Donald M's NDE

Experience description: 

            I was working as a deckhand on a tug boat and as we tied up to the barge I jumped off to connect the batteries to the running lights and while I was doing so I heard a yell from the tug from the chief Bill I ran back and Bill was looking down I looked and Rick was coming up . As soon as I could I probably grab him and with the snow that was falling I was close to slipping in as I was reaching down at least four feet. The tug was a couple feet off and by that time the first mate was kneeling on my legs so I wouldn't slip in. The tug was getting closer and as the rubbing streaks were the only things that were going to connect on Rick's head I couldn't let Him go so I squared my shoulders held his hand and let the tug start to squeeze me. All I can remember is I was scared because I couldn't get out and then I thought my ribs were going to mesh  in with each other and I kept thinking the tug would have to stop soon only I didn't know why it wasn't stopping . I thought my head was going pop off and then BRUCE  said hello Donnie just like the way he did in high school. I said hello and trusted him completely and as I was drifting by him he guided my to a beautiful white light and a swirling tunnel .Things seem to speed up and like a flash my whole life seemed to go by and I saw a body on the beech that I knew was mine and I asked whoever what was happing and a voice came back and you are drowning and then I saw my mother and my sisters Lorna and Mary-  Lou crying at the kitchen table and I screamed out no.  I didn't know which way to flail but when I hit the surface  I took an awful big breath of air. It was probably close to ten at night and snowing heavy the visibility wasn't to good so I guess I looked south first and all I could see was a black east same thing north and then west and I could just make out a bit of light. I don't remember much from that point only as I got closer to the light I read the name on the back of a boat Flo  and as I swam up the side of it I heard the engines and with a shock said you work there . As I swam around the bow I heard voices and Bill  the chief engineer held out McRae  My name came back and as I got closer Rick was hanging on a steel ladder but couldn't get his feet up so I reached up first time I felt any pain and with my arms on the ladder I put my head under Ricks butt and we both made it onto the barge.  There were big snow flakes and I was on my knees looking up and all I could see was snow and then I was embarrass in front of all my coworkers I don't remember any thing after that except when I was on shift after we got left with the tow my shoulders could barely turn the wheel.

Was the kind of experience difficult to express in words? Yes     Twenty years after seeing a friend of mine who had passed away two months before my experience I finally went and told His brother that Bruce had made it

At the time of this experience, was there an associated life threatening event?          Yes     My coworker and friend had fallen in the water off a tug-boat and was going to crushed between the tug and the barge we were tied up to

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness?    when I thought my head was going to pop off

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           

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.)?  No      

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.)?            No      

Did you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body?     Yes

What emotions did you feel during the experience?            trusting Bruce and peaces and then seeing my body on shore and my mother crying and the horror I said no

Did you pass into or through a tunnel or enclosure?          No       the tunnel was open and I was going but after asking and seeing my mother crying I yelled no and I woke up under the water

Did you see a light?           Yes     Bruce let by him and said its okay you are welcome and the white light and tunnel was there

Did you meet or see any other beings?           Yes     Bruce was on my right and said hello like he would in high school as he was a couple of years older I looked up to him and when he said its okay I trusted him with my life and then he motioned with his arm and I was going into this white tunnel

Did you experience a review of past events in your life?    Uncertain     

Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience that could be verified later?          No      

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?   Yes     when I came up out of the water I was wearing work boots coveralls leather jacket and my shoulders were not working I don't remember swimming back until I read the name on the boat  After all these years I would say I drifted two to three hundred yards under the water before I came up.

Did you have a sense of knowing special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?     No      

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? No      

Did you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience you did not have prior to the experience?     No      

Have you shared this experience with others?         Yes     I think it was close to twenty years before I told Bruce's brother about how I believe that Bruce made it to the other side  It was hard and I think Robert handled as well as he could

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 not real        I didn't believe.

Were there one or several parts of the experience especially meaningful or significant to you?    I know that even when I was 21 I was welcome to enter the other side.

How do you currently view the reality of your experience:            Experience was definitely real    By not believing it possible for twenty years I continued to work on boats until after many nervous break-downs I  have Post traumatic problems and manic depression. I wish I would have been able to talk about it earlier but thought people would think I was insane.

Have your relationships changed specifically as a result of your experience?           Yes    

Have your religious beliefs/practices changed specifically as a result of your experience?            Yes            I know that there is an after-life.

Following the experience, have you had any other events in your life, medications or substances which reproduced any part of the experience?         No      

Did the questions asked and information you provided so far accurately and comprehensively describe your experience?         Yes