Experience Description

I got to know a lady in my church; I will call her June. I had known her to be a really dependable, no-nonsense, and a rather private person. She was much older than me. I was in my 20's and she was in her 50's? She is a grandma. She often referred to a life-changing accident. It was a car accident in an intersection where afterwards she had endured traction in the hospital for months. We all knew this was a big trial she had overcome. But one night, we had driven together to attend a service project held by the young church-women for an old-folks home. On the way home, I admitted to her that I very much had been thinking about death and life after life lately. She did not know this, but I had been atheist for a time. This was years before and I was just in the process of nurturing myself back to spiritual health.

She really surprised me when she told me about her experience. Following her accident, she had risen up and saw an outstretched hand from Jesus. She said on the other side that they speak mind to mind or telepathically. She was given the choice to come back to her earthly life or go on. I don't remember if she was shown her family or just thought about them, but from thinking of her family she concluded they needed her and she could not leave them. She did not give any details beyond what I just wrote.

She went on to say that she was in the hospital with no visitors. Her husband had strong bad feelings against being in hospitals, maybe because of his mother's past. Anyway, she said she felt incredibly lonely, especially on Christmas. I was surprised to see her become quite emotional, since I had known her to be a pretty grounded, matter-of-fact kind of person. She started to cry a bit and told me that angels sang comforting Christmas songs to her through the lonely season of Christmas.

The rest of our conversation went other ways, I thanked her for sharing with me. I wish now I'd asked her more questions. But I've never forgotten her story. It became really important to me later, because a mutual dear friend of ours passed away in childbirth only months later. I very much needed that story to reflect on. Had I read it somewhere, I don't know if I would have believed it so deeply like I did from her; mostly because I can attest to her character and easily rule out any motivation to lie or seek attention. I don't believe everyone, but I believe her.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: January 2014

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident Life threatening event, but not clinical death. Many broken bones, most or all vital organs were punctured by broken bones, I remember her telling me she lost upwards of 20 pints of blood. I think she said 24 but I just remember being shocked that is was above 20. I was told it was incredible she was able to live.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Entirely pleasant

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Uncertain Possible vision of family 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? Unsure

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Unsure

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

Were your senses more vivid than usual? No

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Unsure

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I only know she said they communicate telepathically

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? No

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Uncertain

Did you see any beings in your experience? I sensed their presence

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Uncertain

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? No

Did you see an unearthly light? No

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

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? She didn't talk too much about emotion; I only know she was very touched that the angels sang to her during her lonely Christmas season in the hospital.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Relief or calmness

Did you have a feeling of joy? Happiness

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? No

The experience included: Special knowledge or purpose

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? No

Did scenes from your past come back to you? No

Did scenes from the future come to you? No

The experience included: Boundary

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? Yes She could have taken the hand to a new place but didn't.

Did you come to a border or point of no return? I came to a definite conscious decision to return to life She knew her family needed her.

God, Spiritual and Religion:


What importance did you place on your religious/spiritual life prior to your experience? Not important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Mormon she was LDS (mormon) but less-active in church. her husband had some sad childhood experiences with some unkind kids at church (they had said cruel things about his mother who had crippling health issues from exposure to radiation) and after marrying him they had been less active. as for me, at the time she shared this information with me I had previously been all over the place, very strong/strict religious-maybe self-righteous in my youth.. to atheist following specific personal trials, and over time, and by paying attention and not running from me feelings or intuition, have decided to follow my heart back to god, and I find my faith in the LDS church best helps nourish this side of me, so I fully support it, with the belief that perhaps no religion is completely accurate, but I think people make a big mistake by disregarding religion all together for it's flaws. I think I will be better off, even with any imperfect doctrine I may have signed on to.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes More involved in church and family

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

What is your religion now? Christian- Mormon she now attends church almost every sunday and has a calling in this church working with the youth. she often sits alone as her husband still does not attend. But she has never felt that she returned to life for a purpose and intended to see it through. I am not sure if she may have had more to do with this than she told me. all I know is that she felt she had a purpose.

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience

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

The experience included: Presence of unearthly beings

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? No

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I sensed their presence

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 She saw a hand from Jesus and felt his question.

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? Uncertain

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Uncertain

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? Unknown

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes Jesus offered his hand and communicated with her.

Do you believe in the existence of God after your experience? Unknown

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:


During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? No

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

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? No

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? Unknown

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? Unknown No

Did you fear death prior to your experience? Unknown

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

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Unknown

Were you fearful living your life after your experience? Unknown

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

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant after your experience? Unknown

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? No

Were you compassionate prior to your experience? Unknown

During your experience, did you gain information about love? No

Were you compassionate after your experience? Unknown

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Uncertain

After the NDE:


How accurately do you remember the experience in comparison to other life events that occurred around the time of the experience? I do not know how my remembrance of the experience compares to my remembrance of other life events. I didn't ask her such detailed questions.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? No

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I don't know how many people she told, but I appreciated that she told me. She didn't ask me to keep it to myself. I have told a few. Most seem kind and open. I don't know how many fully believe, but I was the one who heard it first-hand so that makes sense to me.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes I had been very interested in them, but I don't believe she had been when it happened to her.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real She completely and fully believed its reality and enough so that she attends church alone week after week.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real She believes she has purpose and definitely needs to help family.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Uncertain

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? They were good.