Experience Description

I was on the table in the doctor's office face down, I felt like I was just falling asleep. Next thing I know, I was floating in the top of the room looking down on myself, my mom in the corner on a stool with silver legs. She was hiding her face in her hands because she didn't want to see them cut me. I saw two doctors leaning over me on the table.

In an instant, I was in a tunnel with a bright light at the end. I distinctively remember that I wasn't moving my feet and wondering how I could be advancing through the tunnel. When I got to the end of the tunnel there was a man in an all-white tunic awaiting me. He never had to speak physically, but I could hear him and he could hear me. He took me by the hand and we walked. I knew him although I had never seen him. He loved me, I loved him and I felt safe with him. This place that we walked was the most beautiful place that I have ever see. It was like a grassy, hilly place filled with flowers. The colors were so bright and vivid. It makes the greenest grass here on Earth look dirty. Like Hawaii but the colors were so bright they look like wet paint. After our short walk, he stopped and asked me if I wanted to go back with my mother and brother, or did I want to stay. At that second, I thought of my mom and brother for the first time. I told him (without speaking) that I needed to go back with them. He smiled at me, and in the next second, I was back on the table in the doctor's office.

The feeling was horrible afterward for a few seconds because you have to get adjusted to your fleshy body. I felt like I had on a mud suit, kind of like the feeling you get when you climb out the side of a pool soaking wet. You feel like you weigh a ton and can feel the gravity pull on you. It took just a few seconds and I felt normal. It was hard trying to describe to my mother what had happened. As far as she knew, nothing happened. I kept trying to tell her 'I saw a man,' she didn't understand. I kept trying to tell her for years. I finally was able to explain it in more detail when I got about seven or eight. She was the only one that knew of my experience for years. She believed me because I told her what happened in the room when she thought that I was 'asleep' and facing the opposite of her. I saw what she was doing when I was floating before I went to heaven. She said that they ended up stopping the surgery abruptly without giving an explanation except it was too close to my spine. I know that they made some mistake along the way, maybe cutting something already and they knew I was on my way out. I have shared only with people closest to me. A child cannot imagine what they don't know. I had never heard of a NDE. I never knew of angels or my now savior Jesus Christ at that time. I was not under the influence of anything. They only used topical anesthesia that we knew of.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: Sometime in the 1970's

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Uncertain Surgery-related 'Illness, trauma or other condition not considered life threatening' I was supposed to be having a minor back surgery that involved removing a wood splinter from my back. The outpatient procedure only involved local anesthesia. Something ended up going wrong during the procedure and they stopped abruptly saying it was too close to my spine. They never told my mother there was danger but I knew there was because of my NDE.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

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 When I was separated from my body.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When I was separated from my body.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Incredibly fast

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning

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. I could see things but almost see through them (on Earth), like I knew the legs of the stool my mom was on was silver. I would not have seen them from the top of the room things still looked like solids but I could still see beyond them. While in Heaven everything was heightened, I talked without moving my lips but you could still hear audibly. Colors were brightest I have ever seen a thousand times the brightness here.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. There was communication (audible) without lips moving.

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? Yes Tunnel was dark with light at the end but there was no fear, more of wonderment at how I was progressing through the tunnel without moving my feet.

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 A man. I knew he loved me and was waiting for me. I loved him too. It was as if I had known him forever and was glad to see him. He took my hand we walked then he asked if I wanted to stay or go back with my mother and brother.

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 A beautiful bright light that gave off feelings of love and peace you felt like it was taking you to where you wanted to be.

The experience included: A landscape or city

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm A beautiful place with the greenest grass I have ever seen and the brightest colored flowers I have ever seen.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I definitely felt overtaken with love, joy, comfort, peace and safety. Was not an emotional feeling, was more of a clarity and certainty.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Incredible peace or pleasantness

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

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

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? Liberal 'None known at the time, was a child. No prior church experiences remembered.'

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I knew God and Heaven was real before I was taught anything from the Bible.

What is your religion now? Moderate

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I knew God and Heaven was real before I was taught anything from the Bible.

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? No

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Uncertain. I was a child, not aware of gifts prior to experience. I have dreams that come true at times now.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Yes, giving me a chance to come back. I know that I am here for a reason and that I have a purpose to fulfill. I know God is guiding me to that purpose.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Hard to tell if they really believe that it can happen.

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 definitely real I knew it was real, but didn't have the vocabulary to express everything at such a young age. It is as fresh in my mind as it was then.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I know it was real because I hadn't been led by religious teachings, I hadn't heard of a Near Death Experience, and I didn't know it had happened to others until I was grown. It just validated what I had experienced.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? No

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? None. Thank you.