Mike C NDE

Experience Description

I was having unusual pains in my chest, so I called for an ambulance. My wife was at work. When I called her, she said she would come home and take me to the hospital since the ambulance was taking a long time. I said, 'No, I will wait for the ambulance.'

The ambulance arrived and the emergency medical technicians settled me in the ambulance. Shortly thereafter, my heart stopped. The ambulance had planned on taking me to a large hospital but since my heart stopped, they took me to the nearest hospital. I was without a heartbeat for 24 minutes and underwent CPR for 45 minutes. When my heart started again, I was transferred to the large hospital. e I had stents put in and remained in a coma for 10 days.

At some point in all of this, my consciousness was transported to the edge of the Universe where I could see all of creation. I did not know the Universe had an edge. I thought it was infinite.

I could see all the planets and stars. When I focused my attention on anything, such as the Earth, it came to the fore in my field of vision. Throughout this experience, I felt incredible love that remains beyond my ability to describe. I also was aware that I was a part of everything I saw as well as still my individual self. I was both, the observed and the observer. I encountered my first born son who had died in infancy. Yet, here, he was an adult.

There were some horse-like animals that were marked like yellow and orange zebras. While I was in a coma, the nurses suggested to my wife that she bring in some of my favorite music and play it to see if it might help me come out of the coma. On the tenth day, I emerged from the coma to Bob Dylan singing, 'Knocking on Heavens Door.'

After waking up from the coma, strangeness persisted. For instance, my room in the hospital overlooked the parking deck. I saw an old man out there every day who was drinking beer. When I asked about him, nobody but me saw him. Then my 3-year old grandson came to see me in the hospital. He saw the old man and asked who he was. Later, my grandson said the old man went home with him. I figure it must be so, as I never saw the old man after that day.

Once I was released from the hospital and began driving again, I felt as if there was someone else doing the driving and that my consciousness was still separate. It took quite awhile for my body and consciousness to reintegrate.

I loved being on the other side. I did not want to come back and thought about how to get back to the other side; even considering suicide. Over time though, I am fully reintegrated. I am different though. I do not fear death at all. I am extremely sensitive now. Perhaps too much so, as my wife tells me I overreact to things.

Also at some point while in the coma, I could see myself and my hands were tied. When I woke my wife said I had been restrained to keep me from pulling the intubation tube out. After that, I would not sleep, staying up all night watching television while still at the hospital. My wife said that when I came out of the coma, I cursed a lot around everyone. This was not normal for me. When I came out of my coma, I told the nurse that I rode on the back of a turtle from the underworld. Not knowing this, my wife had purchased a turquoise turtle and placed it near my bed. I like turtles for some reason.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: May 2011

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Heart attack. Out of body experience. Heart attack. I had no heartbeat for 24 minutes and was given CPR for 45 minutes. I was in a coma for 10 days after that.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Entirely pleasant

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes My hands were tied on earth, yet I was seeing infinity. Already explained this. 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 could see and understand everything.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When I observed the entire Universe from its edge.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning. Time did not exist

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. During the experience, I could see everything.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Do not recall any hearing difference.

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? I actually saw them

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes I saw my first born child who died in infancy

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? Love. Peace.

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? No

Did scenes from your past come back to you? No

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? Christian- Protestant More spiritual than religious. Also held a lifelong belief in reincarnation.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I am far less religious and more spiritual accepting of everyone and where they are at in their life.

What is your religion now? Other or several faiths. Christ-centered, yet not religious. Have been ordained in the International Metaphysical Ministry.

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 was pretty sure that there was life after death, now I am positive.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I am certain that life has purpose and continues after death. Before I only suspected.

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

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I actually saw them

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? Yes I could feel and understand that we were all part of the ONE, yet individuals as well.

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Uncertain The feeling of incredible love permeating the Universe- I take as proof of God.

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? An afterlife definitely exists Meeting my first born son as an adult even though he died as an infant.

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 could feel an incredible love permeating the Universe. It cannot be described with words, it must be felt.

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Moderate changes in my life. I am extremely sensitive to other people and their words as well as their inflections when they speak. It is not always what is said that is important but how it is said. That is more true for me now than ever in my life.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I help everyone I can in any way I can and expect nor require anything in return.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes There are no words to explain the love I felt, the comfort, the safety.

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.

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? Understanding that I am part of all creation yet still an individual.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I told my wife and she was accepting. I tried to tell a doctor and he was not so accepting. After that I kept quiet until I found a local group that met to discuss NDEs. That helped me open up and share my experience. It took some years to be able to talk freely about my experience.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes Moody book. I do not think my knowledge affected my experience in any way.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real When I play Bob Dylan's "Knocking on Heavens Door," I cry every time. I can feel being on the other side and the return to this life in that song.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real same as above. When I play Bob Dylan I still cry. It connects me to where I was on the other side and what I lost by returning.

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? Not this experience but related. On two occasions in my life, I stepped outside of my home and was surrounded by a golden light. My life was not at risk in any way. While in the light my hearing was the sharpest I had ever experienced and I could hear everything clearly. As long as I accepted what was going on it persisted. The minute I focused on it and tried to figure it out it stopped.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? I have to think about that. And will. If I come up with anything, I will communicate it to you.