Experience Description

After the car came to a complete stop, and I realized what had happened, I exited the vehicle and stood there for a few seconds. I then realized that I was bleeding and hurt and something triggered me to stray away from the scene. I walked about twenty yards up a side street away from the busy intersection, and simply fell to the ground. I lay there briefly and within what seemed like seconds an off duty police officer came to my aid and kept trying to talk to me, telling me not to close my eyes. Soon after this, I had the out of body experience. It was as if I was standing over myself in a crowd of onlookers. I watched the paramedics arrive as they began CPR. I then saw things from the ground again after what seemed like minutes. I closed my eyes, and that is when I began feeling relaxed. I could see very bright light, and everything was very silent. I could not hear any voices or noise from the street, but just still quiet. It was soon after that I came to inside the ambulance on the way to the hospital where the paramedics greeted me with 'welcome back' and simply said 'How the hell did you survive?'

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 17 June 1998

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes AccidentDirect head injury 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' I was the passenger of a car which the driver had crashed into a stopped car traveling at over sixty mph. I was thrown into the windshield.

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? Normal consciousness and alertness As above.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Stepping out of the vehicle after the impact. And then again while lying on the side walk.

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 The timeline of events happened out of order. It almost seemed as if the actual crash happened after I exited the vehicle. Walking away happened after I was lying on the sidewalk and listening to the man who was trying to help me. And the number of people in the crowd started out large first and then later it seemed like I was lying by myself.

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. Objects and environment seemed more grey and translucent at the time. Things were clear and bright as well.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. There was reverberation at times and then some times sound was muffled or quiet.

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 did experience a brief period of feeling engulfed by a bright light but did not recognize it as a tunnel. More of an enclosed Orb.

Did you see any beings in your experience? I actually saw them

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? No

The experience included: Void

The experience included: 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 white, warm, and had no borders or lines.

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

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Relaxed, but also concerned that this was not a good thing.

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

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

The experience included: Life review

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control I reviewed my short lived life, mostly the people I had met and major events I had been a part of.

Did scenes from the future come to you? Scenes from the world's future

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

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Moderate

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? No

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? No

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:


Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes The experience did not happen in any particular order. It is very hard to think of the events in a sequence or any particular pattern. During my experience, there was a moment when it was unclear what was happening to me. Or why.

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? A moment when I was lying there when I felt as if I was standing over myself looking around I could hear music in the background. The song made me feel sad because I thought about how my mother did not want me to go on the trip and I began to feel as if I wanted to cry and redo the day and not go.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Within a year I had explained it to my future wife, and to my parents and close friends. They all seemed pretty intrigued to hear what I had to say.

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 probably real I was on bed rest in and out of the hospital and just usually would lie there thinking about it. Trying to fully understand how it all actually happened.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was probably real As above.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Yes Serving in combat in Iraq, I was involved in a few instances where I recalled the events from that day, particularly if in a life threatening situation.