Bridgette L NDE

Experience Description

My mom was picking my brother and me up from daycare. I begged my mom to sign me up so I could ride on a float in a parade. I finally succeeded once we got to the car. My mom was frustrated, but she agreed and told me to wait in the car with my brother while she went back inside to sign the permission form.

While she was inside, my little brother, Robby, who was only a toddler, maybe one and a half to two years old at the time, started throwing a fit and crying while strapped into his car seat in the back. I turned around and asked him what he was upset about. I grabbed his empty juice bottle and asked, “Is it this? Do you want more juice?” I told him I would take it inside for him and not to worry or cry because I would be right back.

My mom was parked across the street. It was not a main highway, but a business and residential street with many stop signs, about one every block or so. I did look both ways before crossing. However, I was also five or six years old, and I started thinking about my mom and how she looked walking in her heels. I thought, “I wonder if I will walk the same way she walks when I grow up and start wearing heels?”

I proceeded to stand on my tippy toes and imagine how my walk would look. I suppose I should have looked again after all of that childlike wondering because a lady, who was apparently late to work and later admitted she was speeding and had run the stop sign before the nursery, hit me with her white Camaro. It turned out to be a blessing that it was a low profile car instead of something that could have run me over.

I was catapulted and flew through the air “like a rag doll,” as described by my mother. This was also when I immediately had an out of body experience, although I never realized that until I was much older. Honestly, it was many years later because, at that age, I believed that I simply must have seen my mom come out of the daycare while I was flying through the air. In my young mind, I thought that was kind of cool.

I even tried to tell my mom about my NDE after leaving the hospital. I started the conversation by saying, “Hey, Mom, did you know I actually saw you when I was flying in the air when you came out and screamed?!”

She replied, “Oh my gosh, Bridgette, there is no way! You were literally like a rag doll.” Then she called me silly.

I never told her the rest until many years later, even after my dad wrote about it in his book. Obviously, I did tell my dad about it. He was always fascinated by the experience, especially from his perspective. He lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the time and had been planning his second trip to Jerusalem to promote a flag he had created for world unity.

Little did he know that later that day he would receive a phone call and be on a plane to Merritt Island because I was about to undergo surgery.

Going back to my out of body experience, it makes much more sense when I consider how high above the ground my viewpoint was. The view was much higher than eleven feet. I never saw myself, but I will never forget seeing my mom when she opened the door.

The look of sheer horror was on her face, and her knees buckled. I remember every single thing she was wearing that day. True to 1980s fashion, she had on a pretty, loud, colorful tropical shirt with birds and big leaves on it. The shirt had big yellow buttons. She wore matching yellow capri pants, or high waters, yellow kitten heels, and yellow earrings that were partially hidden by her beautiful, long, very curly, big hair.

I finally told her the entire story, but not until around 2019 or 2020. I became emotional because I had been talking to my best friend about the whole story, and it suddenly hit me like a ton of bricks that everyone knew about the entire NDE except my mom. Even her identical twin sister had known about it since I was seven years old, only a short time after it happened. It was going into my dad’s book, and I had shared the story with so many people over the years.

My best friend and I agreed that I finally had to tell my mom.

Not even thirty minutes passed. We were still talking about it when my mom unexpectedly stopped by my house. I started telling her everything. This time, she was not calling me silly.

With tears in her eyes, she stopped me in the middle of my detailed explanation and said, “Bridgette. I screamed. Bloody murder. Do you remember that?!”

Immediately, the exact blood curdling scream she had made came back to me. It had apparently been there the entire time, cataloged somewhere in my memory. Until that moment, I had not consciously remembered it. Now, it is just as much a part of the experience as everything else.

Now I will get to “The Other Side,” the main event, or what my dad always titled “Bridgette’s Bridge.”

After the out of body part, in the very next instant, I was going through a tunnel “with tiny lights everywhere and one huge light at the end that I was speeding toward.” That was my childlike description.

