Cindy W ADC

Experience Description

My name is Cindy Wood, and my best friend was Mindy. We met in junior high school when I was in sixth grade and she was in eighth grade. We were extremely close, like sisters from different mothers. Eventually, we married men who were best friends, and each of us had two children. We talked almost every day and shared so much of our lives together. The last time we spent together was three days before she went into the hospital. Looking back, it seemed as though she somehow knew she was dying. She gave my daughter, Mary Jo, a ring engraved with the letter "M," and she gave me a ring, too. Shortly afterward, Mindy called to tell me she was going to the emergency room. Her neighbor drove her there, and she went into a coma upon arrival. She had streptococcal pneumonia and was septic.

On March 26, I went to the hospital to say goodbye. Her husband and mother-in-law were there, so we did not have a private moment together. Even though I felt this would be the last time I would see her, I left feeling that I had not said goodbye properly. She had gained 45 pounds from fluid retention, and her fingernails were black. When I left, I was told that she would be taken off life support the following day. My children were ten and eight years old at the time, and they had school the next morning. After taking them to school, I returned home, sat on the couch watching television, and cried until I fell asleep around 9:00 a.m. What happened next was so extraordinary that I still get chills remembering it.

Mindy and I were butterflies! We were not ordinary orange-and-black or blue butterflies. We were beautiful shades of purple, pink, blue, and green, with colors unlike anything I had ever seen before. We were flying together over an enormous field that reminded me of the opening of *Little House on the Prairie*, when Laura Ingalls runs through the grass. However, this field was far more beautiful than anything I had ever seen on Earth. The grass was an incredibly vibrant green and swayed gently back and forth, shimmering with a rainbow of colors like the way sunlight reflects off water. The flowers were extraordinary, with colors so vivid and intricate that they seemed alive. In the middle of the field stood an enormous, beautiful tree, and beside it was my grandfather's old red Model T truck. My grandfather had died in 1995. I remember noticing that there was no sun, yet the sky was the brightest, most brilliant white I had ever seen.

Mindy and I flew around together, laughing and giggling like little children. We were completely carefree, enjoying each other's company in this incredibly beautiful place. It felt as though we were there for hours, and the feelings of love, happiness, and laughter were overwhelming. I cannot describe how wonderful it felt to be there with her. Then, all of a sudden, Mindy disappeared. I was no longer a butterfly. I had become human again and was standing alone in the field beside my grandfather's truck. I began crying and calling out, "Mindy! Where are you? Please come back!" I desperately wanted her to return, but she was gone. Suddenly, the telephone rang and woke me. It was approximately 10:30 a.m., and I learned that Mindy had taken her last breath. Real tears were streaming down my face when I awakened.

I do not consider this experience an ordinary dream. Since then, I have had extremely vivid dreams, including dreams that I could control, but nothing has ever compared to what I experienced with Mindy. I can still remember every blade of grass, the extraordinary colors, and the beauty of our butterfly bodies. Most of all, I remember the overwhelming feelings of love, joy, and laughter that we shared. I believe Mindy was showing me that she was going to be okay. The experience was so profound that I still get chills every time I tell the story.

After receiving the news of Mindy's death, I drove to my mother's house, about twenty minutes away, and stayed for a couple of hours before picking up my children from school at 2:15 p.m. On our way home, it was pouring rain. I remember stopping at a traffic light when suddenly the clouds opened, and an enormous ray of light poured through the middle of them. At that exact moment, I realized that I had seen a piece of heaven! Since this experience, I have been researching near-death experiences, although I had never heard of a shared-death experience before. Mine seems a little different because I did not die. My best friend did. The times I have given are approximate, but my memories of the experience itself remain incredibly clear. I will never forget the beauty of that place, the love we shared, or the feeling that Mindy was letting me know she was all right.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date of NDE: 03/27/2002

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes
My best friend had a tooth infection that led to her being septic and having streptococcal pneumonia. She was in a coma in the hospital for seven days before she died.

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

Did you feel separated from your body? 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? From the very beginning until the end.
Never have I ever seen such vivid colors and details so sharp. We were flying high in the air, but I could see the grass as if I could count each blade. The flowers and tree were alive, swaying and breathing.

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
It felt like we flew for hours or forever. I did not actually have a concept of time, but I was asleep for about an hour and a half, or something like that.

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 There absolutely is no comparison. I woke up high on life and energetic. I also had grief, but it was the first person close to me to die, and it came with a lot of peace also.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience We laughed, we giggled, and we shouted while we flew with such joy. We did not have a mouth, but we somehow communicated.

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 sensed their presence

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased beings? Yes
My grandfather, whom I was close with, had passed in 1995. His old red Model T Ford truck was there, and I just felt his presence.

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
I noticed there was no sun. The sky was the brightest white light. It did not blind me. In a strange way, I think I had to squint to look at it.

Did you seem to enter another world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm
A big field with beautiful colored flowers, grass, and a huge tree. It was just 100 times more beautiful than anything I had ever seen before.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Love so profound. Joy. Sadness that I could not go with her.

