Wendy W NDE

Experience Description

I had 2 NDEs a few days apart in early August of 1997.

I was 10 weeks pregnant with my youngest daughter.

My husband and I were thrilled to be expecting after years of infertility and 2 ectopic pregnancies.

Our eldest daughter had been born in December of 1995.

My former husband and I both have MBA degrees and were living in Washington state, outside of Seattle at the time.

In the week or two leading up to the NDEs I was experiencing a ton of heartburn, which seemed odd to me so early in the pregnancy.

I had been in touch with the OB/GYN office an unusual number of times as I just didn't feel 'right.'

I was also having the same vivid dream almost every night, which was unusual for me as I seldom remembered my dreams.

The dream showed a violent storm at sea, with a sailing vessel just being pulled apart and sinking in pieces.

The overall feeling of the dream was violent ripping and tearing - I saw the masts rip out and fall, and all the metal cleats pull off the boat which also seemed odd for a sinking ship?

I had the sense someone was trying to get my attention, but didn't know what to do with the repeated disturbing dream.

NDE #1:

I was working at home alone in early August of 1997.

I just could not get comfortable as the heartburn and sense of foreboding - impending doom? - was becoming unbearable.

I left my desk and went into the bathroom for the umpteenth time as I kept feeling like I was going to be sick.

I'd then try to lie down on the bed but couldn't get comfortable.

I went into the master bath one more time when I suddenly felt a searing pain in my abdomen and the sense of something ripping and tearing, just like in my dreams.

I looked down at my stomach in surprise as it felt like someone had stuck a knife in me.

I passed out on the bathroom floor, which has never happened before or since.

I came back to consciousness because I could hear my name being repeatedly called by a male voice with a lot of urgency.

I was lying on the floor writhing in pain and so surprised that my bathroom was filled with several large Beings of Light I can best describe as Angels.

A male Angel spoke and got straight to the point.

'You need to call for help NOW, or you're going Home.'

I told him I couldn't walk - I was writhing on the floor, feeling like an organ had burst.

He told me, 'All you have to do is being willing to try to get up on your hands and knees - then we can help you.'

I managed to do that, and had the oddest sensation of being LIFTED to the phone which was on my nightstand in the bedroom right next to the master bath.

It's like I was flown there a few inches off the floor, still on my hands and knees.

Strangely I never thought to call 911 - I had never called it before.

The Angel told me to 'call for help,' so I called my husband at work.

My husband worked 5 minutes from home, and I think it's the first and only time I EVER immediately reached him on the phone at work.

I called the OB/GYN office and they told us to come immediately to their office which adjoins our local hospital.

They instructed us to not park our car but to just pull up to the door closest to their office and they'd meet me with a wheelchair.

They told me to not walk - I assume they were thinking I was having a miscarriage, although I told them there was no blood and my abdomen was beginning to distend.

(I didn't realize that was the sign of a major abdominal bleed.)

I was wheeled immediately into the doctor's office ultrasound room.

It took both the ultra-sonographer and my husband to get me up on the exam table as I was so doubled over with pain.

The ultra-sonographer couldn't visualize any organs as there was so much blood being lost internally.

She ran for help and returned with a midwife and an OB/GYN.

The doctor took one look at the screen and told me I needed to be admitted to the hospital floor.

I felt grateful my OB/GYN office was located right at the hospital, and that it was a hospital I really respected and was comfortable with.

Our oldest daughter was born there in 1995 and we'd been there many times over the years including for my 2 ectopic pregnancies in 1994 and 1996.

I was instructed not to get out of bed even to use the bathroom, and that the top priority was to start getting transfusions on board as well as to find the source of the bleed.

There was a delay in getting the first transfusion started as the central Blood Bank told the nurse who was trying to order blood that the local supply of A- was low as there had recently been a major train accident. But at some point the first bag of blood was hung and infused via my left arm.

My doctor wanted to do surgery, but couldn't answer my question what we were going to do surgery on or for so I initially refused.

We agreed to watch and wait, and the transfusions and abdominal distention continued for several days.

My hematocrit kept dropping, it was hard to stay awake and focused, and I was oddly detached from what was going on.

I had the sense of walking between worlds, deciding whether to stay or to go.

My husband was not dealing well with the situation at the hospital.

I asked him not to bring our toddler to visit as I really felt it would frighten her to see me so unwell and we agreed he'd spend his evenings with her.

My mother lived in Boston and couldn't easily get off work to fly to Seattle, so I felt pretty much on my own.

