EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTION:
I was driving from Corpus Christi, Texas to my home in San Antonio
on a wet and rainy Sunday afternoon. Just south of Pleasanton, Texas I came
upon a boat and trailer on the shoulder of the road. I was driving a new car,
and had flares in my toolbox so I decided to stop and see if I could be of any
help. I pulled over and stopped behind the boat and trailer, and put on the
emergency flashers. The owner of the boat came up to my car, and I got out and
walked back to the trunk and I grabbed my poncho and reached into the toolbox
and got out a flare. We set the flare to the south of our location and returned
to the boat and trailer. I asked what had happened and he said he had noticed a
wobble in the trailer and pulled over to see if he could discover the problem.
I asked him what he wanted to do and he replied he was going to hook the trailer
back up to his car and go into the next town. I bent over to see what I could
about the problem and discovered that a bearing had frozen and had burned itself
into a half-moon. I shook my head and told him that the trailer wouldn't make
the trip into Pleasanton and just as I straightened up and looked at him (he was
to the north of me, facing south and I was looking at him, facing north) I saw
his eyes get very large and open wide and he said "Look out for the bus"! I do
not know where he went, but I spun around and saw a Greyhound bus on the
shoulder of the road, its front wheels cut to the left but the bus was
hydroplaning and coming directly at our location. I could see the water beading
up from under the front left tire of the bus, and knew I must get out of the
way. I ran to the left, away from the road at about 90-degrees from my
location.
I do not recall
actually running more than a couple of steps, but at the point when I was struck
by the bus I remember watching myself spinning through space. It is at this
moment that everything seemed to be black and I could not see anything of the
area around where I was. While watching myself spinning or "flying through
space" I also recall feeling as if I were hurtling through a very tight-fitting
tunnel . . . it seemed to me that I was approaching what I can only describe as
a nerve synapse and fully expected to jump from one side of the synapse to the
other but as I approached this synapse I can clearly recall hearing "not yet"
and the next thing I remember is laying on the ground.
I do not believe I lost
consciousness, and when I stopped moving I tried to pick myself up but could not
get my legs to move. I looked at my legs and noticed my right foot touching the
outside of my left knee. I lay back in the mud and thought I had lost my right
foot. The wife of the guy I stopped to help came towards me and I asked "is my
foot still attached to my leg". She took a long look and said "yeeees" (a
rather drawn out "yes") and I thought to myself "man, this is going to hurt" and
told her to go call an ambulance. Shortly thereafter other people showed up,
including a Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper. The Trooper was standing
to my left when the ambulance crew arrived and asked "where do you want to take
the body" and I thought to myself "they think I'm dead" so I reached up and
pulled on the Trooper's pant leg and he looked down at me and said "You're not
dead" and I said "No; how about the Methodist Hospital in San Antonio". I was
put on the stretcher and hustled to the top of the embankment, put in the
ambulance and taken to the Methodist Hospital in San Antonio. I spoke with the
attendant during the hour or so it took to get to the hospital and upon arrival
at the hospital I spoke with the people there, answering their questions in what
I believed was a competent and responsive manner.
The orthopedic surgeon on call that evening spent a lot of time getting my leg
set correctly. He had to set the leg six times that night before he was
satisfied. I woke up in the morning in a hospital room and even though I was
still a bit woozy the investigator for the insurance company (Liberty Mutual)
came into my room and took a statement from me while I was still coming out from
under the surgery the previous night. The reason I mention this statement is
that other than a few words my statement and that of the fellow I stopped to
help were almost identical. What is intriguing about this is that I could only
see some of the things I described if I was above and to the south of my
physical location.
Was
the kind of experience difficult to express in words?
Yes I had absolutely nothing to compare to the event. I was hesitant to
speak to others about the event because I thought people might think I was
crazy.
At
the time of this experience, was there an associated life threatening event?
Uncertain I was a pedestrian, struck by a 44-passenger Greyhound bus
traveling at approximately 30 m.p.h. I suffered multiple closed tib-fib
fractures to my right leg and a shattered knee-cap, but no loss of blood, no
trauma to anything above the waist and I never lost consciousness. As I lay on
the ground, looking at my right foot touching the outside of my left knee, I
knew that I was in trouble but considered losing the leg the most likely problem
and never considered death a possibility.
At
what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness
and alertness?
How is "the experience" defined? My very highest level of consciousness and
alertness occurred as I watched the bus hydroplane on the shoulder of the road
as it came towards me, out of control. I can remember seeing the water being
thrown out of the way by the tires. If "the experience" is limited to the
unearthly experience after being struck by the bus and before trying to pick
myself up off the ground, then I would have to say my highest level of
consciousness and alertness was at that point when I became aware of a boundary
and the phrase "not yet". Thereafter I was on the ground, trying to pick myself
up and seeing my mangled right leg and realizing that I could not stand.
How
did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience
compare to your normal every day consciousness and alertness?
