| 678 | quantitative | NDERF 909 Bryan Z NDE 2725 |
Bryan, a 21-year-old philosophy major and atheist, suffered severe head trauma on Valentine's Day 1998 when he fell over a stairwell railing at university, striking his head on concrete stairs ten feet below. He fractured multiple facial bones, his skull, and tore the dura layer protecting his brain. He lost four pints of blood and was blind from optic nerve compression. During his NDE, he experienced initial darkness and pure awareness without pain, then found himself observing friends and family at his bedside in the ICU while feeling completely free of all earthly burdens and able to move at the speed of light through pure will. He saw everyone's faces despite being blind and tried to console them about their grief while he felt better than ever. He experienced time as a simultaneous point rather than linear, reliving his entire life while observing real-time events through a movie theater screen. Before surgery, he was surrounded by intense white light and felt infinite unconditional love. The experience culminated in attending a dinner party in ancient Greece as an honored guest, with men in white tunics enjoying wine and roasted lamb, lasting until daylight when his NDE ended. His surgeons called his recovery miraculous, with only 1-3% of patients achieving his level of recovery. --- Biblical Summary --- Biblical elements: The experience includes consciousness surviving bodily death, heightened awareness and understanding, freedom from physical limitations, observing earthly events while separated from the body, experiencing divine light and unconditional love, and a transformative encounter that changed his worldview from atheism to spirituality. The initial darkness followed by light parallels biblical death and resurrection imagery. The sense of being held in a protective hand suggests divine providence. Unbiblical elements: The culminating scene of a Greek symposium with wine and festivities seems more influenced by his philosophy studies than biblical heaven. The pagan setting with servants and sensual pleasures (wine, food) resembles Greek concepts of the afterlife rather than biblical paradise. His description of understanding "everything about the universe" suggests universalist enlightenment rather than Christian revelation. The emphasis on human consciousness and will rather than divine sovereignty reflects philosophical rather than biblical perspectives. |
16 | 34 | Strong Evidence | 9 | Moderately Compatible | Saw people's faces while blind | |
| 678 | quantitative | NDERF 909 Bryan Z NDE 2725 |
Bryan, a 21-year-old philosophy major and atheist, suffered severe head trauma on Valentine's Day 1998 when he fell over a stairwell railing at university, striking his head on concrete stairs ten feet below. He fractured multiple facial bones, his skull, and tore the dura layer protecting his brain. He lost four pints of blood and was blind from optic nerve compression. During his NDE, he experienced initial darkness and pure awareness without pain, then found himself observing friends and family at his bedside in the ICU while feeling completely free of all earthly burdens and able to move at the speed of light through pure will. He saw everyone's faces despite being blind and tried to console them about their grief while he felt better than ever. He experienced time as a simultaneous point rather than linear, reliving his entire life while observing real-time events through a movie theater screen. Before surgery, he was surrounded by intense white light and felt infinite unconditional love. The experience culminated in attending a dinner party in ancient Greece as an honored guest, with men in white tunics enjoying wine and roasted lamb, lasting until daylight when his NDE ended. His surgeons called his recovery miraculous, with only 1-3% of patients achieving his level of recovery. --- Biblical Summary --- Biblical elements: The experience includes consciousness surviving bodily death, heightened awareness and understanding, freedom from physical limitations, observing earthly events while separated from the body, experiencing divine light and unconditional love, and a transformative encounter that changed his worldview from atheism to spirituality. The initial darkness followed by light parallels biblical death and resurrection imagery. The sense of being held in a protective hand suggests divine providence. Unbiblical elements: The culminating scene of a Greek symposium with wine and festivities seems more influenced by his philosophy studies than biblical heaven. The pagan setting with servants and sensual pleasures (wine, food) resembles Greek concepts of the afterlife rather than biblical paradise. His description of understanding "everything about the universe" suggests universalist enlightenment rather than Christian revelation. The emphasis on human consciousness and will rather than divine sovereignty reflects philosophical rather than biblical perspectives. |
