Zoe C NDE

Experience Description

In early of 1998 I was pregnant with my youngest son and during the first six months I experienced difficulties such as fainting sensations and hot flashes. I had regular monthly pre-natal check-ups and my obstetrician found no abnormality in my pregnancy. On my due date, September 7, 1988, I was in the hospital's labor room and had a very painful labor for more than 7 hours, after which it stopped. During the labor time, I was hooked to ECG [Electro-cardio gram] machine for my heart monitoring as I had breathing difficulty due to ischemia. [Editor’s Note: Medical term for when the heart muscle doesn’t get enough oxygen.]

When the labor pains stopped, despite the fact that the baby was in the right final position for birth, an x-ray was done and it showed that the baby was in a reverse position. In the afternoon of September 8, the labor pain resumed and at 8:00 in the evening, I was rushed to the delivery room where I delivered the baby within 30 minutes. Despite the anesthesia, I heard my obstetrician declaring that I was ‘bleeding profusely and needed a blood transfusion, transfer (her) to the operating room for a hysterectomy’. A tumor on top of my uterus was undetected during my pre-natal care. I heard my obstetrician and anesthesiologist, who were both Christians, each praying close to my ears for me to be strong and have faith to survive.

I was still able to follow the prayers asking for God's help, for the sake of my child, whom I had not yet seen. Soon, I experienced myself speedily floating inside a fast moving silver metallic tunnel and saw a very bright light at the far end of the tunnel. When I got out of the tunnel, a blinding, shining floating white robe met me. On the side, I saw my father who died in 1982, which was six years earlier. I clearly remember he was smiling at me. Crying in extreme joy for seeing my father, I asked him to please help me get back and still he kept on smiling. I implored ‘God please return me, my child needs me’ and suddenly I heard a thunderous voice saying ‘GO BACK’. In a split second, I found myself inside the same tunnel returning from where I was.

I knew later, that after 10 minutes when the doctors declared me CLINICALLY DEAD, I was miraculously alive then transferred to the recovery room where I slept for four hours. When I woke up, my mother was crying at my bedside. The first thing I asked was ‘Am I still alive? Have the doctors secured the blood for my transfusion?’ After discharge from the hospital, I had hepatitis A, hence, could not take care of my baby. He had to be taken care of by my mom in her house.

On my son's second month, my mom narrated that in her early afternoon nap, she dreamed my father fetched her and she was about to hold my father's hand when she heard my baby cry. She told my father she could not leave with him as she's taking care of my baby. She further narrated that my father answered, ‘SO MY GRANDCHILD IS HERE, TAKE CARE OF HIM. I HELPED HIM HAVE HIS MOTHER BACK.’

As I look back to this experience, I could not help but wonder in awe how God works wonders in our life. Even my doctor, who waited two months after my recovery to explain to me in detail, what really transpired inside both the delivery and operating room. She shared that God used her in performing a miracle on me. She even suggested I celebrate September 8 as my second life birthday and my son's birthday.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: September 8, 1988

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Childbirth. Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) I heard my doctor's pronouncement that I was bleeding profusely after delivery of my child.

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

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I saw my mother and six year old daughter kneeling in front of a grotto of Mother Mary, at the entrance of the hospital. I was already in my private room, after 3 days, when my mother related that she and my daughter were asking for Mother Mary, in the event of her birthday, to save me. 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? More consciousness and alertness than normal

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? a. When I was in front of the shining bright white robe and pleading to be returned back. b. When I cried upon seeing my father. c. When I heard a thunderous voice saying 'GO BACK’. Seeing a shining bright white robe, hearing a thunderous voice and seeing my dead father are not normal everyday experiences.

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 From the last words I heard the doctors' prayers until I got out of the tunnel after hearing the thunderous voice GO BACK, it was so fast as if it happened in just a snap of the fingers.

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. I could hardly read and see things clearly without glasses, as I had been diagnosed with astigmatism and a far distance problem since I was 10 years old. During the experience, I was not wearing glasses as the same was not allowed in the delivery and operating rooms.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Due to vertigo, there were times when my hearing was not sharp.

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

The experience included: Tunnel

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Yes I passed through a fast moving silver metallic tunnel with a very light at its end.

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 I saw my father, who died six years earlier (1982) as if he was alive and smiling at me.

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 It was a blinding, spread-out light.

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

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Mixed emotions of fear, joy, awe and inner peace.

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 no longer in conflict with nature

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about myself or others That I, as a human being, serve a purpose on earth as directed by my Missioner, God. That I felt reconnected with my father.

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 was pleading in front of the shining white robe to return me back since my child needs me. I even asked for my father's help.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

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

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Protestant Me and family regularly attended Sunday services at an evangelical church.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I am firmer in my belief that life on earth is temporary and that it is a place where we prepare for a life in a higher dimension, which will surely happen when we have completed our purpose on earth.

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

What is your religion now? Christian- Protestant

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 I could not fathom why God will separate me from my family. I was uncertain that when one dies he/she will surely be re-united with his/her loved ones who died ahead.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I became certain that death is sure to happen anytime, that there is afterlife, that everyone has a mission on earth and that we must live our life to the fullest with our loved ones.

The experience included: Presence of unearthly beings

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 shining white robe and a thunderous voice.

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.)? Yes I believe it was Jesus wearing the shining white robe and with a thunderous voice

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? Yes I was uncertain that when someone dies and go to heaven, he/she will surely be reunited with his/her loved ones who died ahead.

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Uncertain My face to face encounter with God manifested in a shining white robe and thunderous voice and having seen my father in his looking alive form confirms that there indeed is a mystical universal connection or unity

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 believe God manifested Himself to me in the form of a shining white robe and a thunderous voice.

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? Yes The realization that God has a mission for me on earth.

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

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? Yes I am aware that everyone on earth has a meaning and a purpose

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? I was uncertain if an afterlife exists

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists Yes When I saw my father who looked like he was alive I believe there is life after death.

Did you fear death prior to your experience? I greatly feared death

Do you fear death after your experience? I slightly fear death

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Slightly 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 probably meaningful and significant

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant after your experience? Are 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 As human beings, everyone will experience earthly life's difficulties, challenges or hardships and that these things should make us realize that God intends these to happen to make us better persons who look up on Him for guidance.

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

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Yes Definitely, love was the reason why I pleaded for return to my family. Love for my father was deepened and most of all love for my Creator and His love for me.

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 Large changes in my life. The experience made me realize, more, the importance of taking good care of myself, my family and nurturing my spiritual life more. I realized that life on earth is God's call.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Yes It gave me a deeper understanding of people around me.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes Relating my experience in words comes naturally as I saw it, but the magnanimity and the sacredness of it is unfathomable.

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 as accurately as other life events that occurred around the time of the experience I remember the experience the same as I can recall other experiences.

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? Prayers really do reach God and that He answers them in his time. Having seen my father was a great joy. The shining white robe and the thunderous voice were magnanimous and awesome.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes From recovery room to my private room, I couldn't speak for three days. After that, I shared the experience with my husband and mother. Both were crying and I think they believed me. My husband thanked God for allowing me to return back to him and my children.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? No It was only after my experience that I got interested in knowing more about NDE.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was probably real The experience was very clear in my mind, from that time until today.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real The experience was a life changing event and as long as I'm alive it will remain as something that influences my life.

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? People may not believe in my experience, but what is important is the premium I got from said experience.