Rickalan K NDE

Experience Description

July 1, 1988, I was a private in the United States Marine Corps, having just graduated boot camp in April. My friend, came bearing a 4 day pass with a desire to get off the military base. We figured that we would be able to make it as far as Pittsburgh. I said, 'That's perfect, we can go see my family.' So we pack up the 1972 Plymouth Trail duster and headed out. On the drive up I could not stay awake. I was well rested yet it was like I had sleeping sickness. I just could not stay awake. Andy was just happy to be on an adventure.

We arrived in my home town and went to visit my cousins. Everyone wanted to go off roading in my car, although I was so sleepy. We stopped for gas before going up the mountains, and I was sound asleep. Ritchie says to me, 'Bitch if you're gonna sleep you're getting in back' then he picks me up and puts me in the back and he rides shotgun. This definitely saved my life.

We head up the mountain and the master cylinder disintegrates. The other side is a very steep grade with a rock wall on one side and huge pines on the other. We were doing 30 when we crested but now was picking up speed. Andy is making amazing turns while trying to shove the stick in reverse but nothing is slowing us down. We make it an impossible 2 miles downhill and have one last turn before we can coast to safety. We didn't make the turn, colling with an enormous pine tree.

I was on the floor bleeding from a head wound which would call for 192 stitches. I had broken the C-1, the round 1st cervical, as well as my ring finger. One of my friends was unharmed except for the deep 2' gash in his calf muscle. The driver is pinned to his seat by the steering wheel, with his left leg hanging outside the drivers window and shattered with at least 17 breaks. Ritchie was out cold having bounced off the dashboard and part of the engine block. He had several broken ribs, one of which has punctured his Aorta. Incredibly, the least injured one of us went to get help. I woke up a bit later and climbed out the back. I stumbled up hill a bit, but with my bleeding head wound. I was rather confused. When I saw my car, I heard the driver mumbling for help. I tried to pull him out, but he screamed in pain yelling, ' PRIVATE GO FOR HELP! THAT'S A DIRECT ORDER!' I thought I knew where we were and how to get help quickly. I disappear in the darkness.

In the meantime, my friend reaches the trailers and calls 911 for help.

Meanwhile I am going deeper and deeper into the woods. I see miles and miles of dense forest and think that my head wound is making me hallucinate further. I stop at a tree and look up. I clearly see a Marine sniper in full cameo as I try to tell him, 'There's been an accident.' No response. 'I'm not part of your drill.' Still, no response. I move to another tree. I find another sniper. 'Please fellow Marines are severely injured, can you just radio that there has been an accident near Main side?' This sniper looks down and shakes his head no. I go to another tree and another and suddenly I am exhausted and I yell out. 'Won't somebody help me, I'M GOING TO DIE OUT HERE.!' I trip, land on a moss covered log, and I lose consciousness.

The first responder to the scene quickly assessed the situation and notifies dispatch they need the jaws of life and a helicopter to Pittsburgh. The State Troopers were asking my friend, 'You said there were 3 when you left, these 2 and you.' My friend corrects them, 'No there were 3 in the car when I left.' They ask, 'Well where is he?' 'That's your job trooper but there's a lost Marine out there.' 'By the way, any word on Richie?' my friend asks. They answered, 'He's made it to Pittsburgh and is in surgery, but he's got a long way to go.' (Later, I found out, he does make it and does not die.)

I woke up on the moss-covered log. The sun is directly overhead. I felt warm and safe, like I had slept for a week. Then suddenly I remember. 'Oh my God those men! How could I let them down?' I get up to find a path to the road. I take a few steps and notice the sun has moved away from me. I notice the sun appears to be leading me to a path, then I think I see a car. I move quickly. I stumble down a berm and into the road to see the Troopers car. I wave him down to tell him, 'There's been an accident.' The Trooper agrees, 'Yes, we've been looking for you.'

I get defensive,'Why what did I do?' The Trooper says, 'You were in the accident.' I insist that I wasn't. The Trooper said, 'Look at yourself.' I look down at the blood covering my clothing and think, 'maybe I was in an accident.' The Trooper told me to sit down. I move to the side of the road and grabs at my neck as I sit. The Trooper radios in, 'Oh my God, he's got a broken neck.' I pass out.