16 | 34 | Strong Evidence | 9 | Moderately Compatible | Saw Lear jet and Cleveland Clinic | |
| 1209 | quantitative | NDERF 1053 Violet P NDE 2969 |
Violet experienced clinical death from uncontrolled bleeding during childbirth on November 2, 1986. She left her body and watched medical staff working on her. Despite being legally blind without glasses (which the nurse had removed before delivery), she could see clearly what the doctor was doing. She heard sounds from the delivery room as if far away while her aunt's voice was crystal clear. She was surrounded by brilliant mystical light and encountered her deceased great aunt (dead since she was ten), who asked if she really trusted her husband to raise her son. Her aunt warned that her husband would not be faithful or be a good father - warnings that proved true years later, leading to divorce. Violet felt incredible peace, calmness, and unity with the world. She suddenly understood everything about the universe and experienced scenes from her personal future. She made a conscious decision to return to life. The doctor later confirmed he thought he had lost her. Twelve years later, when she first shared the experience, the specific warnings about her husband had been validated by actual events. --- Biblical Summary --- Biblical elements: The out-of-body experience during clinical death, brilliant divine light, and encounter with a deceased relative providing guidance align with biblical accounts. The prophetic warning that proved accurate demonstrates supernatural knowledge. The peace, universal understanding, and conscious choice to return reflect elements found in biblical spiritual encounters. Unbiblical elements: Violet identifies as Wiccan/Priestess of Freya, representing pagan religious practice directly contrary to biblical monotheism and the First Commandment. While the NDE itself contains biblical elements, her religious framework interprets the experience through pagan rather than biblical theology. |
18 | 38 | Exceptional Evidence | 7 | Low Compatibility | Saw medical procedures without glasses | |
| 1628 | quantitative | NDERF 2037 Marta G NDE 4160 |
Five-year-old Marta drowned in a lake in 1960 when she got out too deep and could not swim. After struggling until exhaustion, she surrendered to the water, experiencing particles in the lake as beautiful and feeling profound peace. Upon losing consciousness, she was pulled out by a woman in bright white light who asked what she wanted. Completely satisfied, Marta requested to tour the lake. She discovered she could travel anywhere by intention alone, seeing extraordinary detail despite being legally blind - leaves on trees, birds' feathers and eyes, telephone poles, and distant backyards with clarity exceeding 20/20 vision. She visited the empty diving dock and noticed all the children and adults gathered around someone on the shore. A compelling force suddenly called her back. From her position above and right of the scene, she observed a woman performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on a girl, seeing specific details including the woman's bathing cap, protruding hair, bathing suit straps, and a large mole on her back. Realizing the girl was herself, she fought to return. Upon re-entering her body, she experienced heaviness, pain, confusion from loud voices, and passed out for several days. --- Biblical Summary --- Biblical elements: The out-of-body experience allowing spiritual sight aligns with biblical accounts of spiritual vision transcending physical limitations (2 Corinthians 12:2-4). The being of light could represent an angel or divine messenger. The transformation from physical limitation (legal blindness) to perfect spiritual sight reflects biblical promises of restoration. The sovereign calling back to life demonstrates divine authority over death. Unbiblical elements: None clearly identified. While the being in white light isn't explicitly identified as an angel or divine figure, this ambiguity doesn't contradict scripture. The experience of consciousness merging with water before the OBE is phenomenological rather than theological. |
16 | 29 | Strong Evidence | 7 | Highly Compatible | Saw rescuer's specific physical details from above | |
| 1628 | quantitative | NDERF 2037 Marta G NDE 4160 |
Five-year-old Marta drowned in a lake in 1960 when she got out too deep and could not swim. After struggling until exhaustion, she surrendered to the water, experiencing particles in the lake as beautiful and feeling profound peace. Upon losing consciousness, she was pulled out by a woman in bright white light who asked what she wanted. Completely satisfied, Marta requested to tour the lake. She discovered she could travel anywhere by intention alone, seeing extraordinary detail despite being legally blind - leaves on trees, birds' feathers and eyes, telephone poles, and distant backyards with clarity exceeding 20/20 vision. She visited the empty diving dock and noticed all the children and adults gathered around someone on the shore. A compelling force suddenly called