Experience Description

I was rear-ended and confused, seeing my car drifting toward the stopped car in front of me when my foot was completely on the brake and I had been fully stopped just seconds prior. I felt as though I was spinning as I bumped the car in front of me. Then looking ahead, I saw them. Two semi's coming at me full force, I could hear the jake brakes; they were about fifty feet from me, one in each lane. I knew I was going to die in the next few moments. I was fully okay with this revelation.

Then my world stopped. I saw a bright flash of light brighter than the sun, there was complete silence. Diamonds were in the light shining and falling all around me. I was spinning, flying, floating. It was a warm and pleasant feeling.

I came to and realized my car was hanging off the side of an overpass, the airbag was deployed and I was cut by the glass of the windows. I was okay. My head hurt from hitting it.

My car was on fire, and I couldn't get out of the door be my car was leaning sideways. A man who was about five feet four inches and 140 lbs came running to my side. He had a cleanly trimmed beard, a soft voice and strong hands. He lifted me out of the window as though I were a child and carried me away from the fire. He sat me down and said I would be all right now. Everything was going to be okay. He reminded me of my grandfather in a strange way. One I cannot describe. When the firemen and police arrived, the man disappeared and I have never seen him since. There is no account of this man, no one saw him, and I don't even know if he was real.

But to me he was very real. He pulled me from a burning wreckage, he saved my life.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 'February 29, 2008'

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident. Direct head injury 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' I was heading home for Spring break, the weather was getting bad. I was rear-ended, hit the car in front of me, spun out, and was hit head on by a loaded fuel eighteen-wheeler. The driver said he was traveling at approximately sixty-five mph upon impact. I was driving a Ford Focus. Both vehicles were totaled, the truck driver suffered a broken arm, I suffered aches and pains of the trauma as well as a head trauma that left me unconscious for minutes perhaps.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I lost awareness of my body

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 Billy

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Right after I was rear ended when I saw the two eighteen-wheelers coming straight at me, I was fully aware that I was going to be hit by them. I knew my car wouldn't survive it and I believed I wouldn't either. I gave my life up right then, and I felt peace in my heart when they hit me.

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 Time seemed to be speeding away and slowing down at the same exact time. Which makes no sense.

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. Everything was bright and shining full of light. Everything slowed down that I saw but my thoughts sped up simultaneously.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. The last thing I heard was the jake brakes and then there was utter silence. My mind raced through the people I love, and then embraced death. I didn't hear anything until the man came and asked me if I was alright.

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 There was a bright light in front of me and it was producing heat, and the diamonds were falling out of the sky. I don't know that I passed through a tunnel but I was getting into brighter and brighter lights.

The experience included: Presence of deceased persons

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

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes Someone who pulled me out of my car.

The experience included: Light

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? Yes The light was extremely white, extremely bright, so bright it distorted all else and made everything else fade into the background. All I could see was the light and the diamonds.

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

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt love, I felt happiness, I felt comfort, I felt peace.

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 I thought about my family and how they would miss me. I thought of my fiancée and I hoped he would move on after me and find peace. I felt his overwhelming love. Because of this experience we wed fifteen months ahead of schedule, it caused an overwhelming desire in us to begin our life together, not knowing what the future holds or when it might be over.

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 Baptist

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Moderate Non- denominational Christian

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? 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? Uncertain I felt as though life was a special gift and should be appreciated more than it is.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I got married much sooner, we feel much closer and are more cherishing of time together.

After the NDE:


Was the experience difficult to express in words? Uncertain I cannot be sure of what happened completely, it was such a confusion and peaceful feeling.

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 feeling of peace and understanding to the meaning of life. Love.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes The same day as the accident. They believed me, cried with me, and embraced me. My family treated life differently. We enjoy it more and respect it more.

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