I have now come to believe or realize that I was probably traveling somewhere around the speed of light through spacetime and dimensions until I arrived at “heaven,” or possibly even a planet in the higher dimension referred to as heaven in the Bible. I have also come to realize that much of what I saw has been documented in the Bible, and I believe these are actual locations.

I have certainly heard descriptions of some of these places while listening to other people’s NDEs over the years. I was completely blown away when I found artwork and illustrations of the exact place I had visited.

As soon as I approached the biggest light that I had been speeding toward, I was simply there. There was no dramatic or crazy entrance. I was speeding toward the light, and then I was instantly in the most gorgeous place imaginable.

I was standing in grass directly in front of a beautiful golden cobblestone bridge. There was an enormous and stunning woman dressed entirely in white in front of the bridge. She was hovering in the air.

She was a giant in stature, and she was even more of a giant in her energy and presence. I immediately felt pure and true unconditional love from her.

The bridge crossed the most amazing body of water one could imagine. The light made the perfect bluish green water sparkle as though the sparkles themselves were almost tangible objects, just like anything else.

There was the most calming and serene light everywhere. The light was so dense and had a peach like tone. I know this is why twilight is my favorite time of day and why I always feel it never lasts long enough, with its rich, dense pinks, lavenders, oranges, and yellows.

Across the bridge and to my left, just down the way, was a huge city that was completely golden. The buildings were pointy, tall, and amazing. Everything was wrapped in this beautiful peach colored light.

I instantaneously knew exactly what was happening in that city. It felt like the party of all parties. I knew everyone was over there, and I also knew they were joining together. It was as though people or souls were merging themselves together, and when they did, each soul was able to experience the other soul’s entire experience.

Everyone was doing this, and they were celebrating.

I just had to go.

I met “Maria,” as she immediately conveyed her name to me, and she greeted me by name. Everything was telepathic. There were no spoken words.

I said hello and loved her presence, but I immediately started moving forward toward the bridge. I had every intention of crossing it and getting over to that golden city.

She stopped me and conveyed that no, I could not go.

I did not argue, but my will was strong, and I still tried to cross. She stopped me again and conveyed “no,” along with a sense of apology that I could not go this time.

I was not being mean, nor would I or could I have been mean to this amazingly loving woman, but I still tried to cross.

Finally, she conveyed to me more firmly and definitively, “No, Bridgette. Not yet. You can’t go over there yet.”

I finally got the message. I accepted it, and that was it.

I woke up in the hospital room. I saw doctors and nurses. My mom and dad were there, and possibly other relatives were somewhere around me.

My dad had arrived just in time for my surgery. When he reached the hospital floor and asked where I was, the nurses said, “Oh, you mean the miracle child?! Bridgette? Yes, she’s right over there.”

He asked why they were calling me the miracle child. They told him that when they went to take me into surgery and performed one last examination, the internal bleeding had simply stopped on its own. Before that, the nurses and doctors there had never seen bleeding like mine simply stop without their having to drill and stop the clotting.

There is so much more to this story. This event is woven throughout my entire life, and I have started writing about it and the countless miracles surrounding it.

My dad almost did not go to Israel because of what happened to me. There is a story there, too. It is a miracle that he did go, and I am so glad he did. He ended up swimming across the Red Sea with his flag.

A shortened version of his previous “Bridgette’s Bridge” chapter became part of the final chapter of his book, which details his swim.

When I was twenty two years old, I met a dear friend from Israel named Zohar. I worked for him at a surf shop in Biloxi. I told him about my dad swimming the Red Sea. His eyes grew huge, and he said, “Oh my gosh, I know this story!”

I connected him with my dad on the phone.

When Zohar and I reconnected around 2019 or 2020 after several years apart, I discovered that he had not learned the story from newspapers, as I had always assumed. He had only been about ten years old at the time and had actually been on the beach with his family when the Jordanians released my dad and made him swim back from the border.

News that an American man was swimming back traveled down the beach until it reached Zohar and his family.

