Paige M NDE

Experience Description

I was riding on a snowmobile and I hit a tree stump that I didn't see. I was going sixty miles per hour and I was thrown off the snowmobile headfirst into a tree that was over twenty feet away. I have no memory of this event; my best friend who witnessed the whole event explained this to me.

The first thing I remember is floating above myself, looking down, and seeing my body face down in a snow bank under a tree. I had been wearing a wool pea coat and a thick Carhartt jacket over it, as well as snowmobiling pants and thick winter boots but I felt free as I floated looking down. I had no worries or any thoughts. I heard a sudden scream and saw my best friends rush to my limp body and roll me over. Suddenly I was aware that I was not breathing and began to panic. I remember seeing a blinding bright light but I turned away because I was trying to breathe. Everything was so bright and vivid I remember it even now.

The next thing I remember is wondering why I was so cold; the next that I still wasn't breathing. My best friend was screaming that I was dead and I wasn't breathing when I started gasping. The snowmobile helmet I was wearing felt like it was choking me it felt so heavy. I was able to communicate through yelling 'helmet' and gasping for air. My best friend unclasped the helmet and threw it away.

After my breathing was normal, I realized that I couldn't feel anything from the neck down. I didn't tell my friend. I told her that I just wanted to rest and I didn't want to stand up. As time went by, I could feel my upper body but still not anything below the waist.

My best friend helped me struggle until I was sitting upright and breathing, nothing hurt but I was terrified. After twenty minutes of sitting there in the snow bank, I yelped because my pants had slid down and snow was going down my pants. I jumped up so happy that I could finally feel my legs again.

We walked over and picked up the helmet. The visor was ripped off and a huge chunk was also missing. We searched the surrounding area and found half of the visor but never the full thing nor the missing pieces of the helmet.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: February 2005

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident. Direct head injury Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) I was riding on a snowmobile and I hit a tree stump that I didn't see.

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

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes See narrative above. 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? Normal consciousness and alertness

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Probably right after I woke up on the ground.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

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. One thing that was interesting is that I wear contact lenses to see as I have horrible vision. After the accident I had lost a contact lens [probably with the visor] but when I was looking down on myself I could see perfectly whereas afterwards my one eye made everything blurry and out of focus.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. No difference.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? No

The experience included: Tunnel

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Uncertain I remember there was darkness and a light. I guess it could have been a tunnel experience going from my out of body experience back into my body.

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? An unusually bright light

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes But I turned away from it because I was scared and I wanted to breathe.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? No

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I was very calm.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Incredible peace or pleasantness

Did you have a feeling of joy? No

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? I felt no longer in conflict with nature

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? I came to a barrier that I was not permitted to cross; or was sent back against my will I don't know if I'd consider it an absolute conscious decision but I remember thinking if I'm not breathing I'm dead, and I shouldn't be dead. I forced myself to turn away from the light and try to breathe.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What importance did you place on your religious/spiritual life prior to your experience? Moderately important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Catholic I had attended a Catholic school all of my life, and though I believed in life after death, I didn't neccessarily believe in "paranormal" things as I do now.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What importance do you place on your religious/spiritual life after your experience? Moderately important to me

What is your religion now? Christian- Catholic After working at a facility where I see people die quite often I think I've become almost more religious in a way.

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 believe in God and Heaven, and I believe that I was heading to heaven and that I was dead.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? No

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

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? God definitely exists

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Uncertain Again, I saw a light and I think that would have lead me to heaven.

Do you believe in the existence of God after your experience? God definitely exists

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

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

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are possibly meaningful and significant

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

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? An afterlife definitely exists

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists Uncertain I did see a bright light and I think that if I would have continued on I would have encountered heaven.

Did you fear death prior to your experience? I greatly feared death

Do you fear death after your experience? I do not fear death

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Not fearful in living my earthly life

Were you fearful living your life after your experience? Not fearful in living my earthly life

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are possibly meaningful and significant

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant after your experience? Are probably meaningful and significant

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

Were you compassionate prior to your experience? Slightly compassionate toward others

During your experience, did you gain information about love? No

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Unknown

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Yes My best friend and I became a lot closer as a result.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes Everything was so vivid but dreamy at the same time. I remember I felt so unfettered and I was unconcerned that my body was face down in a snow bank.

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 as accurately as other life events that occurred around the time of the experience It stands out because of the out-of-body aspect, but it was no different from the rest of the trip.

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

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes It was three years later and it was in a writing class I first shared my experience. People had generally good reactions although some people didn't believe 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 It took me a few days to process what happened but I have accepted it, and my best friend who saw it confirms that I was not breathing for a good few minutes and totally unresponsive. Also there were things that I saw her do that only I would have known if I saw it. My eyes were closed when she rolled me over.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I remember the experience as accurately as other life events that occurred around the time of the experience It stands out because of the out-of-body aspect, but it was no different from the rest of the trip.

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? I did see a bright light and I think that if I would have continued on I would have encountered heaven.