Tammie S FDE

Experience Description

I was driving to work by myself, six months after back surgery. I hydroplaned, hit a wall, and rolled my truck.

At first, I did not remember the details of the accident. My memory slowly returned, and I remembered seeing what happened from above my body. I think I may have blacked out or had some type of psychological experience because I was not seriously physically injured in the accident. I had a broken finger that later required surgery and a bruise from the seat belt.

During the accident, I watched my life flash before my eyes. I saw myself when I was very young and then moments from my life leading up to my two children. Everything flashed past me very quickly, and I felt overwhelmed.

My grandmother and my best friend were there. They told me that it was okay and that it was not my time. They also told me that I was meant to do something and was being sent back to finish it. It felt like I was being sent back for some greater good.

Suddenly, the truck landed on its roof, and I was back in my body. I looked around, confused. Then I remembered hydroplaning and began assessing the situation.

I unbuckled my seat belt, dropped onto the roof of the truck, and crawled out. I immediately saw my belongings scattered all over the road and cars coming toward me. I ran underneath a bridge.

A man began yelling to me and asked if I had been in the vehicle. I told him yes and yelled for him to get out of the road before he was hit. He came under the bridge as the cars began going around the accident. He made sure I had been alone and that there was no one else trapped inside the vehicle. He stayed with me until my husband arrived.

Once the police came and closed the road, I started walking around and picking up my belongings. I filled the pockets of my jacket with everything I could find. I even found one of my children’s Hot Wheels trucks, now missing the same wheel as my truck.

I was grateful that I could bend over because I was only six months out from back surgery and blood clots. I was also taking blood thinners, so I was fortunate that I was not bleeding. I did not even notice that my finger was bent and would not straighten because of a torn tendon.

I refused the ambulance after they checked me. I wanted my babies. I also knew my mother would want to see me after watching my husband tear out of the house when he heard about the accident.

I held my husband and told him, “Take me to my babies first.”

We went to the hospital after I had held my babies.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date of NDE: 05/09/2009

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes
I was involved in a major vehicle accident.

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

Did you feel separated from your body? I lost awareness of my body

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? During dreams weeks later, I started seeing the accident from above my body. That was trippy.
It was so fast, and I didn't remember anything but my life literally flashing before my eyes until weeks later.

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? Time seemed to go faster or slower than usual
The life flash was instant; the accident and everything after felt so slow.

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 I felt it was made to protect me during the accident, like the flashback was to keep me from experiencing the accident itself.

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 hear anything; it was like a silent movie.

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

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Yes
I felt I was in a tunnel the whole time, then dropped back out.

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

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased beings? Yes
My grandma and best friend were with me. When my mom died, my best friend came to me as a trash worker, hugged me, and stayed with me while the ambulance worked on her. I called the company later that week to thank him, and they didn't have a truck in my area that day...

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
It felt very surreal and so fast. I was then like, 'Wait, what?' but I was already landing. It was a haze more than a light, like a cloudy haze again.

Did you seem to enter another world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm
I think that tunnel sounds close, like a void.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt a sense of wonder that everything was so beautiful when it came through my vision, and that I had truly managed to make a good life. Then I freaked out that it was now flashing, and then I felt calm when I landed, evaluated my body, and didn't find any injuries. I calmly unbuckled and crawled out.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Relief or calmness

Did you have a feeling of joy? No

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
I felt at peace and like I was being given a reward to be sent back.

Did scenes from your past come back? My past flashed before me, out of my control
Everything so fast, like in one flash.

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? No

Did you come to a border or point of no return? I came to a definite conscious decision to return to life
I was sent back or allowed to go back.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Other or several faiths
We believe in God but not organized religion.

Have your religious practices changed? Yes
Spiritual is a good word, not religious. I've been more spiritual and listening to other things around me.

What is your religion now? Other or several faiths
Same.

