Ashley M NDE

Experience Description

I was diagnosed with Guillain Barre Syndrome in February of 2021, after several weeks of increasing weakness and paralysis to the face, hands and feet. Upon admittance to the hospital, my memory is vivid up until my respiratory failure. I remember being catheterized because my bladder was paralyzed and I couldn’t urinate. I also was prepared with a vascular catheter that was placed for Plasmapheresis treatment. Everything goes blank after that. I was intubated during my respiratory failure and stabilized. Less than 2 hours later, I went into asystole cardiac arrest.

During this time, I remember feeling an overwhelming sense of peace and relief. I felt ethereal and remember not being scared. There was bright light and a white room. I was visited in this room by three family members who had passed before me. They were dancing. I remember wondering where my grandmother was, as she had died just months before this and was not in the room.

Once I was resuscitated, I was on a ventilator for 12 days total. I started to remember when I was extubated. Then and to this day, my experience during my NDE feels like real and vivid memories. It doesn’t feel like a dream or a fantasy. It feels like something my body and soul actually, physically experienced. My NDE left me with a sense of peace that has stayed with me over the last 5 years. I don’t fear death nor do I worry about where I’ll go when I die. I may not know exactly what happens after death; but I know whatever it is, it is peaceful and beautiful.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date of NDE: 03/07/2021

NDE Elements:

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

Did you feel separated from your body? No

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? I am not sure
I'm not sure how to answer this one

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness? More consciousness and alertness than normal

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

Were your senses more vivid than usual? No

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience My vision seemed brighter

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience I don't recall

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 beings? Yes
My deceased cousins, grandfather and aunt were present

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

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes
The light I experienced was like from a movie, where the light is so bright the screen whites out. It was so bright, but I didn't feel the need to squint

Did you seem to enter another world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm
A bright white room. Almost like a never ending hallway.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt peace and happiness. Ethereal.

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 understand everything? Everything about the universe
I didn't feel afraid of anything. Almost like I knew the purpose of life and death. Like everything made sense.

Did scenes from your past come back? No

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? 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 - Atheist

Have your religious practices changed? No

What is your religion now? Unaffiliated - Atheist

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 didn't necessarily believe in a life after death. I just believed that when we die, we return to the earth and that's it. I now believe there is an afterlife... maybe not a heaven type afterlife, but another dimension of sorts where we go when we die.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes
I definitely believe that there is an afterlife, whereas I did not before. I also value the little things in life more than I did before

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? 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.)? 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
I experienced seeing my loved ones who passed before me, in a room dancing. It made me believe there is life after death... whether it's "heaven" I'm not so sure.

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? No

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

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes
I'm much closer to my parents, my husband and my two young boys. The experience was especially traumatic for all of us and we have a greater appreciation for each other than we did before.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes
I felt unsure as to if I was still alive after being taken off the ventilator. It was hard to describe the feeling of not knowing if I actually died and didn't come back, but was in another dimension of some sort.

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 remember my experience so vividly that it doesn't feel like a dream. It feels like a place I physically visited.

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
My parents asked me almost right away, if I "went anywhere" when I died. They were influenced and now believe in an afterlife. They also now believe more in God after I'd been given a second chance. The only other person I've told is my husband, he never asked. It was probably 4 months after coming home from the hospital that I told him.

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 truly believed from day one that what I experienced was real. What I was unsure of was whether or not I actually survived.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real
My belief in the reality of my experience has remained the same. I still to this day am not sure if I actually survived or if I died and went to another dimension. Sounds crazy to type that, but it's how I feel.

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

Did the questions asked and information that you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience? Yes
Yes