her back. From her position above and right of the scene, she observed a woman performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on a girl, seeing specific details including the woman's bathing cap, protruding hair, bathing suit straps, and a large mole on her back. Realizing the girl was herself, she fought to return. Upon re-entering her body, she experienced heaviness, pain, confusion from loud voices, and passed out for several days. --- Biblical Summary --- Biblical elements: The out-of-body experience allowing spiritual sight aligns with biblical accounts of spiritual vision transcending physical limitations (2 Corinthians 12:2-4). The being of light could represent an angel or divine messenger. The transformation from physical limitation (legal blindness) to perfect spiritual sight reflects biblical promises of restoration. The sovereign calling back to life demonstrates divine authority over death. Unbiblical elements: None clearly identified. While the being in white light isn't explicitly identified as an angel or divine figure, this ambiguity doesn't contradict scripture. The experience of consciousness merging with water before the OBE is phenomenological rather than theological. |
16 | 29 | Strong Evidence | 7 | Highly Compatible | Perfect vision despite legal blindness | |
| 2158 | quantitative | NDERF 2825 Kristy G NDE 5366 |
On November 25, 2009, Kristy was a passenger in a head-on collision while talking to her mother on the phone. After feeling still for a minute, she saw a long dark tunnel with a light at the end and walked through it. She observed her body in the car and felt her sister tugging her hair saying "Kristy, don't leave me. I need you." This prompted her return. From the out-of-body state, her eyes felt "different" - notable as she had been legally blind since birth. The experience felt like hours but lasted only minutes. Through the tunnel, she encountered deceased beings in front of a gate who gave her a choice. She saw a beautiful sunny, warm island landscape. Her past flashed before her uncontrolled, and she gained special knowledge about the universe. She experienced incredible peace, joy, and unity with the world. After returning, she was diagnosed with mild concussion and broken collarbone. Since the experience, she has developed abilities to see ghosts, assist them with crossing over, and do psychic readings. She feels she returned for a purpose and now helps others, giving messages from the other side that bring them peace. BIBLICAL ANALYSIS: Kristy's experience contains both biblical elements (tunnel with light, encounter with deceased, choice to return, life review) and concerning aspects. Her development of mediumistic abilities - seeing ghosts, helping them "cross over," and giving psychic readings - directly contradicts biblical prohibitions against mediumship and consulting the dead (Leviticus 19:31, Deuteronomy 18:10-12). While the core NDE elements of peace, joy, and transformation could be genuine, her subsequent practices align with occult activities explicitly forbidden in scripture. |
10 | 20 | Moderate Evidence | 9 | Low Compatibility | Vision changes despite blindness | |
| 2258 | quantitative | NDERF 2559 Ted M NDE 4969 |
On October 29, 1964, twenty-year-old Ted was working for the US Forest Service building trails in the Angeles National Forest when a spent bullet bounced off a rock, came through his vehicle window, and hit him in the forehead just above the eyes. The bullet obliterated the superior sagittal sinus and caused massive frontal lobe brain damage. His spirit was immediately transported miles above the scene where he observed Los Angeles, the Pacific Ocean, Catalina Island, and a 360-degree view of Earth's curvature. He felt drawn to the warm, bright sun and became engulfed in its loving warmth. Ted's consciousness repeatedly alternated between cosmic vistas and his dying body. With each return to his body, he found it blind and lifeless with companions frantically trying to stop the bleeding. Each successive departure propelled him further from Earth - first viewing the moon's orbit, then the solar system, galaxy, universe, cosmos and beyond. After being helicoptered to a hospital, he floated above the operating table observing the medical team's genuine concern. He noticed a sign next to a ventilator that said "You Are Dead" before bouncing off the ceiling and taking refuge behind a curtain. Following a warm siren sound, he was led through a dark tunnel filled with alien souls moving toward redemption's light. Ted encountered a ferryman who transported him across this "sea of despair" to a barren gray landscape with military-style quonset huts. Entering one building, he ascended a staircase where on the fifth step he became centered within enlightenment - a singularity where he witnessed his entire life, his parents' and grandparents' lives, and all accomplishments, failures, and desires both past and future. After returning to the gray landscape and approaching the life-death barrier, his heart ceased functioning. He experienced true nonexistence before doctors resuscitated him multiple times, with his re-entry feeling like the spontaneous coalescence of thoughts from disordered nothingness. Ted describes his experience as a variant of string theory, profoundly transformative yet difficult to adequately express in words. He emphasizes that his description is "futile in comparison to the actual event" and remains humbled by the memory decades later. |