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 myself or others
It was like I knew she showed me a piece of heaven. I just knew. She was going somewhere beautiful and loving. The flowers, grass, and tree were as alive as I was, and somehow we were connected.

Did scenes from your past come back? No

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? Yes
I am saying yes because I became human again, and I had a knowing she was going on to heaven.

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
I knew she went on and I could not go. I was flying, and the next minute I was in the grass crying and begging her to come back.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian - Other Christian
I believed in God and grew up around the Baptist church, but I did not really know anything about the Bible or what I actually believed.

Have your religious practices changed? Yes
I read the Bible. I want to learn God's words, but I am more spiritual. I believe I do not like to choose a religion. I believe in loving myself as my neighbor and as my God. We all are part of God.

What is your religion now? Christian - Other Christian
I have been studying the Bible myself, trying to learn on my own by reading and studying the Bible.

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 wanted to believe in God and the afterlife, but I really did not know and had never read the Bible. I was taught that we die and go to heaven, but I probably did not actually believe until this experience. Although I only research for myself, I believe in Jesus, and he died for our sins, and there is a God. I do not have a certain church.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes
I believe heaven is for real, and love and service are what life is all about.

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.)? Yes
I knew God was there. Absolute knowing.

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

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Uncertain
I felt that I was connected to all the flowers, tree, butterflies, and grass, that we were all alive and breathing.

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes
Yes, I knew she was moving on to be with God. It was just a knowing.

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Yes
I just knew she was going to be in heaven with God. I just knew.

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 knew Mindy went to heaven. I was completely aware I could not go.

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
The love I felt was absolutely incredible and profound. I will forever be grateful she shared her experience with me. The feeling stayed with me on and off for days. After, I wanted to grieve her, but I knew she was surrounded by God's love. It was such a mix of emotions. Depression came later.

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life
I had always cleaned for people or worked in restaurant type settings or office settings. I began helping my grandmother when she broke her hip when I was in fifth grade. I was always comfortable around elderly people. After this experience, about four years later, I began taking care of the elderly or disabled, not for a company but as a private caregiver. Twenty four years later, I am now working with a 94 year old woman. God has blessed me through word of mouth. I am still caring for the elderly. I have had four different patients die, and I also took care of my brother in law during the last three months of his life and my mother as well. I tell them all how wonderful it was to see heaven. I also met a friend a year after Mindy died. Her name was Debbie. We hit it off the first time we met and became best friends for 20 years. I lost her to colon cancer in 2023. My father died three months after Mindy. With all the loss I have experienced, I have found light at the end of the tunnel, as I know that we will be flying high in heaven together again one day. Chills all over my body as I end this. I would consider myself more spiritual than religious, but I definitely believe in one God. I have asked myself why I would be left behind to mourn two best friends, and at the end of the day I believe God gifted me this experience so I could be certain I will one day fly with him and all that have meant so much to me.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes
My empathy is over the top. I can feel people's feelings. Sometimes it is overwhelming.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes
There are no words for the love I felt, the scenery, or the profound effect on my life afterwards.

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 could not tell you all the people who came to her funeral or every detail of any of my life experiences so profoundly. Period.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes
Sometimes I have an all knowing sense. I am not psychic and I cannot control it, but there are things I just know. When someone is pregnant, I know something bad is going to happen. I immediately feel danger. Certain people's energy. I have had dreams that showed me things, but nothing like this experience.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Yes, the love and joy I felt flying with her. I just knew it was God's love surrounding me. The view and the beauty in the flowers and grass. The knowing my grandfather was there. I did not see him, but I felt him.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes
Immediately. With the mixed emotions I had losing her that same day and the adrenaline from the experience, I told everyone and anyone. I had AOL dial up internet at the time, and I posted it on a psychic message board. Her reply was that I was lucky she showed me everything was going to be okay in heaven. I felt that instantly, yet I was sad I lost her. I ended up depressed, and it took me a couple of years to snap out of it. I also lost my dad to a massive heart attack three months later. I remember driving down the road a few days before my dad died and hearing a song called Daddy's Hands, thinking I will play that at his funeral, crying while driving. He had a widow maker heart attack. I remember feeling that if I had not thought that, he would still be here. I do not know how others felt, but my family knew how close we were, and I feel that my belief hopefully opened their hearts to believe in an afterlife. They definitely thought there was a connection.

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 believed it as soon as I woke up. The realness of it was too profound. I have never experienced that in this life, except maybe the birth of my children, but the details of that are nowhere near as vivid.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real
I remember it like it was yesterday. No, today. Every detail.

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
My first choices did not relate to an actual near death experience because I did not die, but the phone waking me up to tell me she passed makes me certain she took me to heaven. You cannot change my mind. We shared an experience together.

Anything else to add? I just know that I cried myself to sleep, and yes, you could say it was a dream. But I have controlled my dreams and had many vivid dreams, and nothing compared to this experience.