Richard R NDE

Experience Description

I was lying in a hospital room.

At first, the strangest thing happened. There was a picture on the wall. It had a man in a straw hat and pants and suspenders. He was in a large cornfield. All of a sudden, he stood up and wiped the sweat off his forehead. Then a woman, she was the deceased mother of my girlfriend, walked out of the corn with a pitcher of water. She gave him a glass of water. He took a sip and then they smiled at me (my girlfriend has the pitcher at her house; I had never seen it before this). When I described it to her, she told me she had the pitcher upstairs in her house. Then for a short time, I was just shocked. Then I went into respiratory arrest. This happens a lot to me. There was this most amazing bright light. All of a sudden, I was in the most beautiful place. The sky was so blue. The weather was so perfect. I was outside looking at this huge big open lawn. Every member of my family and friends who had died was there, even my dogs. I felt calmer than at any time in my life. I have never felt so at peace or happy. Then my brother came over to me, hugged me, smiled, and said it wasn't my time yet and then all of a sudden I was awake and gasping for breath and surrounded by a whole lot of doctors and nurses.

Since then I have felt so much calmer. Death doesn't scare me like it did before. It is hard to explain. I know that I am not going to die when my body dies. I guess you would have to have it happen to you to know what I am talking about. As bad as my health is, I do not get depressed. Doctors and everyone else are amazed by this. Since then I have had more than one person tell me they like to talk to me when they are depressed because I make them feel better. It completely changed my life. Why was this time so much deeper than the others? Did the doctors bring me back faster? I have had other experiences other times but this was the most intense. I have died several times. Other times I have never left the room. Sometimes my only sense is hearing. I could hear everything around me. More than one of the times, I was watching the doctors around my body. When that happens, my senses are so much more acute. I have so many questions I need to ask?

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: November 2007

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes I was hit by a car 5 years ago. I have spinal and head injuries. I am in hospitals a lot. Other I had clinically died earlier in the week. I was in intensive care when this experience happened. Because of my injuries I am a ticking time bomb. I have clinically died several times.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

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? When I was in that field. I don't think I have been more aware of everything.

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 vision has become bad since the accident. I could see everything. Distance didn't matter. Everything was so much more real.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I could hear even the slightest little thing going on. I knew where the sound was coming from.

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

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 already did. But once again yes I knew them and yes my brother communicated. Strangely though it seemed like I didn't need to hear words, I could just feel what they were saying.

The experience included: Light

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

The experience included: A landscape or city

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm Once again I think I already answered this one in question 3. Sorry if I got carried away there. You would have to have something like this happen to you I guess to feel what it is like.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Just so much joy. Complete calmness and peace. When I went there I didn't want to come back.

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? 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 seem to be able to predict stuff. It is so weird. I have heightened sense when it comes to reading people. I don't know why. I was never like this before. I know who did it on 'CSI Miami' before the actors playing the parts even do.

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

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes Before it was just faith in God. Now I just know he is there and exists. I was not so sure before.

What is your religion now? Moderate

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes Before it was just faith in God. Now I just know he is there and exists. I was not so sure before.

The experience included: Presence of unearthly beings

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? No

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes They have become deeper. I can sense how people feel and I know how to calm them down if they are anxious. I could never do that before.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes I know you wouldn't think so from my narrative answer, but it is very hard to explain it completely, and I hope it doesn't seem like I am exaggerating. I am not sure on question four what you mean by conscious. I sure felt awake when I was in there. But do you mean conscious before I went there?

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes It seems like I am answering all the questions before they are asked and I am not cheating. I can sense other people (ghosts) and also the answer in given above.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Seeing my family and friends and pets (they were all so healthy and young). I was noticing things about them I had never known before. The fact that it was so beautiful. The calm it instilled in me.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Only with my girlfriend at first. She was amazed and also happy. She has many health problems also. I saw her mom so she knows now that she is still around. I have gradually started to share it with others. I started with my sister. And later, other people who seem to need that sense of relief. I just shared it with my nurse today. She has a lot of breathing problems and has actually stopped breathing several times. I just share it with people who need help with their anxiety.

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 was more real it seems than what we call reality. I knew I was there but it was still hard to come to terms with.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real It is extremely hard to explain.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Yes Not going somewhere else but hearing what is being said even though I am dead, according to the doctors. And leaving my body sometimes. I have never mentioned any of this stuff to my doctors. Even though some of the times I have left my body and can see the entire incident when it is happening.