Jim W NDE

Experience Description:

I had a hole in my heart between the right vent and the left vent. I had catheterizations from the time of five years old at Harper Hospital in Detroit until I had open heart surgery in June of 1960 but in 1959 in June, they gave me a catheterization. They took me to the upper floor of the hospital. I was put on a flat steel round table and the pain was awful. All at once, I was above the building with no pain. I realized that someone was with me. The feeling was just wonderful and I just wanted to stay forever, the love to was just great. I was told that I had to go back.

I heard the doctor say, 'Folks we are losing him. Let's bring him back.' I was above the building and daylight was coming up. In the time I was transferred to a gurney, I was back in my body. I did not want to be back in my body because of the pain. I had two doctors operate on me the next year. I was hooked to the lung and heart machine, which was just in the development. I had a fifty/fifty chance of living. The first two patients never made it and I was the third patient. There was someone there with me telling me I had to go back but I did not want to go back. It was so beautiful - the love to all mankind and the world.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: June 1, 1960

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? No. Surgery-related Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function)

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

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? Always

Were your thoughts speeded up? Neither

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Neither

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Neither

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? Neither

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? Neither

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

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? Neither

Did you see an unearthly light? No

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? Neither

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Wonderful.

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? United, one with the world

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe

Did scenes from your past come back to you? Neither

Did scenes from the future come to you? Neither

Did you come to a border or point of no return? A conscious decision to 'return' to life

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Conservative/fundamentalist Baptist

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Conservative/fundamentalist Baptist

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? No

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? Definite being, or voice clearly of mystical or other-worldly origin

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? Neither

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? No

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? No

Have you ever shared this experience with others? No

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