Sanna F SDE

Experience Description

Shared Death Experience at Grandmother's Death Bed

My grandmother ("Nanny", 91 years old) was bedridden for days leading up to this encounter. A few days before she died, she told me she saw good spirits around her. The day she died, she was extremely weak and unable to communicate. We tried our best to take care of her at home, but we could all tell she was dealing with pain. Her hands had completely hardened, and sadly we had to put rolled washcloths between her finger nails and palms so that she wouldn't break the skin (that's how hardened they were). She was on her 10th day without eating solid foods. She had bed sores on her back. Many family members were in the room chatting and surrounding her as we sensed the end was near. A few family members left the room, but three stayed, my sister, my cousin and myself. As she was lying in bed, I noticed she seemed in distress, although she had lost her ability to communicate. Feeling compelled to help, I silently prayed for her and played some quiet music on my laptop.

Suddenly, I heard my cousin tell us to look at her eyes. Nanny's eyes were completely open, wider and bluer than ever before and she appeared to be looking straight up at something. Her skin was turning white. It was freakish and startling. I believe I said, "She is seeing God!". My sister and cousin could not move as they just stared in amazement. I felt compelled to get my mother and uncle who were in the kitchen to come and see what we were witnessing. They returned with me quickly. A total of 5 family members were beside my grandmother's bed as she was dying.

Her eyes remained fixed on something above her as though she was receiving a message. Some sort of light (either from within or reflecting from her) was illuminating her eyes. Her upper body seemed to be lifted or elevated, however, I can only recall this because of the angle in which I saw her face. For some reason, I could not remove my gaze from her face, as though I was instructed to not look away. I got an overwhelming sense that we were in the presence of godliness and although I could not see (with my eyes) what Nanny was looking at. I sensed it was either God, Jesus or an angel. It seemed to have a male persona, was very tall, and gleaming a bright light. I saw this not with my physical eyes, but as a telepathic vision in my mind. I could clearly "see" the base of his long robe touching the ground. He seemed to know everything about Nanny, as though he saw her entire life in front of him. He would be best described as "authority personified". I felt extremely honored to be in his presence. As such, I knelt down in prayer out of respect for both my grandmother's fate and because I was in the presence of this powerful and otherworldly being. I sensed that he was telepathically commanding her to follow him. I felt him say something akin to “Come with me.”

Even more shocking, the sense of exhilaration and joy we felt as she was dying and leaving to follow him was overwhelming and far more powerful than anything that can be experienced with a human brain. It was like we briefly tapped into a much broader, unifying consciousness - a sensation which is not replicable. No words can possibly do justice to describe the energy we felt. Oddly, I immediately recognized this feeling. It was home. It was so familiar, that it felt more familiar than anything I've ever known. I felt more alive than ever before. Nanny made some gentle movements opening and closing her mouth as she was leaving us. I can only liken these mouth movements to those of a gentle frog croaking silently. Moments later, she was gone and her little limp body laid peacefully on the bed.

I don’t remember much immediately following the encounter except for feeling a strange combination of wild excitement and shock at that moment. Everyone was talking about the incredible energy we had felt and how mind-blowing it all was. None of us had ever heard of a shared death experience before this experience, so it was extremely difficult to process what had just occurred. We did not know what we saw and felt during Nanny’s death was even in the realm of possibility. Our various reactions confirmed that four family members present felt a magnificent energy during this encounter with a higher power. This energy was never directed towards us, but somehow we sensed the promise that awaits us after we die- and it was the most beautiful moment of my life.

After the event was over, the family members and I discussed our own accounts of what happened. There were some notable differences. My mother saw Nanny rotating her shoulders as though they were immediately "fixed" from years of pain and loss of function. She also saw Nanny somewhat levitating off the bed. My sister did not have a shared death experience, but was a witness in the room. She said that Nanny's body never lifted off the bed. My theory is that my mother saw Nanny's soul rotating her shoulders (not her human body). I was the only one to have a visual image in my mind of the light being, but my uncle, mother and cousin all felt his presence just the same. Four of us felt the incredible energy that permeated the room. Strangely, no one in the room had tried to look up (where Nanny was looking).