In hindsight, my husband and mother really needed to be at the hospital with me.

I finally agreed to surgery after several days because I knew I was bleeding out.

My hematocrit was dropping each day, and there was no way to get more blood transfused - I was in more pain from the IV and blood transfusions at that point than I was from my abdominal bleed.

I was being given morphine for the pain which really concerned me as I was in my first trimester of pregnancy.

We scheduled surgery for the next day with 2 OB/Gyn physicians.

I was scheduled for the earliest surgical slot at 7 AM.

NDE #2:

The night before the surgery I tried to relax after dinner to get as much rest as I could for the morning.

I tried to visualize a great outcome from the surgery, and the moment I did, I popped out of my body with such a sense of relief!

I felt fantastic - I felt like 'me' again.

I looked down at my body in the bed and was struck by how pale I was.

I commented to myself, 'Wow, she's really in a bad way - she's whiter than the sheets!

(I hadn't seen myself for days since I'd been hospitalized.)

I found it humorous to think that 'Her hair is such a mess' -- I'd been in bed for days and don't think we'd brushed my hair and certainly hadn't washed it.

I noticed I was quite disassociated from that body and was referring to myself in the third person.

At one level this concerned me, but I was so excited to be out of pain and to feel so fantastic!

I wanted to explore.

I floated up through the ceiling of my hospital room, and immediately saw the White Light of Home.

It was gorgeous! I remember thinking 'Oh please don't make me walk through a long tunnel - I am totally out of energy.'

This long pristine escalator immediately appeared, and I was so grateful to step on it in my pure soul form.

I sensed I looked like a beautiful white beach ball full of energy sparking out in every direction, but I was too deflated and not able to be round like a ball due to the health crisis.

I leaned on the railing of the escalator gratefully - it went up and up and up to the Light - I had no sense of time.

The second I stepped off the escalator I was greeted by about 20 Beings of Light.

It felt like the best possible 'Welcome Home!' party.

The welcome party included the Angels who'd helped me a few days earlier call for help from my bathroom, both sets of grandparents, and some other loved ones who'd passed over.

I found it intriguing my paternal grandparents were there as I'd never met them in this lifetime - they died before I was born.

The group gave me this tremendous hug that was beyond amazing - it was not only unconditional love and support and no judgement, but ENERGY which I needed as I'd been bleeding for days.

It was bliss. I kept trying to look over their shoulders and past them as I was so drawn to the White Light, but they held me right there at the top of the escalator.

(I never took more than one step at Home - one off the escalator, and later one back onto it.)

One of the Angels told me they were so happy to have me Home, and that he wanted to reassure me I had done nothing wrong and was more than welcome to stay - job well done.

He told me I could not take one more step toward the Light or I wouldn't be able to return to my body and to listen closely.

He repeated I was welcome to stay, and the choice was mine.

I felt respected to be given this choice.

If I wanted to return to my body, I would recover from the surgery and my baby would be BORN healthy.

(I didn't catch the nuance - I didn't know she wouldn't remain healthy.)

But life would get very hard and be hard likely for many years as I was not on my life path.

This really concerned me - I so wanted to be doing the right things with my life!

I asked the Angel what my life purpose was meant to be and said that I so wanted to fulfill my purpose, but he just shook his head gently and wouldn't answer my question.

I looked around at the others and they pantomimed various versions of zipping their lips and throwing away the key, which struck me as so funny!

One put duct tape over his mouth - several just shook their heads no, they could not tell me.

I so wanted to stay with them.

He asked me what I wanted to do.

I immediately saw my beautiful little toddler daughter's face, and thought of the baby to come.

I was told she was going to be a special soul, and sensed there wouldn't be more children for me.

I took a deep breath and told the Angel I wanted to go back for my children.

Everyone beamed and gave me another huge hug.

I realized with the second hug that it wasn't only pure love being transmitted to me, it was vital energy as my tank was below empty.

I don't think I would have survived the several hour surgery the next day without that energy boost.

The group spun me around and waved and smiled as I went back down the long escalator and gently floated back into my body.

I didn't have a life review but did receive a preview of 'coming attractions.'

I had a successful surgery the next morning with my own OB/GYN physician and one of his partners.

My fundus had ruptured - the aorta on top of the uterus.

They'd been researching cases like mine and estimated it happened in something like 1/15,000 cases.

(I feel that's what the precognitive dreams were trying to warn me - an organ was about to burst and my 'ship was going to go down.')

