Michael L NDE

Experience Description

Before the surgery, I was taken to the operating room where my gown was removed and my arms were stretched out as the IVs were inserted. I remember saying to myself, 'Jesus, this is what they did to you.' I was put to sleep and then I was out of my body looking down at what was being done to me. To my right was another individual whose face I never saw. I saw my heart being removed as the doctors needed to reach arteries. Then I saw my heart replaced and watched as the surgeons tried to unsuccessfully restart my heart with small paddles. At this point, I started to laugh and the person standing next to me asked why I was laughing. I responded, saying, 'look, they're all in a panic, how funny.'

Eventually my heart was restarted and the individual with me said, 'come, we have to go.' I was taken to a very narrow door and the person with me told me to open the door and go in. That was the last I saw or heard this individual. I entered through the door and immediately felt an intense feeling of love and warmth. As I walked I saw a beautiful field with an intense blue sky. The blue color was unlike I had ever seen in my life. I then became aware of beautiful music coming from everywhere; rocks, trees, grass, etc. were all praising god. I saw no one but as I turned I saw a throne or alter, I don't know which, with multiple colors streaming from it.

In the center was an intense white light, which didn't hurt my eyes but the feeling of love got stronger. 24 hours later, in the recovery, I woke up in agony. Though I couldn't talk, I screamed inside, 'Jesus don't leave me here, take me back.' There was no response to my plea.

Two days later, my heart went into defibrillation for 5 hours, which the doctors couldn't stop. During that time, I kept praying for help. As my condition worsened, I said, 'God, why did you show me what you did and now you won't help?' Immediately I felt a hand on my chest and a voice said, 'Mich'l, I heard you but remember I answer in my time not yours.' At that time, the nurses and doctors came running into my room to tell me my heart was now working normally.

Several weeks later, at home, I was asleep on the couch when I suddenly felt myself going through a multicolored tunnel at enormous speed then suddenly I was going backwards through this tunnel, at which time I awoke. My wife was standing over me and said I had stopped breathing.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 3 MAY 1994

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Surgery-related. Heart attack. While under general anesthesia HEART WAS STOPPED AND I WAS ON A HEART LUNG MACHINE Other HEART WAS STOPPED AND I WAS ON A HEART LUNG MACHINE The doctors couldn't restart my heart after surgery.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Entirely pleasant

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes As I described during the experience. 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? More consciousness and alertness than normal The feeling of love is more than I can explain.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When I went through the door.

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 I was unconscious for 24 hours, yet my experience seemed to have no time.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. There was no fear, I felt comforted.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. The music I heard was beautiful and intense.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? No

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Uncertain Not during the surgery but later, at home.

Did you see any beings in your experience? I sensed their presence

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Uncertain I encountered someone who I believe was Jesus.

The experience included: Unearthly light

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? An unusually bright light

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes I can't describe it, there are no words to describe it.

The experience included: A landscape or city

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm I can't find the words other than awesome.

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Intense peace and love.

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 or purpose

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe Whenever I ask God a question, he immediately answers me (most of the time).

Did scenes from your past come back to you? No

The experience included: Awareness of the future

Did scenes from the future come to you? No

Did you come to a border or point of no return? No

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What importance did you place on your religious/spiritual life prior to your experience? Moderately important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Catholic

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes Definitely more religious.

What importance do you place on your religious/spiritual life after your experience? Greatly important to me

What is your religion now? Christian- Catholic I NOW KNOW WHY I EXIST, TALK TO GOD EVERY NITE AT MIDNITE WHEN HE ANSWERS MOST BUT NOT ALL QUESTIONS I ASK. EVEN IF I'M ASLEEP GOD CALLS ME BY NAME AT MIDNITE

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was both consistent and not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes For 3 years after my experience, I was angry with Gad for not taking me 'home'.

The experience included: Presence of unearthly beings

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 Included in my description of the event.

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I sensed their presence

Did you encounter or become aware of any beings who previously lived on earth who are described by name in religions (for example: Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, etc.)? Uncertain I ENCOUNTERED SOMEONE WHO I BELIEVE WAS JESUS

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? Yes GOD HAS TOLD ME I HAVE EXISTED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? No

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? God probably exists

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes THE INCREDIBLE LOVE I FELT AND THE MUSIC PRAISING GOD

Do you believe in the existence of God after your experience? God definitely exists

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Yes We must stop offending our heavenly father.

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are probably meaningful and significant

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? Yes GOD WANTS TO WALK THE EARTH WITH US BUT OUR LACK OF FAITH AND LOVE WON'T ALLOW IT

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? An afterlife probably exists

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists Yes NOTHING ELSE CAN EXPLAIN WHAT I EXPERIENCED

Did you fear death prior to your experience? I slightly feared death

Do you fear death after your experience? I do not fear death

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Moderately fearful in living my earthly life

Were you fearful living your life after your experience? Not fearful in living my earthly life

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are probably meaningful and significant

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant after your experience? Are meaningful and significant

Did you gain information about how to live our lives? Yes WE MUST SUBMIT OURSELVES TO GOD AND MAKE HIM THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN OUR LIVES

During your experience, did you gain information about life's difficulties, challenges and hardships? Yes ONLY THAT WE MUST SUFFER AND OFFER THAT SUFFERING AS A SACRIFICE TO GOD

Were you compassionate prior to your experience? Moderately compassionate toward others

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Yes WE ON EARTH HAVE NO CONCEPT OF TRUE LOVE

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life Large changes in my life.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Yes I want to help people anyway I can. Help them believe, adore and trust and love God.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

How accurately do you remember the experience in comparison to other life events that occurred around the time of the experience? I remember the experience more accurately than other life events that occurred around the time of the experience

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

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? The intense love I felt when I went through that door.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I shared what I experienced almost immediately, but people seemed to doubt me except those who have had similar experiences.

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 I can't think of any scientific proof to believe otherwise.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real God calls me every night and we converse like father and son.

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? Only that I am and always will be grateful.