Normal consciousness and alertness
How is "the experience" defined? My very highest level of
consciousness and alertness occurred as I watched the bus hydroplane on the
shoulder of the road as it came towards me, out of control. I can remember
seeing the water being thrown out of the way by the tires. If "the experience"
is limited to the unearthly experience after being struck by the bus and before
trying to pick myself up off the ground, then I would have to say my highest
level of consciousness and alertness was at that point when I became aware of a
boundary and the phrase "not yet". Thereafter I was on the ground, trying to
pick myself up and seeing my mangled right leg and realizing that I could not
stand.
Did
your vision differ in any way from your normal, everyday vision (in any aspect,
such as clarity, field of vision, colors, brightness, depth perception degree of
solidness/transparency of objects, etc.)?
Uncertain I recall seeing myself flying through space, and I was able to
correctly place myself on the ground after the accident but I could not have
seen myself on the ground or properly placed my location unless I was above and
behind the accident. That would, I think, make my field of vision different
than what one would expect if I had "seen" things only through my physical eyes.
Did
your hearing differ in any way from your normal, everyday hearing (in any
aspect, such as clarity, ability to recognize source of sound, pitch, loudness,
etc.)?
Yes The "not yet" I spoke of in answer 3 did not come from
another physical person. I recall hearing the phrase "not yet" in my mind, but
not through my ears.
Did
you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body?
Yes
What emotions did you feel during the experience?
During the time between being struck by the bus and finding myself on
the ground, I felt calm, relaxed, totally at peace with everything and everyone.
Did
you pass into or through a tunnel or enclosure?
Yes Contemporaneous with watching myself fly through space I also recall
feeling as if I were rocketing down or through a tight-fitting tunnel or
enclosure of some type. I had a sensation of movement through this tunnel or
enclosure, but could not feel a wall of any type and had no way to stop my
movement through this tunnel or enclosure.
Did
you see a light?
Yes The light was at a distance. In my opinion that light was on the other
side of the synapse I referred to in answer 3. I clearly recall wanting to get
to the light, and being a bit disappointed when I couldn't jump the synapse I
mentioned in answer 3.
Did
you meet or see any other beings?
Uncertain While I did not see anyone or any thing else during the event, I
believe something was nearby because as I approached the synapse referred to in
answer 3 I became aware of some one or some thing saying "not yet". I did not
hear this in the usual sense because it did not come through my ears but,
rather, I "heard" this in my mind being spoken by a voice that I did not and do
not recognize. If I had heard this through my ears I am confident I would have
been able to pinpoint the physical location of the speaker but such was not the
case during this episode.
Did
you experience a review of past events in your life?
No
Did
you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience
that could be verified later?
Yes Some of the things I spoke of in the statement made to the investigator
for the insurance company referenced in answer 3 could not have been seen by me
from my physical location and could only have been "seen" by me if I was above
and behind (to the south) of the accident.
Did
you see or visit any beautiful or otherwise distinctive locations, levels or
dimensions?
No
Did
you have any sense of altered space or time?
Uncertain The things I saw and experienced during the "event" should have
lasted longer than the time that it took for the accident to happen. I don't
really have any sense of altered time, but in looking back at the incident I
seem to have experienced more than the time allocated for the accident itself
would have allowed.
Did
you have a sense of knowing special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?
Uncertain After the accident and "the event" I believe I had more
self-confidence and a stronger belief in myself and my abilities. I came away
from the event with a belief that I had not yet achieved my purpose.
Did
you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure?
Yes As stated in answer 3. I did not cross the boundary, but had the very
distinct impression that had I crossed that boundary I would have been in a
place of immense satisfaction and peace.
Did
you become aware of future events?
No
Did
you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience
you did not have prior to the experience?
Uncertain As stated in answer 28, I came away with greater self-confidence,
an awareness of my skills and a desire to find my purpose in this life.
Have you shared this experience with others?
Yes It took me about four years to actually discuss "the event" with
another. Their reaction was supportive; in fact, my story seemed to assure them
that things they experienced in their life weren't hallucinations but, rather,
very real.
Did
you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience?
No
How
did you view the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it
happened:
Experience was definitely real The "experience" was real . . . things I "saw"
could only have been seen by me if I was some place other than my physical body.
Were there one or several parts of the experience especially meaningful or
significant to you?
The
"not yet" portion was rather significant. Up to that time I was rather aimless
. . . I was not in college and, really, without any purpose. After "the event"
I organized myself to make a life plan and to go out and achieve that plan.
How
do you currently view the reality of your experience:
Experience was definitely real No evidence has come to light to explain how I
could have seen things happen from a place or position other than my physical
body.
Have your relationships changed specifically as a result of your
experience?
No
Have your religious beliefs/practices changed specifically as a result of your
experience?
No
Following the experience, have you had any other events in your life,
medications or substances which reproduced any part of the experience?
No
Is
there anything else you would like to add concerning the experience?
It
was a spectacularly cool event! Everyone should be so lucky as to have such an
experience in their life, but I do not recommend being run over by a bus as a
way to experience such an event.
Did
the questions asked and information you provided so far accurately and
comprehensively describe your experience?
Yes For the most part I would say "yes". Though this happened 36 years ago
my memory of "the event" remains fresh in my mind. Perhaps, though, something
may trigger a memory or two of "the event" that I haven't recalled during this
survey.
Are
there any other questions we could ask to help you communicate your experience?
None that I can think of at this time.
