Ralph B NDE

Experience Description

In 1964 my mother Esther (of Jewish background and later finding Christ in her life) told me she had a dream that Aunt Sarah and she rescued me from under a house. Since Aunt Sarah had died about a year earlier, I told her it was just a dream and she had nothing to worry about. My mother was gifted with the ability to tell you what had happened to you yesterday and to inform you of what you should avoid in the near future. People would come from miles around to have her speak to them. In July 1964, my mother lost her battle with breast cancer.

On January 7, 1965, I heard a noise in the basement. I went down stairs in the boiler room and upon opening the door and walking up to the boiler, I noticed the gages were maximized. The boiler exploded blowing out the concrete block wall and sending me flying through the air. Someone picked me up and helped me up the steps. When I got to the top of the steps, those helping me were gone and my father was standing in the kitchen looking at me. I called the operator and told her I was dying.

My mother came to me being held by a man with a plaid colored skullcap. She told me I would marry, have two daughters, and my girlfriend (whom we had never met) would break her leg. When I came to in Johns Hopkins, I told my nurse what I saw. She said not to worry, that my girlfriend was coming up with her mother. The next day she came in the room to inform me my girlfriend would not be coming. She broke her leg.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 1965

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident 'Boiler explosion. I was burned 100 % 40 % first degree, 20 % 2nd degree and 40 % 3rd degree.' 'Illness, trauma or other condition not considered life threatening' I was scalded over most of my body and burned by coal gas blast, as well as hit with splinters of cast iron imbedded in my arms.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

Did you feel separated from your body? Uncertain 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 As above.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When my mother was suspended through the dimension barrier and being held by a man I had never seen before.

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

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. My mother came to me a second time. The doctors were going to remove my legs. She came to me and told me to get up and walk when the nurse returns in the morning. I told my nurse of my vision. She said I must not try to walk because I could bleed out. I told her that I must or they would remove my legs. She was surprised that I knew about the doctors anticipating having to remove my legs. I not only got up and walked with the help of the nurse's aid, but I danced with her. My nurse went running to get the doctors to show them that I was walking and using my legs.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Everything was loud.

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? Yes Not sure of sides or what was behind me. My mother appeared to extend through a cloud and held in place by a man with red beard and plaid skull cap.

The experience included: Presence of deceased persons

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 My mother and a man with red beard and skull cap. I was later shown a portrait of a man with a red beard and skullcap by my cousin (Doctor Shipley Glick). Shipley told me, and no one had ever seen this portrait before. He kept it in a safe place over the years. It turns out the man with a red beard was my Great Grandfather, a rabbi who by the touch of his hand could heal the sick.

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? Uncertain The place was bright, not so much like a light, but more like a white cloud.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm Area of light with a defenite barrier between dimentions.

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Comforted and reassured by the presence of my mother. I still was not aware of who the man was holding on to her.

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 The prediction that my girlfriend would break her leg.

The experience included: Vision of the future

Did scenes from the future come to you? Scenes from the world's future Of my mother telling me of things that came true.

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? Moderate 'Jewish until age 6, Methodist until married at age 23 and attend Catholic Church every Sunday.'

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I don't know where I was. I only know I was there. I am open to any explanation. I don't believe we have it exactly right when reading the Bible. I think we are close. There is much left unanswered. Maybe, that's a good thing.

What is your religion now? Moderate In touch with God daily.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I don't know where I was. I only know I was there. I am open to any explanation. I don't believe we have it exactly right when reading the Bible. I think we are close. There is much left unanswered. Maybe, that's a good thing.

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 With the appearance of my mother at the foot of my hospital bed telling me to walk the next morning.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Positive influence whenever and wherever possible.

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? Yes I have always had some of the abilities my mother had, but not as clearly defined. I have felt the presence of family members at the point of their death.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? My mother's predictions coming true. The information she gave me in my near death experience. I have become a person determined to make a difference. I use my positive outlook to bring a spirit of wellbeing to my clients when teaching CPR and other safety topics.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I share my experience with my very close friends when they have a loved one at the death's door or after their departure to reassure them that there is something after death. I tell them I don't know where it is or what it is like. I only know that it exists.

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 made it. I survived. I live to teach people the art of saving lives. I try to make a difference in people's lives.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real It was as real as a sunset and as sure as the promising sunrise.

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? Stay open minded. When those who think they have all the answers and that their God is the one and only God. I have only one thing to say. Stay open minded, there is something, when others say they have all the answers, just think, think, think. I am no longer afraid of what's next. I remain open minded and hopeful.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? I am delighted a scientific review is finally underway. I saw the interview with Bill O'Rielly. I heard him trying to justify only the good will be rewarded. This is man's wishes. We will have to wait and see who or what we meet. It may be an electronic awareness of everyone and everything, it may be we indeed see our relatives and our pets; it may be just a place of peace. It is my journey to do what I can for my fellow human beings as long as my God allows me to do so.