Experience Description

I was crushed under an elevator at work. I felt my life leave my body and then I was in darkness.

It was so dark I could feel it. I was floating and the temperature was pleasant. I heard and saw my wife crying for me and telling me to fight. She said, 'Fight! You're a fighter!' A man in a white robe that I saw by her, who I thought was a doctor, said, 'He can't hear a word you say.' I was angry when I heard him say that. I found out later that he was a male nurse. When I got angry, I was taken away from seeing my wife to that dark place again.

I could hear my thoughts; my mouth didn't need to talk. I began to see what looked like smoke and reddish orange color. I was taken closer until I could see it was fire in the form of a lake! I was terrified. Then I came back in my body and I was on life support and the doctor said let's see if he can breathe on his own.

I was choked from the long tube that was being removed and I threw up, I was terrified because I thought I was going to hell. I was supposed to be brain dead and paralyzed from the neck down due to my number 1 and 2 vertebr' being crushed. He told my wife I would never walk again and I would have to go to a home to be cared for because I was a vegetable. Praise GOD; I walked out of the hospital 6 days later! I was in a coma for 2 days and then I began getting better.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 2-4-93

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death'

How do you consider the content of your experience? Both pleasant AND distressing

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

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

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. My vision was great! I didn't need my glasses like I do normally.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. My hearing was fine.

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

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? No

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes I saw my wife and a male nurse.

The experience included: Darkness

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? Some unfamiliar and strange place I saw what I feel is the lake of fire that the Bible describes in revelation.

The experience included: Hellish imagery

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt anger and fear and confusion. I wondered where I was at first.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? No

Did you have a feeling of joy? No

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

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about myself or others

Did scenes from your past come back to you? No

Did scenes from the future come to you? No

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 importance did you place on your religious/spiritual life prior to your experience? Moderately important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Protestant i was backslidden a christian.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I never feel ready to meet God. I feel saved one day and lost another.

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

What is your religion now? Christian- Protestant

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience I never thought i would go to hell or the lake of fire, i was shocked'

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I doubted my salvation.

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

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? No

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.)? No

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? Yes i saw and heard my wife

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Yes i was moved about without my being able to controle it.

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

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes i was taken from one place to another against my will

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

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:


During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Yes I know there is a GOD and he is in control.

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

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

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? An afterlife definitely exists

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists Yes i know that there is a hell

Did you fear death prior to your experience? I did not fear death

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

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Not fearful in living my earthly life

Were you fearful living your life after your experience? Slightly fearful in living my earthly life

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

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

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? Slightly compassionate toward others

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Yes yes my wife told me she loved me and needed me.

Were you compassionate after your experience? Moderately compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life I try to make sure I am ready to meet God the next time I die.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Yes I see life differently now.

After the NDE:


Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes I felt like I was a Christian and once saved always saved. After the experience I doubted my salvation.

How accurately do you remember the experience in comparison to other life events that occurred around the time of the experience? I remember the experience more accurately than other life events that occurred around the time of the experience

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? I was fearful of going to hell.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I shared it about nine months to a year later.

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

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real

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