Experience Description

During a recess at the village's school my whole class went down to the small river and out on the new ice near the school. Being a risky person as I was I would of course go too far out on the ice and to the part of the small river where the water was rapid current. In the middle of the current, the ice broke and I ended up in the cold water. All my friends except one ran up to the school and told the teacher, who also happened to be my mother, that Bo was drowning. The boy that stayed on was my best friend and he crawled out on the ice to the ice hole.

I had of course no rescue equipment but instead boots and heavy clothes, that quickly was filled with water and began to pull me down under the ice. At this moment, my life started to replay like a movie, and view it for me until this very day. As the time went by I began to sink deeper and deeper, and when my friend, who was holding my hand, hoping to pulling me up, started to glide towards the ice hole and fall into the current water I told him: 'Let go of me, it's better that one of us is drowning than the both of us.' At this moment, I only had my head and one arm above the surface of the water. Then something happened, that was beyond all human capacity, and suddenly we were both lying on firm ice and soon after that, we could get ashore. My friend told me later that I suddenly was as light as his younger brother. My cry for help had reached a few workers at the sawmill nearby and they tried to rescue me by boat. This attempt had failed because the boat was chained.

Back to the moment of rescuing. In that moment of distress, when every possibility of being saved was gone and I had taken farewell to my friend, the hand of salvation came to us from above. An angel to the rescue. Neither I, my rescuing friend nor people that I know had been able to find any other explanation to the rescue.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: OCTOBER 1946

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Uncertain INPULSHANDLING Other SINNESUPPLEVELSER INFÖR DRUKNINGSDÖDEN Threat of drowning.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Frightening

Did you feel separated from your body? No No

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? Normal consciousness and alertness I was awake all the time.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I was awake all the time.

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

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? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? I actually saw them

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? No

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? No

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? No

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Fear of dying.

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

The experience included: Life review

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control A film about my existing life.

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? Moderate

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes My belief is that God's help must exist I some way.

What is your religion now? Moderate

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes My belief is that God's help must exist I some way.

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? Yes

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes My belief is that God's help must exist I some way.

After the NDE:


Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes That a spiritual force along with my rescuing friend contributing to the happy end.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes

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 It was difficult to sleep afterwards, and I got red rashes on my arms and legs. A man who drowned the next winter in the village showed similar symptoms.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real That my hope for rescue in the ice hole was physically all gone. All the odds were against that. Despite my friend's heroic effort to rescue me and my farewell to life I ended up on solid ground again and a continued life.

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

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? To all the people that want to avoid the death of drowning: Learn how to swim! Take it easy, don't panic.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? I have written this without any proof-reading so some parts of the text can surely be rewritten. But the main contents are following my experience and the event totally.