Steven K NDE

Experience Description

On July 4th, 1973, myself and several of my military buddies had the day off for the holiday and decided to go down to the lake and beach area that is located on Ft. Hood. We were celebrating the 4th of July with fireworks, beer, and having a generally good time. We decided to swim out to the floating platform that was about 100 yards from shore. I am not a very good swimmer and told my friends of all the weeds that were in the water. Not wanting to be thought bad of, I jumped in and started out with them.

After a short period, I tired and yelled to them that I was going back. I started swimming and alternately floated on my back heading back to shore. Unknowingly, I swam into the weed field. When I felt the presence of the weeds, I panicked. When I tried to fight my way through the weeds, it felt as though they were tightening their grip around my legs and arms. I remember going under and every time I came up, I screamed for help. After the second time going under and then coming up again, I saw my friend's face and he was only about 20 feet away. I screamed to him to help me.

When I went down for the third time, I felt this peaceful consciousness coming over me. As I looked up from under the water, I cried out to God to save me. It was then that a very bright light appeared in front of me. I could see what appeared to be a long tunnel with the light at the end of the tunnel. As I floated into this tunnel and towards the bright light, there appeared an individual whom I could not make out. It was standing at the end and pointed towards the opposite end of the tunnel from where I entered. I had this feeling from him that it wasn't my time yet and I was to go back. Right after this encounter, I could see myself from several hundred feet above the ground. My friends were carrying my body and lying me face down on this picnic table. It was at the moment when they stepped back that I felt myself entering my body and throwing up.

My friends were surprised that I was alive because they were about to call the base police and an ambulance for me.

I never went to the hospital and I have only told a very few of what happened. This is my fifth recounting of what happened to me. Personally, I think the person was Jesus or maybe even an Archangel. I don't know, but I thank God for giving my life back.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 7/4/1973

NDE Elements:

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

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 said, I saw my friends carrying my body to a picnic table 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 I was very aware and amazed that I could see my own body.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? After the calming effect and when the light appeared.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Faster than usual

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning This part is really hard to explain. My past flashed before me, the mother light appeared, I floated in a tunnel, and I saw the being then when I saw my body being carried, like in a flash, I was back.

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 more acute

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Don't recall any sounds that would affect my hearing

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

The experience included: Tunnel

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Yes When the light appeared, that is when the tunnel also appeared. I seemed to be floating through it.

Did you see any beings in your experience? No

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

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 The light at the end of the tunnel was incredibly golden-yellow in color

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Very calm

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Incredible peace or pleasantness

Did you have a feeling of joy? No

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? No

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? No

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control As I went under for the third time and just as the light appeared, it seemed as if time slowed and my past flash before my eyes frame by frame.

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? Slightly important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Protestant Pentecostal Southern Christian

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I have a much deeper belief and faith in God and my Savior Jesus Christ!

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

What is your religion now? Christian- Catholic Attend a Catholic Church with wife who is catholic

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely 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 This event is how God showed me his grace and power.

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 As I floated closer to the end of the tunnel, the Being appeared and pointed towards the beginning of the tunnel. The mental communication was that it was not my time to go and I was to go back.

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? No

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 Like I said in my encounter, the being I encountered could have been Jesus, or an Arch Angel?

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

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 definitely exists

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Uncertain Like I said before, the being at the end of the tunnel only pointed back for me. I never got close enough to make any physical comparison as to who it might be. I just assume that mentally was told to return so it could have been Jesus or an Angel.

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? No

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

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

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

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists No

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

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

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Slightly 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 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? No

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

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

During your experience, did you gain information about love? No

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? I have become more in tune with God. I have fallen away. I am aware when I fall away that God slaps me and I return to the fold. I speak to God daily and I know he speaks with me. God has saved me more times than I can remember. I have a very close personal relationship with God.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

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? Uncertain Not really sure but I think when I talk with God in private we have a pleasant conversation.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I have told only four other people. This is the fifth time. A couple of the people were skeptical. The other two were accepting and found it interesting.

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 see in my mind the experience as clearly today as if it just happened.

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