Richard S NDE

Experience Description:

When I was approximately eleven years old, I was playing on a 'Davis Raft' (a Davis Raft is several logs deep) at the wharf. The year was around 1942.

While playing, I leaned over one of the logs and a wave from a passing cargo ship made the log suddenly raise up, throwing me into the ocean. At the time, I had on a heavy winter coat, heavy boots and I could not swim.

I recall sinking towards the bottom of the ocean and looking back up at the light between the logs. When I started to come back up to the surface I was prevented from doing so because of there was no space between the logs.

I again began to sink towards the bottom of the small lagoon where the Davis Raft was tied to several other rafts. On my upward return towards the surface, I could see a small opening between the logs. But when I neared the surface, the logs moved and I could not get around them.

It is my recollection that I again began to sink towards the ocean bottom. It was at this time that I had an out of body experience. First, I felt myself witnessing my empty seat in my classroom at school the next day, while my teacher Mrs. Hall was telling the class that Dick would not be coming to school because he had drowned the day before. Next, I recall the sound of beautiful music and noticing the fish around me and seeing a bright light.

I next found myself popping up to the surface between the logs and furtively grabbing a hold on one of the logs while calling out for help. Two loggers and my father came to rescue me. My father told me that they had quite a time making me let go of the log I was clutching on to. I remember my father taking off my wet clothes and wrapping me in a blanket before taking me home. My mother was angry with my father for letting me play on the raft. I next remember staying in bed in a dark room for several days before I was allowed to get up.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 1943

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' Drowning.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

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 My alertness was more keen and I experienced the sounds of music.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Near the end of experience.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Incredibly fast

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Neither

Were your senses more vivid than usual? More so than usual

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. More clarity and more tones.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? Neither

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? Neither

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

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 Bright light was seen just before breaking the surface.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? Neither Beautiful Music.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Sadness.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Neither

Did you have a feeling of joy? Neither

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? Neither

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe

Did scenes from your past come back to you? Neither

Did scenes from the future come to you? Neither I saw my classroom with my seat empty and my teacher Mrs. Hall explaining to my classmates why I would not be returning to class because I had drowned the day before.

Did you come to a border or point of no return? Neither

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Liberal

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Liberal

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? Unidentifiable voice

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? Neither

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? No

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? No

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? The bright light and the sound of beautiful music has always remained with me.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? No

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 The entire episode was relived in my mind several times over the years and has always been the same.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I strongly believe that everyone has an out of body experience upon or shortly before death.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? No