18 | 38 | Exceptional Evidence | 9 | Mixed Compatibility | Observed operating room from above | |
| 2258 | quantitative | NDERF 2559 Ted M NDE 4969 |
On October 29, 1964, twenty-year-old Ted was working for the US Forest Service building trails in the Angeles National Forest when a spent bullet bounced off a rock, came through his vehicle window, and hit him in the forehead just above the eyes. The bullet obliterated the superior sagittal sinus and caused massive frontal lobe brain damage. His spirit was immediately transported miles above the scene where he observed Los Angeles, the Pacific Ocean, Catalina Island, and a 360-degree view of Earth's curvature. He felt drawn to the warm, bright sun and became engulfed in its loving warmth. Ted's consciousness repeatedly alternated between cosmic vistas and his dying body. With each return to his body, he found it blind and lifeless with companions frantically trying to stop the bleeding. Each successive departure propelled him further from Earth - first viewing the moon's orbit, then the solar system, galaxy, universe, cosmos and beyond. After being helicoptered to a hospital, he floated above the operating table observing the medical team's genuine concern. He noticed a sign next to a ventilator that said "You Are Dead" before bouncing off the ceiling and taking refuge behind a curtain. Following a warm siren sound, he was led through a dark tunnel filled with alien souls moving toward redemption's light. Ted encountered a ferryman who transported him across this "sea of despair" to a barren gray landscape with military-style quonset huts. Entering one building, he ascended a staircase where on the fifth step he became centered within enlightenment - a singularity where he witnessed his entire life, his parents' and grandparents' lives, and all accomplishments, failures, and desires both past and future. After returning to the gray landscape and approaching the life-death barrier, his heart ceased functioning. He experienced true nonexistence before doctors resuscitated him multiple times, with his re-entry feeling like the spontaneous coalescence of thoughts from disordered nothingness. Ted describes his experience as a variant of string theory, profoundly transformative yet difficult to adequately express in words. He emphasizes that his description is "futile in comparison to the actual event" and remains humbled by the memory decades later. |
18 | 38 | Exceptional Evidence | 9 | Mixed Compatibility | Saw sign in operating room | |
| 2456 | quantitative | NDERF 3135 Tam NDE 6391 | Tam experienced severe complications during triple bypass surgery with hemoglobin dropping to 4, a "floppy" heart, and cardiac arrest lasting nearly 25 minutes. She was five minutes from cessation of resuscitation efforts. During this crisis, she had an atypical OBE where she found herself on a separate operating table in the same OR suite, on the same plane rather than floating above. She could see the surgical procedure occurring distantly but felt completely disinterested. Her deceased grandfather appeared beside her, appearing younger and healthier than when he died, holding her hand and assuring her she would be okay. Though she wore no glasses and is normally blind without them, she could see clearly. Three more deceased relatives visited - two teasing uncles whose presence she sensed but couldn't see, communicating without words, and her estranged father who nervously requested to wait with her. She chose to have her grandfather stay instead. The experience was extraordinarily vivid and lucid. Upon waking in intensive care, she immediately told everyone about her grandfather's visit. She learned three days later about the severity of her cardiac complications during surgery. The experience has made her fearless about death. | 14 | 34 | Strong Evidence | 7 | Highly Compatible | Could see clearly without glasses | |