Moments later, I’m standing on the berm again watching the scene below. I'm thinking, 'Man, that man is messed up! Damn! Hey that's my jean jacket. Hey that's my shirt.' I look down and see that I’m not on the berm. I realize I am floating and it hits me, 'Wait that's me.' The ambulance has left and I start to be pulled towards it. Suddenly,I slam into my body screaming in pain as I hear someone yell, 'He's back!' as I passed out again.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 07/03/1988

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 in a very serious car accident. We lost our brakes as we crested the summit. We made it 2 miles down the other side of the summit, when we crashed into a large tree. The 1972 Plymouth Trail Duster was totaled. The tree lost some bark. I climbed out of the vehicle and walked up hill then turned around and walked back down. I saw the wreckage and went to help not realizing I had just come from there. I thought I was still on Base in North Carolina but was actually in Western Pa. I had no idea I was injured. My corporal gave me a direct order to go for help, so I did.

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

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I was watching myself, unconscious and battered, being attended to and put into an ambulance. 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. I realized I was floating and it didn't shock me or ore really phase me in the least. Like I was used to it even when I moved in closer , I mean I just knew what I was doing , like I was used to not having feet. I saw how bad I looked but didn't question why I didn't hurt. A part of me felt very at home in that moment. Noticing every detail.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When I realized I was floating and watching myself being put into the ambulance.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

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 eye and ears were tested near perfect in the Marines and yet everything was clearer.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Same as with vision. I could hear the EMTs calling out stats and such but wasn't really listening. I mean I heard them like they were in my head but I was enthralled with how bad I looked.

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

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Uncertain I don't know how far from the road I was. I know I had to follow the sun, somehow, and it was leading, but its like we walked a very short distance to get out to the road. Yet pretty far from the accident site.

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 I had thought it was the sun, it woke me up and led me to the road just as the trooper was coming by. For years I thought it was noon when I woke with the sun rather close to the earth was directly over me when I woke. Thing is they found me at 5:30 am sawn was just about to break.

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I recall feeling sorry for that poor guy, until I saw it was me. It looked a lot like me but all the blood and mess I wasn't sure. Then I noticed my new USMC shirt I was wearing. I had just bought it and my ever present Levi Jean jacket I wore everywhere. When I woke up in the hospital they gave them back to me, as they had been cut off my body.

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

Did you have a feeling of joy? Happiness

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? Everything about myself or others There was a clarity to my thoughts that I just don't normally possess.

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? No

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Protestant Born again Christian but not really practicing, not attending church except for holidays .

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Unaffiliated- Nothing in particular- Secular unaffiliated. I believe in the Universe and the Spirit or higher power but not necessarily in God

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was both consistent and not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience. The experience is not at all dissimilar to I how thought it Would be

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? I heard a voice I could not identify. I recall almost hearing attention getting sounds, usually as I was losing focus

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? Yes I I knew in that moment that I had been on that side, before I was born or sent to Earth. I don't know how I know that, but I knew it. It felt like, when you run home for something you forgot during the work day, like I had just popped in to grab my umbrella or something. It's weird because I didn't thin that at the time but when I look back it's so clear I knew these things.

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Yes It's just what I felt I just felt connected to it all.

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? No

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Yes I know I just new I was safe and protected, also felt like I knew where I was once I was floating but knew I wasn't supposed to thinks of things, like in case you find yourself briefly on the other side please follow these rules, don't let yourself gain knowledge we shouldn't have as a mortal

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

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? Yes I knew I was out of my body but it felt more natural more correct. I didn't seem to care about staying or going back but just before I entered my body I knew it was gonna hurt, and I was right.

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? Uncertain It wasn't really even a thought but knowing how bad slamming into my body was gonna feel. Like I had drilled for it like a soldier does preparing for a march, etc.

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Uncertain I felt loved it the moment I was awake by the light I felt like I was being hugged by unseen arms the whole time.

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? No changes in my life I've lost any fear I had of dying

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

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 more accurately than other life events that occurred around the time of the experience This memory is burned into my soul Clear as a bell looking to it

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? Mostly when I was floating I knew it was normal A medium I know says my ESP qualities are strong, I feel like they got stronger as I've aged

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes It was about five years after the incident, that I learned I had been found predawn then it all flooded back to me. When I've discussed it with others everyone knows I believe it all happened like I said. One friend was rather inquisitive as he had just spent 10 days in a coma and he confirmed my knowledge of how it felt on the other side.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes I had heard friends talk about NDEs also from movies and TV

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real. Watching my unconscious self being treated by EMTs just stuck with me.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. I've never waivered from my memories it's not like a memory it's more like I can watch the video of the whole affair

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? Iv'e given you all I have.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? It's perfect as is