My physician estimated I'd lost 3/4 of my blood volume.

I recovered in the hospital for several days after the surgery and went home to recover for 6 weeks post-op - essentially bedrest.

I was so weak I couldn't climb the stairs up to the master bedroom and was so thankful we had a live-in nanny who helped me as well as took care of our toddler while my husband was at work.

I returned to work in late September part-time for the first week and then full-time, and about 6 weeks later was laid off.

Huge shock as I'd been with my employer for about 3 years, and had glowing performance evaluations.

I really enjoyed that job.

The Angel had told me that things were about to get hard.

We now had lost not only my income and benefits, but the health insurance for the family.

How was I going to get medical care while pregnant and for the delivery, and what about the Pediatrician and if my husband needed care?

Exactly one week later my husband came home from work to tell me his software company had just done a huge layoff.

The partners and a few key employees who'd chosen to stay had moved to 'payless paydays.'

I'd never heard the term.

He explained their best strategy was to try to sell the company (which he owned with 4 partners) and that they needed to complete the work for contracts they'd already been paid for but hadn't completed.

So instead of seeking new employment, he was going to continue to work 60-80 hours a week for a software company that was bankrupt.

I was not on board with this decision, and we had words.

I asked him if he'd filed for unemployment insurance yet as at least we'd have that small income along with my unemployment and severance.

He would receive no severance or other financial assistance.

I then learned he didn't qualify for unemployment as he and his partners had chosen not to pay the premiums.

That sums up our high-conflict marriage well: insufficient communication and unable to make key decisions as a team.

I asked why he hadn't discussed this decision with me and he said with a perplexed look, 'Because you're not a partner in our company.'

My reply was 'Am I not your partner in life? We have to talk about the big decisions!'

I was still recovering my health, not doing well with my own job search and now visibly pregnant.

We agreed I should focus on my health and take charge of the family's finances as we were quickly burning through our limited savings.

We had recently purchased a home as well as a mini-van to welcome our second child.

I tried negotiating with both the home and car lender to make partial payments, and both instead instituted foreclosure/ repossession.

We had cut expenses to the bone and were rapidly running through our savings so agreed the best move was for me to ask my mother for a loan until we were both back to work.

She sacrificed a lot to graciously help us pay our bills for about four months and we felt truly fortunate.

We were able to keep both our home and our van.

I was able to find no-cost health insurance for myself and for our toddler from the WIC (Women/ Infants and Children's) program via a flyer I spotted in my pediatrician's office in the waiting room.

I heard an Angel say, 'Look, look!' (as I continued to hear them from time-to-time after the NDEs) and I suddenly saw the flyer.

WIC also provided us with some needed food.

I found it all incredibly embarrassing.

Our miracle daughter was born one week early on March 13, 1998 via induction as my doctor was concerned Taylor was becoming too big to deliver vaginally, and Tara had weighed 9 lbs. 5 oz. at birth.

(I'm 5'3' and weighed 138 when I became pregnant, so this was a big baby.)

It was a high-risk birth as the fundus could rupture again during the stress of the delivery, and from everything that happened with the NDEs at 10 weeks gestation.

I chose to deliver at my community hospital with my own OB/GYN as they did about 5,000 births a year and my instinct was to not go downtown to the teaching hospital.

The hospital assigned a private labor & delivery nurse to me and staffed up to do so - an additional nurse was added to the schedule for the day I'd be induced.

I was amazed and so grateful the hospital would do this for me, and the delivery was thankfully physically easier than my older daughter's.

I wasn't able to have an epidural either time as I have scoliosis and a Harrington rod implant/ fused spine, so I had just a little Demerol.

Once we were home and settling in right after the delivery, I heard my intuition - my Angel - whatever you want to call that deep knowing within you - gently say, 'Your contract with your husband is done.'

I didn't understand the concept of soul contracts at the time, but believe that was the reference.

My heart sank to the floor as I was now feeling my marriage was going to end.

I accepted a new job when Taylor was 3 months old and began working at the hospital where Taylor and I had survived the NDE.

Dream come true. I was there for 6+ years.

My husband and I divorced after 15 years of marriage when the girls were 6 and 8 (never having talked about the NDE in a way that was helpful) and began a 50/50 residential schedule for our girls.

My mother relocated from Boston as she had retired, and we agreed to share a home until we could build a custom duplex to owner-occupy.

After a major search we found an older home to buy that had a level back lot that was large enough for our new two-family home.

