Experience Description

When I was around 8 years old, my parents were not home, and my brother was mad, doing something in the middle of the floor, next to the front door. I ended up doing something that pissed him off. He chased me around, and so I hid next to my mom's bed. Now I know to move around to different places when I'm trying to hide, but I didn't know that then. He found me, pinned me down on the bed and, with rage in his eyes, started choking me. I cried out to him, 'Stop!' and then, 'I can't breathe!' He didn't listen. Instead, his grip got stronger. I heard something like a snap, and then I was out cold.

I remember drifting up from my body and seeing him back away and put his hands on his head. He stayed in that position for a while. The next thing I remember is looking at myself and seeing a bluish aura. I looked, I think, straight ahead and saw what looked like a rough cave. It was too dark to see to the end. Around me was darkness. Although at that point I couldn't move, I could see the sides of the cave. It was pitch black but I could see a cloaked figure with its hood down to its chest. It lifted its, I think, hand, draped in the cloak's sleeve and pointed at me what looked like an abnormally long finger made of, I think, bone, and said, 'You.' The last thing I remember was being in a dark place with him beside me. Also there were some smoke-like things.

I think the next day I got up and my brother told me that I hadn't had a heartbeat for 4 to 5 hours.

After the death I felt like I was being followed by the thing, and every once in a while I would actually see him. Nowadays I don't know if he's still following me and I've just grown accustomed to him being there, or if he has stopped.

After this experience, most things changed.

There is something weird that happens now. If I concentrate hard enough, I'm pretty sure I can see the dead. I'm only saying 'the dead' because most times no one else sees what I see and I don't think they are ordinary things. I don't really know what it is I'm seeing.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 2003

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Uncertain strangled Other hyper I'm not sure what went on in the lives of others.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes 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 Throughout the time I was dead.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Throughout the time I was dead

Were your thoughts speeded up? Faster than usual

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning It's very hard.

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. The best way I can describe it is what I would think of as 4-D, I guess.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. There wasn't very much noise.

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 Can't remember

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 The cloaked figure, and other-worldly smoky looking things.

The experience included: Void

The experience included: Darkness

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? Uncertain Can't remember

The experience included: A landscape or city

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm every thing had its own its own level of beautie

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Completely confused and I had a desire to examine more thoroughly.

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

The experience included: Special Knowledge

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe

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? Scenes from the world's future I became able to predict some things and have a lot better awareness

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

God, Spiritual and Religion:


What was your religion prior to your experience? Moderate I didn't but family is Mormon

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Uncertain I've always been open-minded, and now I think everything has truths and lies.

What is your religion now? Moderate I didn't but family is Mormon

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Uncertain I've always been open-minded, and now I think everything has truths and lies.

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

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I actually saw them

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:


During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Uncertain It's very hard too.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes It's very hard, but they got a lot better.

After the NDE:


Was the experience difficult to express in words? Uncertain The things that happened are difficult to tell anyone unless they have been through it too. I can't remember a lot of it. It feels like my memories are being blocked.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes It's very hard.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Not really. Every part has its own worth.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? No

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes I've heard about people seeing their body and a bright light on TV news and other stuff like that.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real I'm still confused and it helped me become a lot gentler person.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real It's something I cannot forget, and my brother's still sensitive about it.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Uncertain It's hard to describe.

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? Some need better choices, like number 19.