John D Probable NDE

Experience Description

I do not remember this experience now, but my parents and my cousins remember how I described the experience to them when I was approximately four years old. On a beach trip, I insisted that every family member play 'operation' with me. I asked them to lay down on the floor, and then I went through a long series of motions, moving back and forth between their chest and an imaginary table. At the end of the 'operation', I always said something like, 'You are all better now.' When asked about how I knew how to play operation, I was very matter of fact in saying that 'I remembered my operation.' My mother said that she was concerned by this answer and asked what I remembered.

I told her that during my operation I went to live with God. She asked more - what happened when I went to live with God? I told her that God said I was supposed to go back and live with my Mom and Dad for a long time, before I would come back to live with him. My Mom asked if I was scared, and my response was something like, 'How could I be scared of God?' I wish I remembered the experience myself, but my Mom's memory of the way I described things is still very clear.

It was shortly after this that our next door neighbor died of cancer. My mother recalls how distraught I was that in this case 'Randy' went to live with God, but didn't get to come back to his wife Janice. I insisted that I needed to talk to Janice, and so my Mother and I visited. My Mother remembers that the message I had to give to Janice, was that Randy went to live with God and so he was okay.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 'September 27, 1995'

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Surgery-related Other During open heart surgery. Open heart surgery repair of Tetrology of Fallot, heart defect, at seven months of age.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

Did you feel separated from your body? Uncertain No

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? More consciousness and alertness than normal I don't know.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I don't know.

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? Uncertain

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

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Uncertain Only reported that I saw God.

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? Uncertain

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt happy and safe (or that is how I described the experience to my mother at the time.)

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

The experience included: Special Knowledge

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

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control

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? Conservative/fundamentalist

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Uncertain

What is your religion now? Conservative/fundamentalist

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Uncertain

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? No

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I do not fear the loss of loved ones. Since I was a baby, my favorite person has been my grandfather. He is now becoming feeble with old age - at eighty-five years of age I know I know I won't have him in my life forever. I will miss him every day after he is gone, but will not fear his loss. I believe he will be waiting for me when I join him, to live with God.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes As an infant I did not have the words to describe the experience, but my family reports to me that at three or four years of age, I acted out and described experiences that could only be described as out of body, and near death approaches to heaven.

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? Yes Only as a small child acting out an experience I felt to be real.

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 I have no reason do doubt what I reported a fact at a very I young age - even though I no longer have the memories.

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