The day before Mom and I were to close on the house with the second lot, I received an odd call from my boss' secretary to meet him in Human Resources the next day.

All the hair on my body stood on end, and I again heard the Angel's voice say 'Prepare!'

I assumed it was a layoff, right when I was divorcing and purchasing a home with a double lot in order to build a duplex! OMG.

I spent hours cleaning out my office at work with the door closed, interspersed with researching severance package negotiation strategies.

I went to HR the next day with my best suit on and my head held high.

I refused to sign the paltry agreement as at that point I was hearing 'Resist' from my Angel.

I turned in my name badge and keys and cleared out my office.

I drove straight to the new house to park in the driveway (the former owners had moved out of state) as the closing was scheduled for that day.

I prayed for clarity - should we go ahead with the home purchase or try to pull out at the 11th hour?

It was about an hour before the closing was to take place.

I had no JOB, and two very sad little girls who were now going to need to adjust to Mom and Dad's divorce and to going back and forth between two homes.

I clearly heard 'Proceed'.

Amazingly the lender didn't do a final check with my employer and the loan went through though I was technically unemployed and my mother retired.

We no longer qualified for that loan.

I negotiated a more favorable severance package with my former employer, and filed for Unemployment.

I job-searched for 2 months and accepted the best offer I received with the agreement I wouldn't start until January 2nd.

That gave me time to help the girls adjust to a completely new routine, to volunteer in their schools, to start family counseling, to get my mother and I unpacked and settled in the new house and to begin the building permit application process to build our duplex.

It took 3 years to get the building permit but I kept hearing 'Persevere'.

The build itself went beautifully and we love our homes that we moved into in 2008, but the loan went upside down loan-to-value.

We weren't able to sell the original home and were drowning in debt from carrying 3 homes and the $17,000 a year in property taxes.

I became technically insolvent (didn't have to file for bankruptcy).

We first rented the home at a loss to have less of a financial bleed, and then were fortunate to do a short-sale by hiring an attorney, and finally to settle the large HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit) loan for pennies on the dollar.

It was extremely stressful.

I finally drew a breath in 2010 - 13 years after my NDEs - 5 years after my divorce.

We were finally in our new duplex and loving it, my career was going well, I had great friends and the girls were doing fantastic.

I was ready to meet a wonderful man, so signed up for Match.com.

The moment I changed my radius for matches to 10 miles from my home zip code, I recognized a man at the deepest level.

We met 3 weeks later.

He introduced me to Dr. Michael Newton's Journey of Souls, and I began to wake up spiritually.

I was incredibly drawn to having a past life regression, and had my first in 2011.

In two short hours a lifetime of anxiety was resolved, which was amazing to me.

It's never been an issue since.

I felt like I could finally breathe.

I sensed I was finally getting on my life path to help others wake up spiritually, which was a surprise to a then 49 year old MBA who'd spent her career in business development.

We dated for 13 months and I could sense our soul contract to get married, but he instead ended the relationship.

Healing that heartbreak was the biggest challenge of my life, but I kept working to improve life for myself and my daughters.

In 2017 I was laid off again after almost 10 years with a local hospital that became part of a large healthcare system.

I had been working with my own clients evening and weekends for about 2 years and had self-published my first book.

I became self-employed with that layoff - spiritually employed is a better term. I was finally on my life path the Angel told me about in 1997!

It took 20 years to assemble the pieces of the puzzle.

I was finally willing to speak publicly about my NDEs beginning in 2018.

It took me more than 20 years to 'unpack' the experience.

I find it remarkable that NDEs aren't forgotten in any way.

They're more real than anything in your life - the experience continues to teach and mold you - it doesn't diminish or fade away.

You're right back in the experience when you talk about it - the memories don't fade - there's a different quality to them.

As new major things come up, they often align with the NDE or you more understand the subtleties of the NDE.

Thank you for providing a space to share my NDE experiences, and for the vital work you do at NDERF, Dr. Long.

I chose not to speak with my physician and hospital staff about my NDEs as a result of an odd letter I received after discharge telling me my life was 'never in danger.'

It read like a form letter from Risk Management or in-house counsel.

The letter felt ill-advised and it was a turn-off.

I certainly didn't feel supported by it, but I knew the hospital staff were doing the best they could.

I let it go, and chose to work there and loved it.