When Zohar and I reconnected, I was just about to tell him that I had experienced an epiphany and felt I needed to somehow share my NDE publicly with the world. Before I could tell him, he began telling me how much he loved me for sharing my experience with him and how much it had affected his life and helped him through difficult times.

He went on to say that I had helped strengthen his faith in our Creator and in creation. He said he had never been able to grow his faith, even after seeking guidance from different rabbis while growing up.

There was also a time when I was growing tremendously in my spirituality and had never felt more in tune. I had started reading many of Sylvia Browne’s books and was reading her “Journey of the Soul” series.

I finally found what I believed was the answer to why there had been a bridge in my NDE.

At the time, I had never heard of anyone else encountering a bridge during an NDE. Part of that bothered me. I even questioned whether I had dreamed it up because my name is Bridgette and there was a bridge. It seemed almost too coincidental, and I did not know what to think.

At that time in my life, I was questioning everything. Everything was on the chopping block, but I had faith that I would receive answers to whatever I questioned.

The book explained that when children cross over, they have only recently incarnated and had to “forget everything” as part of the Earth school and the way this life is designed. According to the book, the same overwhelmingly euphoric feeling that an adult might experience could be too much for a young, freshly incarnated soul to handle. It might even frighten or shock the child because the child has not yet had time to begin remembering.

The book said that, in place of that overwhelming experience, there is often a bridge of some kind for the child simply to walk across.

I threw my book when I read that.

I was so excited. It all made sense to me.

At that point in my life, I was twenty five years old, and I had never heard a child’s NDE. I had heard many adult NDEs because I always tried to listen to them whenever I had the chance. The internet was not then what it is today.

I also later heard that the body of water I saw might have been “The River of Life.”

I do not know. I know I am leaving out other profound points. There is so much to this experience. It has shaped who I am.

It is five in the morning, and I felt I had to come share this after watching Dr. Long on his podcast with Theo Von, whom I love. I just knew it was no mistake that I saw it. Of course, my algorithm includes Theo and all of my other favorite comedians, along with spiritual and channeling material.

Now I have remembered some of the other things I wanted to share, but I am going to wrap this up.

I know I am just one of more than four thousand people, but if you ever have questions or want to connect regarding a certain aspect of my story, please feel free to contact me. If I do not answer, please leave a voicemail or send a text.

Thank you!

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date of NDE: 05/17/1986

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes
I was hit by a car and catapulted 30 ft down the street flying 11 ft in the air. I landed on my feet, then my butt, then my head. I was immediately unconscious and was bleeding internally behind my right ear. I was set to have surgery where my head would be shaved and a hole drilled to stop the blood from clotting.

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

Did you feel separated from your body? I lost awareness of my body
Everything was real as described.

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? Both during the out-of-body experience and certainly upon arriving at the beautiful destination of the big white light.
I was hyper-aware and all of a sudden just knew and understood exactly what was happening. This is also sometimes my gift in life.

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? 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 just wanted to cross the bridge. Once I couldn't, it was over.

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 I had perfect vision. Like I said, I was very high during my out-of-body experience, yet I also have a close-up memory of everything about my mom when she came out of the daycare and saw me. When I was at the main spot, my vision was nothing less than blessed with more beauty than we get to experience here, so I suppose my vision was perfect. I never saw myself, not even once I got in front of the bridge. I'm not even sure if I was in my body. I never thought or cared to look at any part of my body or look down. I was only interested in crossing the bridge and everything that was happening in the golden city.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience I didn't need hearing because everything was being conveyed to me. But I also could hear the joy from all the people, but it was more like I just had a knowing of how it was all sounding, so that was mostly in my being. As far as the out-of-body experience, it must have been perfect because I definitely have my mom's scream permanently ingrained once I remembered it. I'm not sure why I forgot that part till then, but probably because over the years the main focus of the story has always been the other part. I've only in more recent years and when my dad was finally about to publish started thinking so much of how that was actually an out-of-body experience. I can't tell you how many years I told people how mom called me silly, then I gave a quick detailed description of the proof of what I saw and quickly moved to the rest of it because there is so much. One other cool thing I've pondered on in recent years is the fact that I landed on my feet, and how I love that because I always land on my feet. No matter what.