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
Prior to this accident, we donated a few dollars here and there and called it good. Now we actively help our community and family when we need to. But that also comes with saying no to those who take advantage.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes
I've looked for other beliefs like Pagan and Wiccan, something more of the earth, but ultimately I believe in God. I just don't believe in organized religion. I don't practice, but I do believe in the natural nature of Pagan and Wiccan, and I have found myself to be an empath who is attracted to rocks for healing and balance.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? I heard a voice I could not identify
Besides my grandma and friend, another voice said I wasn't done yet and needed to get started. I was being sent back and needed to listen and finish what I started.

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
It was something besides my family; I'm unsure who, maybe God himself.

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? Yes
I got confirmation that I've done well and have more to do.

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Yes
I felt a lightness, as if I had been spared and had to turn it into something good.

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes
He sent me back to finish my life, and I felt I needed to make a change for others.

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Yes
Since this incident, I seem to find, see, or hear others' needs and have been able to meet those needs in various ways. For example, my best friend's daughter was graduating high school without her dad; I got an extra $700 grant at school and gave it directly to her and her mom to pay for cap and gown and other senior year expenses. Another time, I saw a woman asking for food in a mom group and was able to spend $100 wisely, helping her family through the month with about 10 days of meat, eggs, and milk. Another time, we went to the casino with a friend and won, and we changed from supporting one or two kids to a whole family of five for Christmas, including used furniture, new bedding and clothes, on top of toys and household items. Just a few examples. I'm not a dumb person; I find people from trusted sources or only give actual food in cases where I'm not certain.

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? Yes
I was doing what I was supposed to be doing, and I needed to continue and think bigger. I have changes to make. I believe the healthcare or medical system in general is supposed to be my target, but after finishing my BA in Psychology with minors in gerontology and child advocacy studies and a certificate of honors, I suffered something, possibly a stroke, and I have been on hold again, frustrated. Still, I am blessing others as I'm called to do in smaller ways.

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? Yes
My grandma and best friend were with me, like they hang out together up there.

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? Yes
I've always been sympathetic toward others, but this experience reinforced that I'm actually able to have an influence and make a difference. It also made me more open to hearing or seeing others' requests.

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Yes
My love for my husband and family has always been absolute, but my love for others has become better.

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Moderate changes in my life
I knew that I had important work to do and that my work was meant to help others. Prior to that, I was just happy to go day to day and had no meaning besides trying to raise my family. Now I feel a greater need beyond our family.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes
With the flashbacks, I actually remembered the accident, but the words 'life flashed before my eyes' felt cliché, yet it's so literal.

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
The few minutes or seconds impacted my life in many ways and still does to this day. When I had my second scare, when I almost bled to death, it was different and I was mad. There was nothing but love, peace, and understanding this first time it happened. It took weeks to remember the accident, but I remembered my experience immediately. I didn't share much else besides telling my husband and family that my life flashed before my eyes.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes
It was already there, but I never knew about it or used it. Now it is out and makes me do things. I don't want to call myself an angel, but I'm definitely being guided by a higher power when I see a random thing and feel compelled to act.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? I've always done my best to be a good person and help others. I spent the next 13 years after the accident being a Girl Scout leader and doing about 250 hours of community service with my girls; I graduated four from high school. I helped with my older son's Boy Scout troop until he left and all that abuse was coming out. Then I tried to deflect by changing to Scouts, so no, my youngest son, who I almost died during childbirth, didn't do Boy Scouts. He did basketball and soccer, and we did camping skills on our own.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Uncertain
My immediate family and close friends know the gist, but no, this has been more private, whereas my childbirth involved more people and my husband from the start. This was more internal and affected the way I acted for our family as a whole.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes
I'd heard of others having them, but I wasn't sure I believed it.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real
It was meant to show me that I was on the right path and to expand to a larger goal. I was protected and told to continue my path.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real
I was walking away from a very severe accident. Another person we knew died a week later, and my vehicle was way worse.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Yes
When I almost died in childbirth, there was no flash, just floating above my body and almost bleeding to death. It was different, and I just submitted it first.

Did the questions asked and information that you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience? Yes
I'm really glad you are doing this, and I hope my information helps.

Anything else to add? My grandma has come to me in dreams before and since. She brings me information and was spiritually with my grandpa the week before he passed.