| 3090 | quantitative | NDERF 4131 Stephanie A NDE 7971 | Stephanie experienced detailed premonitions months before giving birth, seeing she would hemorrhage, need a hysterectomy, die, and have organ failure. Despite all medical tests being negative, she warned everyone including posting on Facebook and writing goodbye letters. An anesthesiologist took her warnings seriously and prepared extra safety measures. During delivery at 36 weeks, she delivered a healthy baby then suffered an amniotic fluid embolism and flatlined for 37 seconds. She experienced an out-of-body state where she observed everything in the operating room after her eyes were taped shut, including which nurse did CPR, that the first crash cart didn't work, and even what the doctor was thinking but not saying ("this can't be happening"). She saw deceased relatives including her grandmother and uncle, and hundreds of spirits in a heavenly beach-like setting with warm sand and clouds. She downloaded vast amounts of information in those 37 seconds, understanding her entire life's purpose and seeing how all her past experiences led to this moment. She was shown that her television production career was preparation for spreading this message. She received 60 units of blood, had a hysterectomy, kidney failure, lung collapse, cardiac arrest, and bladder collapse - all her premonitions came true. Through regression therapy, she recovered memories of the death experience which doctors confirmed were 100% accurate. She now experiences enhanced psychic abilities, sees deceased people regularly, and understands she had help from the other side during her pregnancy. | 20 | 40 | Exceptional Evidence | 9 | Mixed Compatibility | Saw operating room layout while eyes taped | |
| 3191 | quantitative | NDERF 4432 Keith R NDE 8435 | Keith was hospitalized after possible LSD use led to severe symptoms including blindness and continuous vomiting. In ICU with blood pressure reaching 180/210, he flatlined while staff frantically tried to lower his BP. He left his body, rising to the ceiling and watching his flatlined heart monitor and resuscitation efforts. He entered a winding tunnel experiencing complete calm while his entire life passed before him, showing everyone he helped and hurt with some moments slowed down. A pinhole light appeared and grew into brilliant white light emanating warm love. As he approached, Jesus Christ emerged and stopped him at the tunnel's end, saying "It's not your time" and pushing him back to Earth. He returned to his body with beating heart and relieved doctors. His sight returned on day three. The experience strengthened his belief in God and he never touched hard drugs again. | 10 | 22 | Moderate Evidence | 8 | Highly Compatible | Saw resuscitation efforts from ceiling | |
| 3339 | quantitative | NDERF 4678 Perry D NDE 8849 | Perry had anaphylactic shock from bee sting with eyes swollen shut. He rose above his body with 360-degree vision like fly's eyes, seeing wife, doctor, and his body below. He heard doctor panicking but felt no fear, only intense tranquility in extraneous state. Beautiful intense white light surrounded him with absolute calm and well-being. He had to choose whether to continue or return, deciding to return for wife and 6-month-old baby. The choice seemed prompted by someone else though memory is blurred. Doctor succeeded giving life-saving shot. Years later, American colleague asked if he had NDE, saying she could sense those who had. During 2019 meditation, violent memories of NDE returned making him cry. He no longer fears death, transformed from fearing planes when young. Experience may have strengthened Catholic faith though he resists seeing it as sign. | 12 | 32 | Strong Evidence | 7 | Highly Compatible | 360-degree vision and hearing | |
| 3573 | quantitative | NDERF 5020 Sharlene S NDE 9361 | Sharlene had severe COVID-19 in October 2020 while caring for her husband who was also critically ill. Feeling herself slipping away, she attempted to get up but her feet didn't touch the floor - she was walking without touching the ground. A voice behind her right shoulder said "it's the prayers of the saints holding you up." Her right eye seemed to peel back, revealing another realm bathed in glorious light. She could suddenly see with her blind left eye and had panoramic vision. She saw two ugly reptilian creatures crouching in darkness to her left, snarling but unable to move. To her right stood a massive warrior angel with bronze armor and helmet, taller than her house's roof, with four more angels behind him. They protected her family from the dark creatures without even looking at them. A large group of people in pure linen robes - her "heart family" of saints - stood perfectly spaced, watching with love. One young woman with soft brown curls touched her forehead with familiar hands, possibly her deceased grandmother. In the distance was a tree where she found herself with Jesus, who appeared large while she was child-sized. He held her hands, told her everything would be okay, and that she needed to stop carrying such heavy burdens. The light throughout was the most beautiful she'd seen - white and golden, alive with love, called Glory, identified as Heavenly Father. Since returning, she searches for this light constantly and feels forever changed, knowing who God truly is. | 20 | 27 | Strong Evidence | 8 | Highly Compatible | Blind sight - seeing with blind eye | |
| 3958 | quantitative | IANDS 1286-saved-from-allergic-reaction-by-otherworldly-figure.html 2018 |
