Tyrone NDE

Experience Description

I grew up in the worst neighborhood in the city. I rarely, if ever, went back because of the crime. But a friend of mine from high school was dying of cancer and was in hospice care at home. I was back in the area for work and made it a point to see him. I pulled up in the evening. The sun had just set. As I got out of my car and stepped onto the sidewalk, a man approached me and accused me of ripping off his boss from some drug money. I thought, ‘My God, this is too ironic. I am going to die on the street I was raised on.’ He pulled out a gun and said, ‘What do you have to say?’ I told him my name. I used to play pro football and was known around that part of town. He replied, ‘You're driving the same car and you look exactly the same as the person who ripped off me and my boss. Then I felt a tightening in my chest. I knew I'd been shot. My adrenaline was flowing so hard that I did not feel any pain. I had a ringing in my ears. I thought it was fear, but it was the sound of the gunshot. The gunman ran off and I stood there holding my chest on the right side. I looked down and saw blood. My shirt became drenched in seconds. Then I was having a hard time catching my breath. I went to my knees and then I laid down on my side. I was still very conscious, but things seemed to be going in slow motion. Several people gathered and I heard ‘Oh, my God! It's Tyrone! Lord Jesus! Tyrone is shot!’

Time seemed distorted and I started to feel sleepy. I heard yelling, crying, and then a siren. I could see the police car arriving. I heard the policeman talking to me personally and telling me that an ambulance would be here within minutes.

I saw the ambulance come and then I was out of my body looking down at the scene. I saw the blood puddle and three friends from my childhood days. The policeman was an older cop that I knew. I could see what was going on, but could not hear what was being said. When I saw the paramedic starting CPR on me, I thought, ‘Oh, crap, this is my death. I am seeing my death.’ My last sight was a big piece of bubble gum on my shoe. I thought, ‘I wonder if it left a mark on the carpet in my car?’

I then went through a tunnel at warp-speed and saw the most amazing light. I knew it should have been too bright to look directly at, but I was looking at it without pain. I felt so good that I thought, ‘Wow, this feels sort of like when I broke my leg playing football and I got a morphine shot!’ Then I was all the way through the Light and my best friend, who had been murdered, was there, and my grandma, too. Both talked to me and told me that I needed to go back to my body and not ‘home.’ Then I realized, ‘Wow! This is home!’ My grandma said, ‘You have such a lovely wife and child, and you are such a positive force in a cold world. This is just too soon.’ She even called me by my old nickname. My friend told me I had much more to give and I would change more lives for the positive than I could imagine.

I then felt a strong pull at my soul and I woke up in the emergency room. Mass chaos ensued around me. I was in my body and could see all of the activities. I heard my name and the emergency room folks talking about my football days. I heard that I was ‘critical’ and for someone to call my wife as soon as possible because I may not make it.

Then I was in the tunnel again. I saw in a flash everything I did in my life up until then, compacted into what seemed liked seconds. I thought, ‘Wow! Now I understand what 'My life flashed before my eyes.' means!’ I walked back through the light. My friend and Granny were there again. This time they were both very angry saying, ‘You are giving up! You have never given up! Why would you do so now? Your wife and daughter will struggle without you!’ I then saw two parallel lives: me raising my family, and then me dead, and my family without me. It was such a striking difference that it scared me. I knew I had to go back. I tried to be tough with my granny, because I really wanted to stay there, but she yelled, ‘No, go back to your family, now!’

I again woke up in the emergency room. I pulled at the tube in my throat. The emergency room doctor exclaimed, ‘He's back! He's back!’ That's the last thing I remember until I woke up lying in a bed. My wife and child were sitting beside me, holding my hands and praying.

It was eleven days after the shooting. I was on a ventilator and could not talk except by squeezing my family's hands. They said, ‘One squeeze is 'yes' and two is 'no,' and then they asked me questions. We went through what happened and within minutes, the police were there asking me questions. Then I realized I was ok, for sure! The doctor came in and said, ‘You made it! You made it!’