I know I received amazing care or I wouldn't be here today nor would my daughter, and I am forever grateful for that just like I am for the NDE experiences.","When I took the long escalator up to the Light the night before my surgery and spoke with the 'Welcoming Party' at Home. This was when I received the 2 energy hugs from them, and was given the choice whether to return as well as learning 3 facts: 1. I'd have a successful surgery and full recovery; 2. My baby would be 'born' healthy; and 3. Life would be challenging until I got on my life path and lived my purpose.",More consciousness and alertness than normal,"I felt like I could access all information in the Universe but respected I had a short amount of time to be Home to still be able to return to my body. Therefore, we focused on the most important facts listed above.",Yes,I wasn't able to verbalize the NDE for many years as I didn't know about NDERF or IANDS or the University of VA Division of Perceptual Studies. I didn't think to look for NDE literature or support groups and was focused on making a living and raising my children. I needed to wake up spiritually first and to discover podcasts where fellow NDE Experiencers were sharing their stories to realize my story might help others make sense of theirs instead of flailing around with it alone for decades.,Faster than usual,More vivid than usual,"I sensed I could see forever all around me, but the Angels and other members of my soul group purposefully blocked my view at the top of the escalator to get me to listen so I could make the best choice whether to stay at Home with the Light or to return to my body.

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: August 1997

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Surgery-related Childbirth Life threatening event, but not clinical death The fundus (aorta) at the top of my uterus ruptured suddenly while I was pregnant and home alone. Lost an estimated 3/4 of my blood supply over the next few days before the uterus was surgically repaired.

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

Did you feel separated from your body? No 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 felt like I could access all information in the Universe but respected I had a short amount of time to be Home to still be able to return to my body. Therefore we focused on the most important facts listed above.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When I took the long escalator up to the Light the night before my surgery and spoke with the 'Welcoming Party' at Home. This was when I received the 2 energy hugs from them, and was given the choice whether to return as well as learning 3 facts: 1. I'd have a successful surgery and full recovery; 2. My baby would be 'born' healthy; and 3. Life would be challenging until I got on my life path and lived my purpose.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Faster than usual

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

Were your senses More vivid than usual? More vivid than usual

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I sensed I could see forever all around me, but the Angels and other members of my soul group purposefully blocked my view at the top of the escalator to get me to listen so I could make the best choice whether to stay at Home with the Light or to return to my body.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. My hearing was perfect as it's telepathy at Home - you don't need to physically hear? There are no miscommunications or language barrier, either.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere, as if by ESP? No

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

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 During the first NDE in my bathroom when the uterus ruptured there were 3-4 Angels in my bathroom. They were huge - 7-8 feet in height. During the second NDE in the hospital the night before surgery I met about 20 Beings of Light at the top of the long escalator. They included the Angels; both sets of grandparents (all deceased); and other primary soul group family. I did not encounter anyone who I thought was alive but was deceased.

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 I saw the Light twice. Once during the first NDE when I collapsed in my bathroom at Home and came to because a Male Angel kept calling my name and telling me to wake up. The entire bathroom was lit up from the Angels - they brought so much light with them! I saw even more Light when I went up the long escalator (vs. a tunnel) Home the night before my surgery. It was the brightest most uplifting Light you can imagine but more than a light it's the energy. It's brighter than any light I've seen on Earth but it doesn't hurt your eyes - it brings you peace and joy.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm I went Home to the Divine Source we all originate from, and return to when we're not incarnated into a body or other life form. I went Home to the timeless, spaceless place of unconditional love and true healing and no judgement. I returned to love.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Thrilled and grateful to go Home, to no longer be in pain, to have proof my soul/ consciousness exists outside my body and that 'dying' isn't painful or scary but rather incredibly natural and freeing. Much easier than birth. I was also thrilled to reunite with soul family at Home.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Relief or calmness

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? No

Did scenes from your past come back to you? No I sensed the info was available about everything in my life for the first 36 years. It felt like it was queued up and ready to roll the tape if needed. It wasn't needed and we were in the present moment of my being Home and what I needed to know to make an informed choice whether to stay or to return to my body. We were all focused on my being able to receive unconditional love and energy from my soul group so I would have strength and resolve for the rest of my life, and to know I was supported. I hadn't felt enough of that energy in my life previously.

Did scenes from the future come to you? Scenes from my personal future I was told by Archangel Michael (he was the Male Angel in both NDEs) that I'd recover fully from the surgery; my baby would be born healthy; and that life would be challenging for many years until I got on my life path. I wasn't so much shown scenes but could clearly hear Archangel Michael and felt a deep sense of knowing that was I was hearing was the deepest truth.