An English teacher at a Japanese women's boarding school experienced a severe allergic reaction to cement dust after bathroom renovations in her dormitory. Workers had sealed her room while removing old grout, but fine cement dust permeated through, coating everything. She went to sleep on dust-covered bedding, having only flipped the dust off and changed sheets. She awoke during the night to find herself staring down at her body on the futon from a standing position at the foot of the bed, seemingly standing through the bed itself. A large circular gateway of radiating bluish-white light opened where the north wall had been. A masculine figure approached through it, his features obscured by intense backlighting. Standing at her bed's head, he occupied the same space as physical objects while remaining visible. He placed hands on her shoulders, immediately returning her to her body. Her eyes were swollen nearly shut, she could barely breathe, and she wanted only to rest. The figure commanded "Get up" and when she resisted, warned "Get up or you will die." He flipped her from bed, landing her on hands and knees. Looking up with swollen eyes, she saw his silhouette perfectly. He pointed toward the balcony door. She crawled outside onto cool cement, leaning against the wall. The figure watched until she was safe, then walked back into the light and vanished with the gateway. She remained outside until 5am when nuns began stirring. When she called for help, nuns initially dismissed her condition, telling her to wash curtains. Only upon seeing her did they realize the severity. Despite life-threatening symptoms requiring days to recover, no medical help was summoned. The experience remains vivid after 18 years, and she notes never hearing of hallucinations physically tossing people from bed. |
4 | 9 | Weak Evidence | 6 | Highly Compatible | Clear vision of figure despite swollen eyes | |
| 4506 | qualitative | Weiss, B.L., Blind Woman Cardiac Arrest, Messages from the Masters, 2000 | An elderly woman who had been blind for many years suffered a cardiac arrest during her hospital stay. The resuscitation team worked frantically to revive her, with the doctor and nurses performing chest compressions and pumping air into her lungs. During this time, while she was unconscious and in cardiac arrest, she had an out-of-body experience. She floated out of her body and stood near the window, watching the resuscitation efforts without any pain. She observed the medical team at work and noticed when a pen fell out of her doctor's pocket and rolled near the window where her spirit was standing. The doctor walked over, picked up the pen, and put it back in his pocket before rejoining the resuscitation effort. They succeeded in reviving her. Days later, she told her doctor she had observed the resuscitation. When he suggested she was hallucinating due to lack of oxygen, she described the pen incident and other accurate details. The doctor was shocked because not only had she been comatose during the resuscitation, but she had been blind for many years. The cardiologist confirmed days later that everything she related had indeed taken place. | 15 | 40 | Moderate Evidence | 5 | Highly Compatible | Resuscitation procedures | |
| 4506 | qualitative | Weiss, B.L., Blind Woman Cardiac Arrest, Messages from the Masters, 2000 | An elderly woman who had been blind for many years suffered a cardiac arrest during her hospital stay. The resuscitation team worked frantically to revive her, with the doctor and nurses performing chest compressions and pumping air into her lungs. During this time, while she was unconscious and in cardiac arrest, she had an out-of-body experience. She floated out of her body and stood near the window, watching the resuscitation efforts without any pain. She observed the medical team at work and noticed when a pen fell out of her doctor's pocket and rolled near the window where her spirit was standing. The doctor walked over, picked up the pen, and put it back in his pocket before rejoining the resuscitation effort. They succeeded in reviving her. Days later, she told her doctor she had observed the resuscitation. When he suggested she was hallucinating due to lack of oxygen, she described the pen incident and other accurate details. The doctor was shocked because not only had she been comatose during the resuscitation, but she had been blind for many years. The cardiologist confirmed days later that everything she related had indeed taken place. | 15 | 40 | Moderate Evidence | 5 | Highly Compatible | Pen falling and retrieval | |
| 4528 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon, "Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind: A Study of Apparent Eyeless Vision," Journal of Near-Death Studies 16(2) (Winter 1997): 101-147, Brad Barrows, Case 1 |