It took me five months to feel normal. But I am ok now! That Christmas was so special, because I knew that I have a family that love me here, and a home waiting for me when I pass.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 6/19/2011

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Criminal attack. CPR given. Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) I was shot in the chest at point-blank range.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Both pleasant AND distressing

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes This flipped me out. The rescue people I saw at the crime scene were there. The paramedics said there is no way I could have known that. Also, there really was a big glob of gum on my shoe exactly as I saw it in my out of body experience. 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 Things were so much more focused. It was like I was on speed or some sort of other drug that made me hyper-aware.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Four times. When I was out of my body looking at the crime scene, then at the hospital, then in the light, and finally when I was talking to my granny and my friend. Everything was very, very clear and sharp.

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 Things both flashed by quickly and went slow. When I was looking at my body, things seemed in slow motion and when I went through the tunnel, it was almost immediate though I was seeing my life as I had lived it.

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 super sharp. Like I was on some sort of drug.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I was hyper-aware.

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

The experience included: Tunnel

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Yes I went through the tunnel at warp speed, and then through the light to where my granny and friend were telling me that I had to leave there and go back.

The experience included: Presence of deceased persons

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 Grandma and my best friend growing up.

The experience included: Unearthly 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 Incredible brightness. A human could not look at it, as it was so bright. Then I was in it and it became more of a joyful energy.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Love, anxiety, sadness to leave home which was the light. Happy that I had my family on Earth.

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

The experience included: Special knowledge or purpose

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe Oh yes. Once I entered the light, it all made sense. I understood my life in better terms and knew the Earth was not home.

The experience included: Life review

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 If I stayed in the light and didn't go back, I saw how my family would live.

The experience included: Boundary

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? 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 wanted to stay in that light so badly. It was my Grandma and friend saying my family needed me and then seeing their lives without me that forced me to turn away and leave.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What importance did you place on your religious/spiritual life prior to your experience? Greatly important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Other Christian Very religious Baptist. Born again Christian.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What importance do you place on your religious/spiritual life after your experience? Greatly important to me

What is your religion now? Christian- Other Christian I was never afraid of death as I knew I was going to a better place....I walked by faith not sight. I believed this to be true....but after getting shoit it really changed me....I thought I believed...now in every fiber of my being I believe.

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I have a much stronger sense that my family needs me.

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 My dead friend and Grandma.

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I actually saw them

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 A true understanding of Heaven.

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Yes Seeing family and friend and the light.

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? God definitely exists

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes I felt God in the light. Even though no one said this was God.

Do you believe in the existence of God after your experience? God definitely exists

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

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

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are meaningful and significant

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? Yes It washed over me in feeling once in the light.

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? An afterlife definitely exists

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists Yes I know now there is definately life after death...there is no question.

Did you fear death prior to your experience? I did not fear death

Do you fear death after your experience? I do not fear death

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Moderately fearful in living my earthly life

Were you fearful living your life after your experience? Not fearful in living my earthly life

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are meaningful and significant

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant after your experience? Are probably meaningful and significant

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? Yes I saw hardship to my family if I did not return.

Were you compassionate prior to your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Yes It was mindblowing that this light was love...it was complete and unearthly. such a strong feeling.

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life It was more than an affirmation that God exists. It can't be explained in words. Saying ‘proof’ downplays this experience.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Yes I used to look at being a husband and dad as a duty. Now I spend much more time talking to them about my love for them, and how I am here for them.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes I cannot explain the sense of calm and love I felt when talking to my granny and my friend.

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 is sharper than a memory. It is not a memory or thought. I can't explain it in words but it is just like it happned if I recall it...everything is there no wondering if I forgot something.

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? All of it was!

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes With friends and family. They were fascinated, as they knew I had been dead.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? No In fact, I Googled this today, and this page came up.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real God is real. It was confirmed.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I feel the same as the day I woke up.

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

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? Do what you are doing and keep sharing these stories.