Sandra E NDE

Experience Description

I was eleven years old and playing with my school friend in her neighborhood. Many houses were under construction. We were bored and decided to go into one of the homes under construction. We walked into the garage and up three floors to the attic crawl space. There was a purple sock on the roof (Donny Osmond purple sock era) and my friend wanted it. In order to get to it we had to crawl through the attic to the hole in the roof where the fireplace would go. In order to get to that hole we had to walk across the rafters that were sheeted with drywall on the underside for the third floor ceiling. My friend made it to the hole in the roof and I was right behind. She hoisted herself up to the roof and I was going up next only I stepped on the sheetrock beneath me instead of walking on the rafters. The sheet rock gave away and beneath was the three-story hole where the fireplace was to be built. I fell all three stories. At the first floor, my face hit the rafter and snapped my nose at the base of my brain. There was no reason that the bone did not go through my brain. I then fell the following two floors where I am told I hung onto the rafter from the second to first floor. I was unconscious at the time and have no memory of that.

The doctor said that I folded in half across it and then the back of my head touched the back of my feet at which time I broke the ligaments in my back landing on the floor on my back. The next thing that I remember is standing and the back of the house not being there anymore. It was replaced by a very bright light that I could sort of see through. I walked out of what was the back of the house taking three steps through the light. It felt like I was walking down a few steps. Beyond the bright light was an intensely bright meadow with mountains beyond the meadow. Everything was very beautiful, green, and bright. There was a single large tree offering a bit of shade and a lovely stream flowing a few yards from the tree. I think it may have been an apple tree because it had bright red 'spots' in the foliage. Around the stream were animals drinking water. I remember a deer and a squirrel on the other side of the stream and a rabbit on my side. I sat down by the rabbit and gently put it in my lap petting it. I was not concerned about where I was and did not feel the need to question it. I was enjoying the beauty that surrounded me. The animals that came to me without fear of me or of each other. I was completely at peace with an inner joy that I could feel inside my soul. The scene was endless like the valley and mountains went on forever.

While I was taking in the beauty of my surroundings, I heard my name being called. It came from behind me. I knew that it was my friend. I knew she was scared and I knew I had to help her. I remember telling myself that I had to breathe in order to tell her where I was. I remember telling myself to breathe - breathe - breathe and then I awoke. She helped me up and took me by the hand to walk me out of the house. I walked on my own from that house to hers. I told her not to worry that I was okay and that I would take care of the mess I had made (blood) that she needed to go get a shirt for me, I would go to the bathroom, clean up and no one ever needed to know. My concern was still with her, and what I could do to help her. I never once thought of myself or any injuries I may have.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 1976

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes AccidentDirect head injury fell 4 stories through a house under construction Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) cessation of breath Fell four stories off a building.

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 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 Most definitely in the meadow with the animals.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Most definitely in the meadow with the animals.

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 For me it seemed that time was going slowly. Not that the picture or events were going slowly only that it felt like I was on the other side for a quite a while. Much longer than it really was.

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. Everything was very bright and the colors were very vivid - spectacular colors. Everything was solid. The ground, the animals, the stream. I don't remember actually, how things felt. I don't remember how the ground felt beneath me. Or the softness of the bunny though. I remember hearing the trickling of the stream. There was no wind or singing birds just the animals together drinking water. Everything was tranquil and relaxing.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I only remember her calling my name behind me. It seemed very, very far away. And the stream flowing - no wind just total peace.

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 I passed through where the back of the house was supposed to be. Instead, it was a bank of fog that was dense but still I could vaguely make out what was on the other side and it was very bright. I stepped three steps through the fog down into the meadow.

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 Only the animals.

The experience included: Darkness

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 first 'level' of brightness was enveloping the back of the house. Kind of like a very bright fog. The arrival on the other side was vividly bright without the fog. Just very, very clear and bright and colorful.

The experience included: A landscape or city

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm the first level was the fog...the second was the meadow.

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Total peace and joy. A feeling of being at home.

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

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 I know that heaven exists and that when we go this is not the end.

What is your religion now? Conservative/fundamentalist Baptist

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I know that heaven exists and that when we go this is not the end.

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 I had and still have a sense of purpose. I just don't know what the frick'en thing is.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Uncertain

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes I didn't understand it at the time and I really didn't talk about it for over twenty years.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes I feel a strong bond with spirits. Most are people that have gone back before me. I have very vivid dreams of heaven (home) that leave me with a strong longing to return. I visit with my grandparents mostly and people that passed before I was ever came here. They see me but are not inclined to greet or speak to me. Only my grandparents speak to me. My grandfather especially.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Yes, the longing to go back there.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes It took me years and years. Only recently have I shared this event.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? No I was very young so no I had never heard of such a thing.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was probably not real I convinced myself that it did not happen. Or it was what was to be expected when you are in a bad accident.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real Since I have gone back in my dreams and visited. It's not exactly the same but there is always a lot of nature. Very country type setting. No retail stores or power lines. There are a few houses and barns. Valleys, hills, trees, flowers, gardens, and bushes that flower. No garbage or power lines or anything unkempt. My grandmother has introduced me to her mother and father. There are lawn swings full of people and I know that they are relatives that have passed before me. My grandfather is gardening and my great grandparents are playing cards of some sort. They are able to choose their homes and land there. I was not told this in spoken language but I knew it.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Yes I had a dream after my grandparents had passed away. I went to them and the beauty and the nature had the same brilliance.

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? I live to go back. I never have felt like I belonged here and when I had the dream and visited my grandparents it brought everything into perspective. It was that feeling of total peace and the surrounding beauty that I miss. I was at home there - not here. I have never ever felt that I belonged here and I long to go home. I don't ever want to come back here. I don't know what it is that I am supposed to be doing, learning or teaching here.