In terms of side effects, it was emotionally challenging for me after Nanny's death. I wanted to grieve for her normally, but that was seemingly impossible. The experience played over and over again in my mind for at least a week straight. I did feel like I was going a bit crazy. I abruptly fell into a sort of depression-like state for a couple days. I longed for the same sensation of exhilarating energy that I felt when Nanny died. Eventually, I recognized that it was an honor to have had a SDE. I am eternally grateful to have had this experience for several reasons. It's wonderful to know that my grandmother is in a better place. In addition, I have had a measurable drop in my heart rate since this event occurred. I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and have taken medication to treat anxiety in the past. I now feel my anxiety is somehow lifted since this experience. I feel more love for others, including strangers. I don't think I will ever be able to fully process what happened, but I am grateful nonetheless.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: October 11, 2022

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Shared Death Experience, Grandmother Died. Other: Healthy, not near death, SDE My 91 year old grandmother died beside me and four family members. We had a shared death experience.

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

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes Clearly an other-worldly Being was present. I may have been in my body (perfectly healthy), but I was impacted telepathically and emotionally by the presence of this Being and the exhilarating energy that came along with it. No

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 There was an immediate sense "knowing", love, understanding, and unifying energy. It was all very, very familiar. I can't stress that enough. It was odd being familiar with something I have no memory of.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When Nanny's soul was exiting - I felt extremely vivid emotions and a higher intelligence when I joined a unifying consciousness

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 vision was the same. I saw things telepathically, as if they were placed in my brain without a choice in the matter.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Hearing was the same, although oddly I don't remember hearing anything at all during the experience. I know that I heard a telepathic message for my grandmother to "Come with me", but those weren't the exact words as words were not used. Meaning was conveyed telepathically as well.

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

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

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? A light clearly of mystical or other-worldly origin

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes Light emanating from the robe of a being, light emanating from my grandmothers eyes (or reflecting from her eyes)

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Exhilarating energy, love, "knowing", universal knowledge, vivid feelings, beauty, a sense of being honored to be in the presence of a light being, it felt like I was in the presence of a king

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 I felt that I tapped into a universal consciousness. That I was not using my own brain to think.

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- Catholic Not very religious

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes More spiritual

What is your religion now? Christian- Catholic Same - not very religious, but more spiritual and universal minded

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience I didn't realize that we become one when we die. I wasn't sure that our consciousness lived on after death.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I believe we should treat each other well - we will become one when we die.

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 Yes, it may have been God, Jesus, a high ranking angel or some other sort of high ranking spiritual being, I'm not sure which. Maybe if I had had enough time this would have been revealed. It was not revealed to us, although my uncle felt that it was God himself.

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? No

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Yes Yes, we become one when we die

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Uncertain I didn't have enough time. I don't know for sure if the light being I saw was actually God or one of many supreme beings. That information was not revealed to me.

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? No

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

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? Yes Absolutely. There is a beautiful afterlife that is familiar and accessible to us.

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? No

During your experience, did you gain information about love? No

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life I'm more universally minded - more spiritual

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Move love for others

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes It was so beautiful; I only wish I could describe it. It was like I was not thinking with my brain any longer. It was like I was using a far more powerful processor. I felt far more alive than I do as a human.

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

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Uncertain. Not sure - I had one vivid visitation dream from my grandmother that I do not wish to share in its entirety

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Yes. I feel my grandmother is looking out for me. I feel lucky and honored to have had this experience.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I have shared it with my entire family and a few coworkers who I trusted. They took it well, but I think some people don't know what to make of it. It is hard to process even as a story, let alone having experienced it firsthand. I don't blame them. I would be a bit skeptical too. People have been supportive, even if a bit perplexed by it.

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

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real

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