Experience Description


I was standing on a drive lane (the lane to drive a car on before coming to the garage) which was covered with white gravel. The drive was planted with high trees on both sides which hung over the drive and covered it from the sun. The central reservation of the drive lane consisted of low bushes. At around fifty meters, there was an opened gate. Behind the gate, the drive lane continued splitting into side lanes on the left and on the right. The path before the gate was dim, once behind the gate there was a fantastic light. The source of this light was not visible. In front of the gate, somewhat on the left from my point of view, there was my dog who recently died on September 10, 2002 due to a heart attack. This dog was a Belgian shepherd (Groenend'ler) called 'Farouche'.


It waggled and defied me by jumping back and forth. It was clear to me that my dog wanted me to come along, through the gate. I felt a strong urge to go along with him. Yet I could not move my legs, I was nailed to the ground. Farouche attempted to get me going. Then I felt that the distance between him and increased slowly. Farouche also saw it, turned around and walked through the gate. Without looking backwards, he walked, as proud as a dog can be, to the light in the distance. What happened to me subsequently, I do not know.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 9/23/2002

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Surgery-related Life threatening event, but not clinical death I was an'sthetized for an open heart surgery in order to replace a malfunctioning heart valve by a metallic valve. Possibly I was also connected to a heart lung machine.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Positive

Did you feel separated from your body? No

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I was apathetic and fascinated by the calmness, peace and beauty I experienced. At the time of being reunited with my dog, I had no emotions.

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Uncertain The trees hanging over the drive lane gave the effect of a tunnel.

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes My dog who had died shortly before my operation.

The experience included: Light

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes

The experience included: A landscape or city

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I enjoyed the calmness, peace and beauty, but was apathetic for the rest.

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? No

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? No

Did you come to a border or point of no return? No

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Liberal Ik geloofde in een 'iets' na de dood voor mensen

What is your religion now? Liberal Ik geloof in een 'iets' na de dood voor alle schepselen gezamenlijk, de mens is maar een deel van de evolutie

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I am much more emotional and cry quickly. My social environment and direct colleagues find that I have changed; I am more at ease and less rebellious.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes Not the factually circumstances, but the feeling of calmness and beauty.

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 best part: the feeling of calmness, peace and beauty. The worst part: the fact that I had to leave my dog.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes The reactions I encountered were variable. My wife believes me but my son doesn't, he thinks it's nonsense. However, I can make nobody realize what I really felt, it is too all-embracing.

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? I know for more than a thousand percent that I have never seen this sight before my surgery. Not even until last week. But on the Internet I read a story about the Rainbow bridge. Both the story and the depicted image of the gate corresponded fair amount with my own experience.

Did the questions asked and information that you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience? Uncertain