Terrance S NDE

Experience Description

It happened on a cool October evening in 1965. I was 15 years old and bicycling home after working at a local restaurant. It had to be after 8:00 p.m. and it was quite dark. There were no street-lights in our community at the time. I had a generator-powered headlamp and tail-light on my light-weight, 3- speed bike. I was heading south on a two-lane paved road and came to the intersection of Hwy7. This was a divided, 4-lane paved road at the time. There were left-turn lanes for the east and west bound traffic. After stopping, I went across the west-bound lane and waited in the median. My attention was focused on eastbound traffic at that moment.

Suddenly, I was positioned above the intersection and looking down. The sight below was somehow lighted, so I could see objects clearly. I saw the dark-green, Ford station-wagon with its chrome roof-rack and faux-wood tailgate continuing west in the grassy median. I watched myself below, while I was spinning on my back, and in the westbound lane of Hwy7. Cars were swerving to avoid hitting me.

While I was out of my body, I felt no physical pain. I felt comfort and a certain peace. In an instant, I suppose I had accepted my death. I heard a communication that was not an audible voice. I was told that I must return, because 'It is not your time'! I resisted, arguing that I didn’t want to return to that sad-looking body. My insulated, blue nylon jacket was melted in the back and I had been knocked out of my shoes. Again the communication let me know that 'It is not your time'! Instantly, I was in the physical world and was being gently lifted onto a gurney.

The x-rays revealed dislodging of the kidneys and intestines. I suffered blood in my urine and stool for several months.

Some time later, a policeman came to our home to take my statement of the incident. I’m sure I told him the facts of why and how I came to that place at that time. But when I described the car that hit me, and my landing in the westbound lanes, he stopped abruptly. He interrupted, saying there was no way I could describe the station wagon due to its speed and the darkness of night. I stood my ground and confirmed what I saw. My mother gasped, but kept to herself. The policeman then told me what he learned: The driver of the station wagon was westbound and thinking the left turn lane was a third lane, entered it and accelerated. The station wagon hit me full-on, coming from my left. I had no knowledge of an oncoming car. His speed estimated in excess of 90mph at moment of impact. The station wagon came to rest nearly a quarter mile away. The policeman was amazed that I survived the incident.

Throughout my life. I made a point of not sharing my experience. I did share it with my wife and when she became a nurse, she shared a few books covering research on the subject. Those stories in those books reassured me, I’m not a crackpot!

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: October 1965

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident Life threatening event, but not clinical death. Car crashed into me while I was on a bicycle.

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

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes Suddenly, I was positioned above the intersection and looking down. The sight below was somehow lighted, so I could see objects clearly. 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? Normal consciousness and alertness. The experience seemed normal to me; I was not frightened. The non-verbal communication bewildered me at first, but I readily accepted it.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I felt fully aware at all times. No period of unconsciousness.

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. It was the dark of night so the view of the scene being fully-lit was extraordinary.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Unaware of any audible sounds through the experience.

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? An unusually bright light

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes The entire scene below was engulfed in light despite the fact it was the dark of night.

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I was calm, with a sense of overall peace! I did not want to return to that damaged, lifeless 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 I understood the message to be, I must continue to live my life with some special purpose. Some mission to fulfill.

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? I came to a barrier that I was not permitted to cross; or was sent back against my will I did offer an objection to returning but was told firmly by a non-verbal communication that, 'It is not your time'!

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Catholic

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I don't necessarily believe the Jesus story but do believe in a Higher Power. I infrequently attend religious services. I attend both Christian and Jewish services. My wife was Jewish, I am widowed.

What is your religion now? Christian- Protestant

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 did not see Jesus or any angels. No shaft of light, hand of God or deep voice from heaven above.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I felt my life had a special purpose. I no-longer feared death. My compassion for my fellow man improved.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? I heard a voice I could not identify A communication, no audible voice came to me informing me I must return, 'It is not your time'! I resisted, arguing I didn’t want to return to that sad looking body… My insulated, blue nylon jacket was melted in the back and I had been knocked out of my shoes! Again the communication, 'It is not your time'!

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? No

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes The lighting of the scene, the repeated non-verbal communication and the feeling of comforting arms about me. For me prove the existence of a higher power.

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Uncertain My conclusion is that I had some special mission but specifics eluded me.

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

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? No

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. Several times through life I have gotten feedback that something I have said or done has greatly affected peoples' lives... At a chance meeting some 20 years later a former co-worker told me of an occasion when my words moved him to cease drinking alcohol.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I have gotten feedback that things I've said have driven people to change their behavior.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes The form of communication was non-verbal. The source of lighting of the scene below can not be explained. It felt like comforting arms were enveloping me.

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 My memories of the event have not dimmed or revealed additional information.

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 non-verbal communication impressed me and encouraged me to be deliberate in my words and actions.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes 13 years later I told my wife. She was very supportive. She encouraged me to get into fostering troubled youth and especially pregnant teens.

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 experience was very real to me and I have always remained unwavering in that belief. After giving my statement of the event to the policeman and getting conformation that I was able to clearly describe the vehicle involved and state of my injured body, I forever remain certain of details of my experience.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. Life's events has confirmed to me that my walk through life has great purpose and indeed I have positively affected lives.

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