I knew that she was off to my left somewhere and I knew that once I got to her I wouldn't return to the body. My dad, who had died four months before my accident, said to me, 'Marci, breathe. 'Breathe Marci!'

I remember turning my head to the right and saying, 'Ah, dad!' I did not want to try to breathe; I was just fine as I was. My dad's voice, which sounded like his voice, but it didn't seem as though I audibly heard him, but his voice and words were very clear and there was absolutely no doubt that it was my dad who was telling me to breathe. My dad kept repeating repeatedly, 'Breathe Marci, breathe.' Suddenly I heard an urgency to my dad's voice (for lack of knowing how to better describe how I was hearing) when he instructed me to, 'Breathe.' Instantly, there was a picture in front of my eyes. It was like a family portrait and I could see everyone's face individually. It was a portrait of my family and friends that were still living in their bodies.

At that point, the next thing I remember was being back in my body and telling myself to breathe by saying in my mind, 'In, out, in out, in, out!' I was having great difficulty breathing, but after that, my husband found me and I was back. Although, it wasn't until sometime, possibly six months or so, that I felt I had completely re-entered my body. I had sustained a brain injury and very painful injuries to my body. I had a hard time breathing for quite a while after the accident due to injuries to my thoracic area. It was very painful for me to even take deep breaths.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: October 9, 2000

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident Direct head injury I was underneath a newly constructed structure that had a roof that weighed 1 1/2 Tons. The structure collapsed on me, hitting my head first, a beam holding the structure up came down and struck my left shoulder and I was shot out approximately 10 feet. Other I don't know what it would be categorized as. I experienced a life threatening situation, but was not at the time under a physician's care.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

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 I was incredibly more alert. Interesting that you asked this question. I never consciously thought of this specifically until the question was asked, but as I read the question, I had the thought of, 'How did you know to ask that question?' I immediately knew the answer to the question and that was I have never been more alert than I felt at that time.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Right after I was out of my body. I was totally aware of where I was and I completely alert. I probably felt more alert than I ever felt while in my body.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Incredibly fast

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening all at once I'm not sure what that means.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more so

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I don't know how to answer that question. When I looked at the body, I saw it in color. I don't know if visually I saw things more colorful or if it was just the feeling of being surrounded by more color. I had the feeling of complete clarity and knowingness.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. But I don't know how to describe it. I heard my dad's voice with complete clarity, yet I don't remember hearing him through my ears. I knew without any question that it was my dad who was speaking to me. I don't remember any other sound at this time.

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? No Not that I'm aware of. I was just flying through the air.

Did you see any beings in your experience? Sensed their presence

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Uncertain My dad was right next to me but I couldn't see him visually. My sister was very close; I felt she was to my left. I felt other family members close by, but I did not see them. My sister and other family members seemed to be more to the left. I seemed to hear my dad more from the right, or so it seemed. The family members that I felt were very familiar to me. The only person besides my sister and my dad that I knew were there, was my grandmother. There were others there but none I can say for certain besides the ones I mentioned.

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 I was surrounded in bright light, but I didn't see a bright light nor did I feel that I was being drawn to a bright light. Everything was bright and light.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? Neither I knew that I was in a place, which we describe as death while in a body, yet it I viewed where I was as real life. It's so hard to describe in words.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt absolutely no emotions for my physical body. I had no concern with my physical body. I viewed it as a vehicle that I had used, nothing more and nothing less. I didn't have any desire to stay near my body or any desire to return to it. My emotions, not relating to my physical body, were of intense joy. I had no fears and I didn't want to leave the place I was. I was in a place that I felt was where I belonged.

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? United, one with the world

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe

Did scenes from your past come back to you? Remembered many past events I had a knowingness of everything, without a particular instance. What I learned from this experience is that there is nothing at all to fear at what is called death. I didn't feel a death. I felt a departure of the vehicle that I had used while on earth. I was in no way sad to leave it. For a long time after I had this experience I felt surrounded by angels. I don't know why, since I can't remember seeing angels. When I was being driven to one of the many doctors' appointments that I had following my experience, I saw a bumper sticker that said, ' I believe in angels.' It overwhelmed me and I could not control crying. I wasn't at all sad. I was just overwhelmed with joy at the thought of angels. Whenever I thought about this bumper sticker, I would start to cry. Even to this day it can bring tears to my eyes. I felt that in spite of all my injuries and the tremendous pain that I experienced, and still experience, the experience was worth whatever pain I might have. I felt incredibly honored, for lack of a better word, to have had the experience.

Did scenes from the future come to you? Neither I have some recollection of that but that is all.

Did you come to a border or point of no return? Neither

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Liberal I believed in God and I would consider myself very spiritual. I had been raised in the Church of Latter Day Saints, prior to that a Presbyterian

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I know that there is a supreme being and that everything and everyone fits with that Supreme Being in a perfect way.

What is your religion now? Liberal I am very spiritual, I believe in a Supreme Being, whether that is the combination of all souls, or a God.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I know that there is a supreme being and that everything and everyone fits with that Supreme Being in a perfect way.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? Neither

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? Sensed their presence

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Yes I had complete sense of knowingness.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I don't worry much anymore. I have an awareness that everything is fine just the way it is. That's not to say that I don't make changes in my life, it just means that I have real peace with my life, it doesn't matter if the life experience is a good one or a negative one. That's the best I can explain it.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No To express the emotions that went with the experience is hard to express because it is something that is felt so deeply that I can't find the words to articulate my experience. It was beyond wonderful.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes I woke one morning and told my husband that a friend and business associate of my husband's had died. I had talked to this man on the phone at some point over a fifteen year period, but I never met him. He wasn't someone that I thought about. I just matter-of-factly told my husband that he died. A short time later, my husband got a phone call and a friend told him that this man had died. I believe he may have died after I had told my husband. When my husband got the phone call and the man told him who had died, my husband remarked that he already knew about it. Then my husband remembered that it was I who had told him. I have had other premonitions about events that were to happen but they weren't life shattering things. I just knew different things that were to happen prior to them actually happening.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? It was significant that I wasn't very far away from where I am right now. It was meaningful how close my friends and relatives are that have already left their bodies. I know they are close by me now.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I shared my experience as soon as I was able to talk, I think. I told the doctor who was my primary care giver. I told my husband and anyone else I could tell. I was very excited to share my experience with other people. I remember having some eye brows raised by a few attorneys that were questioning me for an insurance company. I think I was told not to say much about it, but I was too excited and I wanted to share my experience.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes I heard of it.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real I knew where I was. I have no doubts. I knew that people would doubt my experience and I felt that it was fine if they doubted it. I knew that it was real and I knew that they know too eventually. I can't pinpoint when I was aware of the experience after I was hurt. I need to ask someone how soon afterwards I told them about it. It wasn't very long after.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I feel no different than I did five and a half years ago. The experience was real and I have no doubt about it. It's not my place to try to convince anyone else that I had it. I just want to share my experience with people that want to know about it. That's all.

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? If I wasn't so tired I probably would add more, but I'm tired and my injuries from the accident are being irritated from sitting at my computer this long.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? Maybe I can think of some in the future. For now, I have to stop writing. I'm too tired and too sore from the position I'm in. Thank you for letting me share.