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? Yes
Black tunnel. Tiny lights (stars) passing by so fast that they also made little tracers.

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

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

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 dense peach-like colored light I described that can best be compared to a beautiful twilight.

Did you seem to enter another world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm
Heaven, I'm pretty sure. Heaven is a planet in another dimension. Makes a ton of sense to me.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Peace, joy, love, determination, acceptance, overwhelmed by the beauty I was witnessing by sight and in my heart.

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? No

Did you suddenly understand everything? No

Did scenes from your past come back? No

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? Yes
Maria was a huge limiting structure. A being. But she was definitely the boundary.

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
It wasn't against my will. At first I had a strong will, but I finally accepted that it wasn't time, like she said.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian - Catholic
I was only a child, although I had been christened and attended a Catholic kindergarten prior to moving to Florida from the Mississippi Gulf Coast. But I had not been alive long enough to have any background to speak of prior to my NDE.

Have your religious practices changed? No

What is your religion now? Other or several faiths
I am probably best described as a Gnostic Christian. I believe that Jesus was the son of God, although I do not believe that only Christians go to heaven. I also align with New Age (or old age) and I love the teachings of many other faiths.

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
I'm sure you understand that my story is different because I was so young.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes
I mean, I think so. I'm trying my best to answer these. I was 5 or 6 years old, so I was told I was special, and I'd like to believe that I was probably the same person that I have been since, but I also wonder if I had to have that experience to become who I am, and maybe it was designed for me to go through that at such a young age so that it could shape who I would be for life.

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
Huge giant woman in white named Maria. No wings, but she was kind of floating.

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? Yes
Same thing as I said above, but insert reincarnation instead of creator. Since I was just a child, this is also all I've ever known or remembered to be true in my soul. We always exist.

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Yes
Nothing specific, but it was definitely an awareness.

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes
It was glaringly obvious that a creator exists and also that we are our own expressions of this creator and creators ourselves. I've never doubted this before, during, or after.

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Yes
I instantly knew what was going on and wanted to be a part of it.

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

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? Yes
Obviously I was at the life after death spot, so…

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
I was blessed to experience the highest level of pure and true unconditional love at such a young age in my life. During my experience.

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life
I have always been a truth seeker, most likely due to this experience. I had theories that I was out getting answers from the universe, finding out my theories were true, only to later discover that my entire life, the world of metaphysics and scientists have been simultaneously proving these theories I had into measurable facts and data.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Uncertain
I don't know, I don't think so. I mean, I imagine they are better and everything is better because of it.

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 as accurately as other life events that occurred around the time of the experience
I have an incredible memory. I have a theory of why I remember everything so much in all of my life. Change, constant change. People who live in one or two main places tend to have their childhood memories a blur, but not when you are always forced into moving around and things changing.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes
I have some psychic gifts, but my main gift is the gift of knowing… but maybe I had it before?! I don't know, I'm trying to answer these accurately!

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Yes, as I've mentioned before… I apologize, it's now 6 am! But I'm dedicated.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes
(Included in detail in my story)… working on sharing 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
Thank God my dad was interested and listened to what happened. He was in awe and just loved it. That was all I needed, one adult I loved to listen and believe me.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real
At one time I used to feel guilty that it happened to me and not others, especially when I see people struggling with faith and what they believed. I thought it's kind of not fair that I have never entertained a shred of doubt as far as that. But later I realized I had my issues, like me and my hard head and my will. So I've come to understand I was supposed to experience this and most likely to help others, just like my friend Zohar.

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, they were fine, and I knew they would be redundant, but I also know it's usually from the perspective of an adult.

Anything else to add? I know I left some profound things out. Don't think I could cover it all here and now. But I tried to get the main stuff.