Monty D NDE

Experience Description

My friend and I were driving down an old two lane road heading into Fresno. The road is heavily traveled. The posted speed I believe was fifty mph. I remember driving down the road, we were talking, and the next thing I see is a truck in the oncoming lane cross over into our lane blocking it completely causing us to hit it in the center of the pickup truck. I remember thinking everything appeared to be moving in slow motion, but I know it happened in an instant. I remember hitting my head on the roof of the car and then the windshield and finally the dashboard area. I had a pool stick that was between my knees on the floor of the car. At some point during the accident, it had wedged itself between me and the car causing it to push into my chest area and cracking my sternum. The front of the car we were driving in was completely smashed up to the windshield. The pool stick probably kept me in the vehicle and kept me from being smashed between the vehicles. I remember reaching down to my chest and feeling my bones sticking out and I was starting to have trouble breathing. I told my friend to tell my son I loved him and to look after him and that I thought I was passing away. The next memory I have is of my face on the ground, and I can see road flares and the soles of the police and emergency medical technician's shoes.

They then picked me up and carried me into the ambulance. I heard them say I was going into shock. The emergency medical technician was asking me questions, trying to keep me awake. I knew at the time what he was trying to do, but I was having a very difficult time staying awake. I heard the emergency medical technician yell, 'We're losing him!' At this time, this is where it got really strange for me.

I could see myself. I was surrounded by a total darkness, as if everyone had shut out all the lights in the room, but it felt like it was huge, I had a single light shining down on me from up above, other than that it was all pitch black. I could see myself and I was telling myself, 'You have to wake up.' I was just repeating this to myself and looking around at the emptiness. I felt like I wasn't alone, but I didn't see anything other than the light above shining down, almost like a spotlight.

The next thing I see is my mother and her friend walking down the hospital hall. They were moving towards a body on the gurney that is covered completely up and pushed to the side of the hallway. I then woke up back in the hospital on that gurney, and I actually pulled the sheet off my face - my mother was visibly shaken and in tears. I remember telling her some stupid joke like, 'It only hurts when I laugh.' I didn't want to see her like that. The hospital staff in the emergency room had told them I didn't make it, and I was in the hallway waiting for someone from the morgue to come and get my body. I don't really know what happened that day, but I do believe we live on after our body dies.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 1990

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident. Direct head injury 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' I was the passenger in an automobile accident.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

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? More consciousness and alertness than normal As above.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Probably during the time when I was in the darkness - I knew I had to try and wake myself up, or that was it. Like I said, I was aware of my surroundings and of the light above, but I wasn't ready to die just yet.

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

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? Uncertain I think I was about to enter into the light above me, it started as a very small light but it appeared to be getting bigger and bigger.

Did you see any beings in your experience? I actually saw them

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

The experience included: Darkness

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 It was like a spotlight shining down on me, at first I didn't realize it was there, I just saw a blackness but then I saw a light shining above me.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm I was in a very vast and dark space/place, but didn't feel afraid at all, I could feel like I wasn't alone, but couldn't see anyone or anything other than myself.

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? When I saw myself on the gurney, I felt an urgency to come back, but when I was in the darkness, I really wasn't thinking about my physical body at all.

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

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? 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 I've had dreams all through my life that have come true. I've had déjà vu type of things and I guess what some would call quick visions that would later come true. I have to say that those occurrences have happened to me though most of my life, even before the accident. I know that sounds 'crazy', but it's the truth, I've learned to just not talk about those things with everyone.

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? Liberal

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes Before, I wasn't what you'd call religious - I always believed in God, I just honestly never gave it much thought. Now, I walk and talk with God almost daily, I realize we are all a part of something greater. I didn't see God when this happened, but I felt a presence I felt was God.

What is your religion now? Liberal

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes Before, I wasn't what you'd call religious - I always believed in God, I just honestly never gave it much thought. Now, I walk and talk with God almost daily, I realize we are all a part of something greater. I didn't see God when this happened, but I felt a presence I felt was God.

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? Yes I just knew it wasn't my time yet.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Uncertain I suppose. I now tell my family I love them each and every day - from my mother, brothers, wife, kids and friends. I want them to know how much they all mean to me in case something like that ever happens again and I don't make it back.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Uncertain I've had what some would call precognitive visions for most of my life, but after the accident, I did feel like I could really read people very well. I can talk to someone and almost 'feel' if they're lying or if they are good people. I think my instincts and intuition got a lot stronger and more accurate.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? I did come out of it wondering about if I was on the right path in my life. At the time, I was trying to get on with a local law enforcement agency and thought that was my future. After the accident, I wasn't able to do that kind of work, so it left me searching for my purpose in life.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I first shared it with my friend who was in the accident with me and then my girlfriend at the time. I don't think my friend believed me, but he couldn't really explain it either. After all these years, he's started to come around. My girlfriend, on the other hand, completely believed 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 don't have one doubt it was real, I never did. I just felt lucky to be back.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real Same answer as above. I know it was real.

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? No.