Experience Description

I was stabbed and was to have emergency care. I went to the operating room. I knew I was severely injured. I was suddenly in a large room, no furniture, vacant, dimly lit. I noticed it did not smell musty like I thought it should, it seemed like a warehouse room. I knew I was to wait there.

I became aware of an arched castle-like doorway obliquely across the room from me. I was curious, not afraid. I went to the doorway. The walls were gray square stones, softly rounded, not sharp like concrete block, though rough to the touch like lighter gray mortar. The floor was stationary, the walls rotated slowly in a clockwise motion. A pale yellow light filled the tunnel - no source was noted, it was just there. As I came to the opening, I could see it was a long tunnel. The pale light became more golden the further down the tunnel you looked and was so bright at the far end it obscured further viewing. The light had a gentle friendly quality, it was non-threatening. I knew it was okay to go there if I needed to, I felt no fear.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: June 11,1986

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Criminal attack Life threatening event, but not clinical death I was stabbed and had potentially life threatening wounds.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Positive

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Uncertain

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I was in the operating room. To me I seemed to be awake but confined to that room.

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning Just felt suspended in time. Knew that the outcome was not decided.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. A soft grinding/grating, like a mill-wheel as the tunnel rotated.

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No It was there I just stood and looked down it, I did not step in though I knew I could.

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Uncertain I felt the presence but did not see any others.

The experience included: Light

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes See main narrative.

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

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Calm, concern, wonder, peace, love.

The experience included: Special Knowledge

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe I felt I was not alone, I felt I was being assisted.

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control I guess we all fear death. Now I know not to fear it. Now I am at peace with whatever happens to me, to those I love too - I know it is not random.

Did scenes from the future come to you? Scenes from the world's future I knew I would not die.

The experience included: Boundary

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? Yes The entrance to the tunnel, I did not go into the tunnel.

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 It was nonverbally communicated that the damage had been repaired, that I was going back. I was relieved to know that the damage was repaired. The doctor had told me he was unsure prior to the surgery whether he could fix it or not.

God, Spiritual and Religion:


What was your religion prior to your experience? Moderate

What is your religion now? Moderate

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes More certain of God's grace and love.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes It was surreal.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes Perhaps stronger than prior to the experience. But I have had gifts since at least age three. I had an incident of automatic writing when a friend's child died, like a message from the child, it took the form of a poem - took only minutes to write.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Best, the safety, lack of fear. Worst, being alone - I was not totally alone, I felt, but could not see, the others I sensed were there.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I am not given to telling everyone. I tell those that are close and need to hear it for their situation. I have shared it with strangers who needed to know it too.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? No Dreams fade this is as real as the day it happened.

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? I was stabbed in the first and the second intercostal spaces on the left. Bone was chipped off my clavicle. My left shoulder was separated by the blows. I did not ever pass out till I was medicated. I had such serenity. Just prior to being knocked out with the medication I suffered a mediastinal shift and told the anesthesiologist. My heart was pushed into my right chest by the massive hemorrhage in the left thorax. They took three and a half units of blood from my left chest in the operating room. I had approx. fifteen major vessels up to the size of the internal mammary severed.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? Pre-events perhaps. I recall going to work that day. The world was brighter. More colorful. The birds sang more sweetly. The smells of summer were everywhere. Everything was more vivid. I felt glad to be alive. Despite in the past being warned of danger I do not recall being warned. I missed it if it happened.