Leeanna C NDE

Experience Description

It was a rainy day in spring, and I was riding in the front seat of my mother's car without wearing a seat belt. Music was playing on the radio. When the traffic light turned green, my mother started driving through the intersection. I remember looking out the window and seeing a large gray truck approaching. The truck ran the red light and struck our car, pushing it approximately a block.

The next thing I remember is floating near the traffic light, looking down at the accident. I watched the truck driver trying to stop, and I could see how frightened he was. I felt sorry for him. I also thought about how sad and scared my mother must have been. I watched a man run out of a nearby church, shouting for someone to call 911. He ran around the truck and checked on my mother at her side of the car. He reassured her that everything would be okay. When she asked about me, I saw a look of horror on his face. Then everything went black.

I woke up lying across the dashboard with my head partly outside the car. The force of the collision had thrown me from my seat into the windshield, shattering the glass. I was confused and frightened. I saw a man with light brown hair on the hood of the car. He seemed to be glowing with light from within. He smiled at me and told me not to move because nice people were coming to help me. I was scared, but he reassured me that everything would be okay and told me again to stop moving. Then I lost consciousness.

I remember hearing my mother asking where I was as the emergency workers loaded her into an ambulance. They told her that they had me. People were checking my vital signs, and I wanted to tell them I was okay, but no one seemed to hear me. I was given oxygen, and a blonde emergency medical technician (EMT) watched my vital signs as I was transported in a separate ambulance. During this time, I felt as though I was moving in and out of my body.

Hours later, I became aware that I was in the hospital. When I woke up, a kind police officer was talking to me and telling me how lucky I was to have survived.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date of NDE: 04/00/1990

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes
My body almost flew out of the car because of the impact of the semi. The truck hit the car on my side. My entire side of the car caved in. The windshield shattered on my head. I was bleeding.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Neither pleasant NOR distressing

Did you feel separated from your body? I clearly left my body and existed outside it
I could hear my mother talking to the EMTs and I heard the man who came from the church yell for someone to call for help. The man who found my mom screamed when he saw my side of the car.

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? Toward the beginning of the event.

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

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 felt like I had been by the traffic light for a long time, but I guess it had been a few minutes because the EMT at the hospital said they were in the area and arrived on scene within five minutes.

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 It was about the same. The light seemed brighter, though.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience I could hear people that I probably should not have been able to hear. I was not near many of the people when they were talking.

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? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? I actually saw them

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
When I was looking at everyone from the traffic light, there was bright light. I felt like the rain had gone and it was the sunniest day I had ever seen.

Did you seem to enter another world? No

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I was eerily calm. I felt someone comforting me and showing me love. I was not scared. I was a bit distressed that my mom was so scared. I wanted to comfort her the way the feeling was comforting me, but no one could hear me when I spoke.

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 understand everything? No

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? Christian - Other Christian
I was raised in a Catholic and Lutheran household. We observed both traditions.

Have your religious practices changed? Uncertain
I was so young I am not certain that I had beliefs at all.

What is your religion now? Christian - Other Christian
I am more spiritual than religious right now. I observe a loose form of Christianity because that is the culture I was raised in.

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 believed in God and heaven then. I just was not certain. When I was outside my body, I realized that the spiritual world is more complicated than religion explains.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? No

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
The man on the hood. I think he was an angel. He had a bright light emanating from him. He had very kind eyes and gentle hands. He smiled at me. He really wanted me to stay with my body. He told me it might hurt, but he was worried that if I were near the light again, I would not be able to be with my body again. I told him I wanted to get up. He was worried if I did. He just really wanted me to stay with my body in the car.

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? Yes
I felt whole when I was outside my body. I have struggled with sadness ever since. I just felt at peace. I could not understand why everyone was so upset. I knew that there was so much more than what was happening. I felt bad for everyone, but I felt at peace.

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes
I knew there were nonhuman creatures, and I felt an awareness of God. I knew at the time that the man on the dash was not human. I knew he was kind and loving, though.

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Uncertain
For a long time as a child, I knew I had to do more to add to our universe. I always felt like I was not doing enough. As an adult, I have meditated on my life as a child and what happened that day, and I realized I am here to help others as much as I can.

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 figured that I could not be outside my body unless I was my soul at the time.

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? Uncertain
I knew there was no need to worry, that things like this happen, but I could not seem to get anyone else to understand.

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Yes
I felt like the creator loved me when I was outside my body. I felt so cared for.

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? No changes in my life
I was a weird kid after the experience. I was obsessed with the afterlife and communicating with it. The veil was always thin for me, and still is. I have been able to sense death and birth since I was around that age.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Uncertain
I felt comfortable talking about it when it first happened. My grandmother and siblings were distressed by my expression of it, and then it became harder to talk about because I did not want to upset others.

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 do not have a lot of memories from that age in my life, but I remember that part very vividly. I am able to recall that memory more easily than almost every other memory from that part of my life.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes
While the veil was pretty thin for me before the experience, I think it thinned more and stayed that way because of the experience.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? The man on the hood. He is why I believe angels are among us.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes
I shared with the police officer who talked to me at the hospital. I told my grandma and my brothers. They were all upset by the recollection. I told my aunt. She believed me.

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
The experience was so vivid, and the amount of things that have happened since show that I am not imagining it. I know it happened.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real
Again, the experience was so vivid. Also, the ability to tap into the other side. I have had too many things line up for this to all be coincidence.

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