Joel B's NDE

Experience description: 

I was in the USAF at Castle AFB in Merced CA. I worked day shift there, then I worked swing shift at Gallo Wineries in Modesto CA. I worked as a GWW; that means a general wine worker. Part of my duties were to clean out the large tanks after the wine had been drained out. This procedure was to stop the fermentation process by purging the wine tank with nitrogen gas. This takes out the oxygen in the wine and stops the wine from fermenting. Then the tanks are supposed to be vented for many hours. The tank is checked for oxygen levels and if safe, an "OK TO ENTER" sign is posted at the entrance as it would be safe to enter. 

This sign was posted at the tank, so the cleaning crew that I was part of set up to work on the tank. However, a mistake had been made and the tank next to this one was safe and this tank was not yet vented. In fact, it was full of nitrogen gas and was in a deadly situation for anyone to go inside.  What this gas does to people who inhale it, is that it removes the air out of their system. It displaces the oxygen out of your lungs.  I went into the tank and complained to the other two workers that the smell seemed really strong; I could tell it was an apple type of wine.  

We had a fire hose set up to a high volume pump. This is what we used to spray down the internal walls of the wine tanks. I picked up the hose and went to the far side of the tank, about 30 to 40 feet away from the small opening that was also the only way out. I gave the thumbs up signal to start the water and chlorine mix, and the pressure hit the brass nozzle hard. This was normal and the force pushed me against the wall of the tank. I held on with all of my strength. I only remember seeing the water start to come out of the hose and start across the tank to the other side. I never saw it actually make it to the other side because at that point I had been inside the tank for about three minutes.  This time period was long enough for the nitrogen gas to fully remove the air from my lungs. 

They told me later that I just fell to the floor of the tank and let go of the hose. The hose started to fling about violently and hit my head and face hard enough to break my safety glasses in half and knocked my hardhat off of my head. 

The spotter at the entrance signaled to the guy operating the pump to shut it off. About five minutes had gone by since I first went into the tank. The spotter then came into the tank to get me and he pulled me across to the opening and pushed me halfway out of the opening. He then passed out from the gas. He had only been in the tank about forty-five seconds. The other guy operating the pump saw me hanging out of the hatch and ran over to pull me out. Then he looked inside and pulled the spotter out also. The spotter started to come to and was able to get on his feet within a few minutes.

I was still lying on the ground, not moving, not breathing, turning blue.  They began to offer CPR, pushing on my chest, applying mouth to mouth a few times and since I was not responding, they stopped and began to cry because they thought I had died.

I was having a completely different experience.

The water coming out of the hose took on a strobe like effect and it never reached the inside wall of the tank.  I was then traveling through a tunnel at a very high speed. This tunnel seemed to be very long, like miles, yet it didn't seem to take any time to go through. There was a bright light. It was drawing me to it. I felt like I popped out of the tunnel and fell into this white light, yet I wasn't really falling, I was more like floating around inside of the light. It seemed like a container of light but without any end or boarders. I felt very much at peace and I liked being there in the light. I felt a presence toward the center and was drawn closer to someone there. I saw what I believe to be Jesus. He was in a white robe that was dripping in pure gold. It was so real to me then and even now I see all of the details of how he looked to me. I felt so safe, so warm and I did not want to ever leave His presence. I felt like I was home. 

Then He spoke to me and told me about my life and what was yet to come. He told me that I had to go back. I argued with Him about staying but He said that it was not my time to be with Him yet and that I had many more things to do in my life. He rose up his hand and pointed back to the tunnel and I was immediately traveling back through the tunnel that I had arrived in, only a few moments before. The tunnel seemed to be the same one, same length and took the same time to travel through it back to life. 

I woke up lying on my back and looking up into the eyes of the two guys that saved me, and they were indeed crying. They were shocked to see me getting up on my feet again. They took me over to medical and sat me in a chair to be seen by the nurse. Then they left and I never saw them again. The medical department tried to say it was my fault and that I must have just passed out. They ask if I had been drinking, I replied, "No I had not". They called my wife and she drove out to pick me up. I was mad at all of the questions and their implying that it was all my fault. So I quit, and I never have been back. 

The next few weeks I was in a daze, trying to figure out what had happened to me. I never shared this until many years later to my third wife; now of 19 years.

Was the kind of experience difficult to express in words? No      

At the time of this experience, was there an associated life threatening event?          Yes     Nitrogen gas poisoning

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness?    In the white light.

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal every day consciousness and alertness?    More consciousness and alertness than normal

If your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience was different from your normal every day consciousness and alertness, please explain:            It must be at a high level of consciousness because I still remember it so well. I don't remember anything else in my life in the same detail or way or feeling.

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.)?  Yes     More clear, more detail, more bright.

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     Hearing but not through ears.

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience?            Love peace

Did you pass into or through a tunnel or enclosure?          Yes     see above story. The tunnel was long, like miles, felt like 20 to 30 feet in diameter.

Did you see a light?           Yes     see above. The light was at the end of the tunnel and filled up a large area.

Did you meet or see any other beings?           No       see above

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     I had a son. 16 years later.

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     Lost track of time.

Did you have a sense of knowing special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?     Yes            That we are all connected. And that there is one source, or creator.

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? No      

Did you become aware of future events?       Yes
            Yes, do not wish to share.

Did you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience you did not have prior to the experience?     Yes     Aware of a Creator

Have you shared this experience with others?         Yes     16 years. They are not sure what to think.

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    see above

Were there one or several parts of the experience especially meaningful or significant to you?    see above

How do you currently view the reality of your experience:            Experience was definitely real    see above

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

Have your religious beliefs/practices changed specifically as a result of your experience?            Yes            more in belief of a single Creator.

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?       

Did the questions asked and information you provided so far accurately and comprehensively describe your experience?         Yes     The questions help to put it in order.