William H NDE

Experience Description

It was November 25, 1963, 3 days after JFK assassination. I was burned while starting a campfire with gasoline. I was given 2 shots of morphine at the scene and whisked away by ambulance to the hospital. I remember being wheeled into the Emergency Room (ER) and everything went black. I had arrived at the ER around 10am. The next memory was waking in a hospital room bandaged from my neck to my knees and seeing my red-eyed mother sitting next to me. I don't remember any conversation we may have had; only the sight of her jumping out of her chair and screaming for help. She later told me, 'You looked like someone pulled a cork out of your butt and drained all your blood out'.

I am not sure if I was clinically dead at this point. As any medical records are lost or destroyed since the hospital closed and was torn down in the 1980's.

At that moment, I left my body and floated to a corner above my head. I looked down at my lifeless, bandaged body thinking 'I sure feel sorry for that body. It sure is fun to be able to float around.' I didn't look down or notice if I had a new body or not. I saw the surgeon, who had never seen me as a patient before. I saw 2 nurses come into the room and set up at the foot of my bed. They put a small draw-screen over my legs, used to block the patient's view from surgery. Then the surgeon did a cut-down on my right ankle to find a vein. My veins had all but collapsed from the dehydration of the burns. He pulled the vein up, inserted a needle and began to forcefully squeeze a bag of blood into my body.

I felt a force begin to pull me toward the wall. A Great Light appeared in the middle of the wall as I floated through it. I next saw a scene where deceased people that were black silhouettes, lined in a row on both sides of a road. They seemed very friendly and welcoming. I continued floating down the road as if I were in a parade. Then, I realized I was dying. I had been elated up until this moment, but I became very distraught. I began crying because I wanted to go back home to my family.

I hadn't realized the Light had disappeared after I passed through the wall. But now, it appeared in front of me in the middle of the road. It was about 8 feet in diameter. It shone brighter and more beautiful than any light I had ever seen and I immediately knew it was God. We communicated telepathically and he asked me why I was crying. I communicated, 'I am only 9 years old and I really want to play Little League next year, but most of all I miss my mom.' He smiled and hugged me like a grandpa and said, 'It is not your time to die.'

I woke the next day, and thought I had just had a dream about dying and going to heaven. I didn't speak of this event until a few years later when I told my mother about the event. She seemed to blow it off, and I didn't tell anyone else for fear of ridicule. It was only after I read accounts of others, that I have felt comfortable telling this event.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 11-25-1963

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function) I was burned over 35% of my body with 3rd and 4th degree burns

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

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I didn't hear the earthly events going on or any conversation by the doctor or nurses. The last thing I heard was Mom screaming, 'Help!' 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 was hyper-aware of everything and everyone around me. I was aware of all the people's feeling and I could communicate by simply thinking and receive information without hearing.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When communicating with the Light

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. The entire event seemed to last only seconds. But, to walk through the events that occurred in real time would have taken 20 to 30 minutes at least.

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 much more in detail

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Not sure my hearing changed except I was able to communicate without speech or hearing

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? Yes, and the facts have been checked out

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Uncertain I do not remember a tunnel, only going through the wall onto a path or road lined with spirits

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 I did not know anyone who had died at 9y.o. but the black silhouettes seemed like family or close friends

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 GOD. You could tell the light was alive and was spiritual

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm Normally I can't float or communicate by telepathy. I didn't see any landscape, structures or even a road

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Elation to almost giddy. Love I have not felt since except my mother and my children. Welcomed, loved, distraught

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. When I realized I was dying and going to heaven I became very upset and crying. That is when the Lord appeared as a ball of light in the middle of the road where He stopped me and asked, 'why are you crying?' I communicated that I wasn't ready to die at age 9 years old and I wanted to return to my life. That is a decision I have regretted many times during my life.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Protestant I don't remember that much about Church, but my mother took us regularly and I learned age-appropriate bible stories.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I no longer believe Religion has all the answers. As I learned in my experience - so I seek spiritual growth with a screen for man-made religion

What is your religion now? Christian- Protestant I was ordained as a deacon in my hometown Baptist Church. I was a faithful member until I retired and moved. I have been unaffiliated for the past 5 years due to disability

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 Although I did not review my life during my experience, and the spirits seemed to be waiting to get to heaven which is consistent with my beliefs, God was much more loving, forgiving and humorous than I learned about in Church

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Uncertain I was more convicted later in life but not sure I was at 9 years old

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 It was the voice of the GOD and clearly not of this earth

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? No

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Uncertain not sure of question

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes The Bible is close to describing God but yet far off in His love, ability to communicate clearly, and listening to our prayers.

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Yes I have sensory proof of God and heaven. I have seen Him and been there.

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? Yes To love one another

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? Yes I knew that I went to heaven and spoke with God. However, the years and other life-experiences tainted my vision, and I questioned if it was just a dream. However, I recently read a book by Dr, Moody recounting several patients that have had NDEs and the memory, feelings and full faith that there is a heaven and God.

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? Yes to love everyone

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life. I have had 2 other spiritually significant moments. I was addicted to Opiates, got clean in 1984, and renewed my faith in God. Around the1990's I took Master life course and received a message that I was doing OK in life and continue to love everyone. However, until I read Dr, Moody's book did I become convinced that I did die, go to heaven and meet God face to face

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Even though God told me to love everyone, I have had numerous failed relationships because I am unable or unwilling to love unconditionally. I don't believe anyone can love unconditionally except their children and/or spouses

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes It is hard to find words to express my feelings or describe the Light. I didn't know anyone who had died and it is hard to tell you how I still felt like I knew these silhouettes.

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. I remember it more clearly than any other spiritual experience I have had before or since.

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 fact I knew the Surgeon and nurses came in and my description of the cut-down surgery when my mother said she thought I was dead. Also the approachability of God and his funny, warm, loving way he made me feel

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Probably 5 years when I told my mother then maybe 30 years after that. Some cried and some scoffed. You never know if sharing your experience affects someone 10 years later.

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 not real. I just thought it was a dream

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. When I compare the many NDEs I have read about, there are too many coincidences for it not to be a reality

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Yes Vigilant prayer for over an hour

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

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