Did you come to a border or point of no return? I came to a definite conscious decision to return to life I came back for my children. I also wanted to live my life purpose which I didn't yet understand.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

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

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? That came over time. No

What is your religion now? Spiritual, not religious

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 Home or Heaven and angels had been 'theory' before the NDEs - now they were fact as I now had the direct experiences.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I now believe we're eternal spiritual beings experiencing a physical incarnation or life that is one of many, vs. a human being that may or may not have some spiritual experiences.

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, I heard a Male Angel's voice twice during the two NDEs the first week of August 1997 as described.

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 I had a sense of myself as an eternal soul.

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Yes Yes, it felt like there was a humming or vibration of 'all that is' and everything being connected.

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes I felt a loving presence of a Creator that I can best describe as Mother/Father God.

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Uncertain That came up later in my life but not during the NDEs in 1997. I think they opened the door to my then 'waking up spiritually' in 2010 and finally realizing my life purpose was to help others with their spiritual awakenings, STEs (Spiritually Transformative Experiences) including NDEs etc. Much of my special knowledge as a spiritual teacher, healer, writer and speaker has come back to me via past-life regression sessions and meditation.

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

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? I was uncertain if an afterlife exists Yes Yes, I had a sense of there being an afterlife or between-lives (when not incarnated in a body) state for everyone and everything.

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 My sense was I wasn't to be told what my life purpose was because I needed to learn it for myself. Challenges are opportunities for our souls to learn and to progress. We can choose some really difficult experiences to do so!

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Yes The NDEs were the most loving experiences of my life. Experiencing that unconditional love changed me and provided support when I most needed it. Love is the only thing that matters, and it's the answer to every question - asked or unasked.

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life I believe the NDEs were incredibly positive in my life as they helped me open to the Divine and to my life purpose. They also helped me release my fear of death and become happy and confident as to the meaning of life and why I'm here.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes I wasn't able to verbalize the NDE for many years as didn't know about NDERF or IANDS or the University of VA Division of Perceptual Studies. I didn't think to look for NDE literature or support groups and was focused on making a living and raising my children. I needed to wake up spiritually first and to discover podcasts where fellow NDE Experiencers were sharing their stories to realize my story might help others make sense of theirs instead of flailing around with it alone for decades.

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 NDEs remain incredibly vivid and detailed despite having happened over twenty years ago. There's a different quality to the memories of the experiences. It's like you're reliving it as you tell the story or write about it, not just remembering it - it's more real than real. Nothing is forgotten and there's a vibrant, alive quality when remembering the experience.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes Yes, the psychic and healing gifts came over time after the NDE. They did not begin immediately but continue to develop. I feel the NDE was the hammer that began to crack the tough walnut open...

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Feeling the unconditional love of Home meant everything to me, and that I'm supported every day. I also so appreciated the respectful choice I was given to stay at Home or to return to my body.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes It took me from Aug. 1997 to Aug. 2018 to talk about the experience - 21 years! I first shared my NDE on The Past Lives Podcast. It was a very freeing experience to share it with a host who asked thoughtful, sensitive questions. Simon Bown (the podcast host) then began having other guests share their NDEs which I feel was a positive outcome for all.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes I had very limited knowledge of NDEs - I'd heard or seen the image of people going to the Light via a tunnel and that was about it.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real I was confident in my perception of reality with both NDEs. I never doubted that it was 'just my imagination' or 'pregnancy hormones' or that I was dreaming or confused as to the facts of the NDEs.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real The NDE experiences continue to teach me and to uplift me each time I share my story or learn about another person's NDE. I feel it's been an incredibly positive experience for me, but not for my daughter I was pregnant with at the time. She was what I would call 'Born Scared' (Julia Ingram's book) and has struggled with anxiety and depression to the point of being suicidal and has had many physical as well as mental health challenges. Fortunately she's strong and is moving forward to complete her degree in Engineering.

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? Yes

Did the questions asked and information that you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience? Uncertain To provide ways for people to share these experiences to uplift and impart knowledge both to other Experiencers, their loved ones, and to the general public interested in this fascinating area.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? I knew my marriage was over as a result of the NDE and the events that happened over the months following. We did our best to stay together for the kids sake but divorced when they were 6 and 8 and both grew as a result. We peacefully co-parented them thru college - our younger will have her Human-Centered Design and Engineering degree Dec. 2021 and our eldest daughter is doing great in her 2nd year of vet school and just got married.