Shawn L NDE

Experience Description

This happened many years ago, yet I still remember it very clearly. I was working with my father in the woods behind his house cutting down trees, cutting them into lengths, and trimming their branches to make them easy to carry home. I was on leave from the Navy. My father would down a tree, then I would trim off the branches. Then both of us would cut it into more manageable lengths to carry or drag. I've always felt silly about this being a serious accident and life threatening, but my father told me that this was actually the most dangerous part lumberjacks face.

My father had just downed a tree. I was trimming off the branches, except one branch wasn't a branch. It was a smaller tree that bent all the way over and to the ground. Just before I cut it, I heard my father warn me to not cut that. But, it was too late. The small, bent-over tree was still green (alive) and instantly sprung back up, once the part pinned by the large tree was released. I was standing directly over it and before I knew it, I was thrown backwards and lying on the forest floor covered in dead leaves. My father came rushing over to me.

There was a blue or purplish haze to everything. I tried telling my father that I was okay as he helped me to my feet. I've had a bloody nose before, but this was different. It was as if someone had turned on a faucet. I didn't know that much blood could come out of my nose. Later on, my father described it as looking like Mike Tyson had hit me with an upper cut using a baseball bat. I literally flew about 6 feet and did a back-flop in the ground. He thought I was dead on the spot and was very scared. My father is not good when it comes to these kinds of emergencies, but he did his best to walk me a few hundred yards back to the house. He put me in a chair in the backyard as he went in to get a towel (or so he said). He actually went in to call my mother at work to tell her I had a bad accident in the woods and that he was going to take me to the hospital. He then called the hospital and said he was bringing me in. He lived just up the road and could get me there faster than if an ambulance had come. When he came back outside, I had fallen out of my chair and was lying in a puddle of blood on the sidewalk that led to the pool. I recall him helping me to the chair and then everything went blank for a second.

To go from the back to the front of his house, you had to go over a 4- or 5-foot stone wall as the front of the house was about 10 feet higher than the back. The side with the driveway went down slightly, then had a wall and the other side of the house was just a slanted hill/lawn. The stone wall was to hold the ground higher to allow more of a level driveway. Anyways, from the from to the rear of the house was about a 10 foot drop, gradual on the one side with the 5-foot wall.

As soon as my father left me alone, I felt as if I was standing up next to where I had fallen and a line of past friends and relatives that I hadn't even thought of were coming towards me. Some I recognized, others I wasn't sure of, but felt as if I knew them. Leading the way was my paternal grandfather as he had only passed away a few months earlier. What is strange is that people coming around that side would take a longer way around so as to not have to jump down over the wall which tapered off as it got further away from the house. They were walking, or almost floating, towards me. They came down over the wall as if it was just an easy step down or as if they were on an escalator. Our weather was such that it was chilly or cold at the time. Yet, I remember it being the absolute perfect temperature. I was never really that close to my grandfather, but he was very proud of me for joining the US Navy as he was from the old country (Ireland). He came up to me and I don't remember him saying much but maybe a generalized greeting. I think he asked me what happened and maybe told me it wasn't my time yet. To be honest, once he got to me it becomes a little foggy to me now.

That is when my father woke me up shouting my name as he was wiping the blood from my face with a cold, wet towel. He was able to get me to my feet and into his truck and he rushed me to the hospital. I was in and out of consciousness and the emergency room personnel kept me for a few days of observations. I had fractured my skull, broke my nose, and had a concussion.

I never liked to tell anyone this as I was afraid of them laughing at me. But, I have never really been scared of dying since then. I love to help others in need and make everyone feel comfortable and welcome, no matter the circumstance. For this, I was very popular with children as I never liked scolding them or punishing them. When I had lots of students, instead of punishing the bad, I preferred rewarding the good - in front of the bad. This usually worked really well for me in all the years of working with small and even special-needs children. It's as if I became a very warm, friendly, outgoing person, despite scars to my face.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: August 1990

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident Other This happened before I made it to the ER. Not sure what is being asked here. I was struck in the face by a smaller tree striking me square in the face. The part striking me was a little wider than a baseball bat. Since the tree was bent all the way over to the ground, it had a lot of tension in it. As I understand it, one of the most dangerous things for lumberjacks is not big trees falling, but small trees springing back up. This is what happened to me. SO that was a life-threatening event.

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

Did you feel separated from your body? Uncertain. AS I was coming too, I could hear my father calling my name. It seemed distant and faint at first but became loader and clearer as I came to. 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 For some odd reason, I remember the temperature being absolutely perfect. not warm, not cold, not needing a jacket - perfect as if I was a baby in a womb.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? The instant I went unconscious.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning I am not sure how long I was out, but time was of no concern and things seemed to be happening at a relaxed, yet hurried pace.

Were your senses More vivid than usual? More vivid than usual

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. My vision was fine. I did not have trouble focusing and didn't need glasses.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. it was mostly silent until waking up , my father shouting at me came through slightly at first and then grew louder as I came too.

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

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? Yes I distinctly remember my grandfather coming up to me and leading a line of people I felt like I knew, as if they were relatives that I could not remember or that I did not know in their lifetime.

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 It mioght have seemed brighter out, but not necessarily 'A light'.

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Comfortable - seems like the best word to describe it.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Relief or calmness

Did you have a feeling of joy? Happiness

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? No

Did scenes from your past come back to you? No

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 was your religion prior to your experience? Unaffiliated- Agnostic

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Unaffiliated- Agnostic

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience I believed that when we die, we are done. I learned that there is more.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I used to be very shy and kept to myself. Now I love to make others feel comfortable around me. Funny thing is sometimes people want to read too much into it, as if they think I have an alternative motive, but I don't. I just think we should enjoy our time here as we never know what that split second comes that may end our time here, no sense wasting it being miserable or making others miserable.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? No

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I actually saw them

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.)? No

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? No

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

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? No

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

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

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? No

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? Yes People that I had lost even those I didn't really know or remember were there, they were alive adn coming to see me, welcome me or greet me.

Did you gain information about how to live our lives? No

During your experience, did you gain information about life's difficulties, challenges and hardships? No

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Yes Just that it doesn't end when we are done here. I felt my grandfather's love when I saw him and I felt it from all those I saw coming down the hill.

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Moderate changes in my life Just that there is more. There is no finish-line when we die. I'm not sure what happens or where we go, but there is more.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Before I was quiet and shy and reserved. Those that knew me loved me, but most didn't get to know me. Now I talk to anyone and everyone. I have no reservations about meeting new people and I always feel that everyone will like or at least except me.

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 I can remember it as if it was a week ago and not decades ago.

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? It is/was most meaningful that I will get to see my mother and my brother and friends when I do pass on. They will be as I remember them last.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I've told others without detail, that I had an experience and that I do not fear dying, but I never went into detail adn I do not discuss it often.

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 happened every bit as much as my filling out this form happened. I have no doubts.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I have never had or heard any reason to believe otherwise.

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? Since this happened, I have lost many friends and family. I hate when they leave, but I love knowing I will see them again. That the sorrow is just my own selfishness of wanting them to be here when I need or want them. Sometimes I feel they are here with me and I am just not able to see them.