William C NDE

Experience Description

The experience is hard to convey into words, so I'll do my best to describe.

In the Spring of 2005, I had a heart attack while I was building a birdhouse with my children. I'm only alive because my young daughter called 911 after I went unconscious. I had a stent placed in the right ventricle. The heart specialist told me, that it was 'touch and go' and I was 'lucky to be alive.'

During the heart attack, I was not able to breathe. I felt my heart beating slower and slower when I heard my children crying out to me. Then there was darkness. I felt my being or 'consciousness' being pulled into a dark void. My first thought and feeling was curiosity. I wondered if this was what Elvis felt when he died. Then, I was angry and thought that Death was a sorry excuse for a being since he couldn't come at me face-to-face. He had to sneak up from behind to get me this way. Then I contemplated that I was dying. As I accepted this, I felt a presence that told me I was dying and that it was going to be ok. In this void, I felt no pain. I had a relaxing feeling, that was pleasant in a weird sort of way. I was still able to think and was aware that I was in a place and that I was not alone.

I felt the presence of a Being of pure love and acceptance. This feeling of unconditional LOVE is overwhelming. This presence felt familiar, like I have always known this Being. I thought to the Being, 'I do not want to die in front of my children. I couldn't do that to them.'

I then became fully conscious as I heard one of the paramedics saying, 'Have a blood pressure 40 over 20.'

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: March 2005

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes. Life threatening event, but not clinical death. Heart attack

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

Did you feel separated from your body? No. 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? Normal consciousness and alertness normal

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I felt the same as while awake

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning time had no meaning

Were your senses More vivid than usual? No

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. same

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. same

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 sensed their presence

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Uncertain. I felt a familiarity with the being or beings

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? No

Did you see an unearthly light? No

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? Some unfamiliar and strange place a void of darkness, like a waiting area.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt curiosity, anger, acceptance, joy, and calmness. LOVE was the most intense

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? No

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? No

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 definite conscious decision to return to life. I did not want to die in front of my children

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Unaffiliated- Nothing in particular- Religious unaffiliated

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Unaffiliated- Nothing in particular- Religious unaffiliated

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. I felt there was an after life

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I'm certain now

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. A familiar being of overwhelming love

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I sensed their presence

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? No

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? An afterlife definitely exists

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 more compassionate and understanding of people

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes more patient and understanding

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes There are no words to describe the love I felt

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. Something that I will never forget

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 knowing of a hereafter is real

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes mostly skepticism and ridicule. I have shared with very few

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes Have heard first hand accounts from my patients of NDE. Never thought I'd experience one myself.

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

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

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

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? no

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? none