Brad Barrows was an 8-year-old student at the Boston Center for Blind Children when he contracted severe pneumonia in the winter of 1968. His condition deteriorated rapidly, leading to severe breathing difficulties that ultimately caused his heart to stop. Medical staff later informed him that his heart had been stopped for at least four minutes, requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation to revive him. Brad had been blind from birth due to premature birth complications. During the cardiac arrest, Brad experienced himself lifting up from his bed and floating through the room toward the ceiling. From this elevated position, he could see his apparently lifeless body on the bed below. He also witnessed his blind roommate get up from his bed and leave the room to get help, an action his roommate later confirmed. Brad then found himself rapidly ascending through the ceilings of the building until he was above the roof. Outside, he noticed it was between 6:30 and 7:00 in the morning, with a cloudy, dark sky. Snow from a recent storm covered everything except the plowed but slushy streets, with visible snowbanks created by the plows. He saw a streetcar pass by and recognized the school playground and a familiar hill nearby. Brad reported being able to see clearly for the first time in his life. He found himself in a tunnel and emerged into an immense field illuminated by a tremendous, all-encompassing light. Walking on a path surrounded by tall grass, he noticed tall trees with immense leaves and heard beautiful, otherworldly music. Following the music, he climbed a hill and encountered a glittering stone structure that appeared to be praising God. Inside, he met a man emanating overwhelming love who gently nudged him backward. The experience reversed, and Brad found himself back in his bed gasping for air, attended by two nurses. Despite being blind from birth, Brad's perceptions during the experience were remarkably clear and detailed, describing things he had never seen before with his physical eyes. |
20 | 50 | Strong Evidence | 6 | Highly Compatible | Saw his body on the bed from above | |
| 4528 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon, "Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind: A Study of Apparent Eyeless Vision," Journal of Near-Death Studies 16(2) (Winter 1997): 101-147, Brad Barrows, Case 1 |
Brad Barrows was an 8-year-old student at the Boston Center for Blind Children when he contracted severe pneumonia in the winter of 1968. His condition deteriorated rapidly, leading to severe breathing difficulties that ultimately caused his heart to stop. Medical staff later informed him that his heart had been stopped for at least four minutes, requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation to revive him. Brad had been blind from birth due to premature birth complications. During the cardiac arrest, Brad experienced himself lifting up from his bed and floating through the room toward the ceiling. From this elevated position, he could see his apparently lifeless body on the bed below. He also witnessed his blind roommate get up from his bed and leave the room to get help, an action his roommate later confirmed. Brad then found himself rapidly ascending through the ceilings of the building until he was above the roof. Outside, he noticed it was between 6:30 and 7:00 in the morning, with a cloudy, dark sky. Snow from a recent storm covered everything except the plowed but slushy streets, with visible snowbanks created by the plows. He saw a streetcar pass by and recognized the school playground and a familiar hill nearby. Brad reported being able to see clearly for the first time in his life. He found himself in a tunnel and emerged into an immense field illuminated by a tremendous, all-encompassing light. Walking on a path surrounded by tall grass, he noticed tall trees with immense leaves and heard beautiful, otherworldly music. Following the music, he climbed a hill and encountered a glittering stone structure that appeared to be praising God. Inside, he met a man emanating overwhelming love who gently nudged him backward. The experience reversed, and Brad found himself back in his bed gasping for air, attended by two nurses. Despite being blind from birth, Brad's perceptions during the experience were remarkably clear and detailed, describing things he had never seen before with his physical eyes. |
20 | 50 | Strong Evidence | 6 | Highly Compatible | Saw roommate get up and leave for help | |
| 4528 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon, "Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind: A Study of Apparent Eyeless Vision," Journal of Near-Death Studies 16(2) (Winter 1997): 101-147, Brad Barrows, Case 1 |
Brad Barrows was an 8-year-old student at the Boston Center for Blind Children when he contracted severe pneumonia in the winter of 1968. His condition deteriorated rapidly, leading to severe breathing difficulties that ultimately caused his heart to stop. Medical staff later informed him that his heart had been stopped for at least four minutes, requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation to revive him. Brad had been blind from birth due to premature birth complications. During the cardiac arrest, Brad experienced himself lifting up from his bed and floating through the room toward the ceiling. From this elevated position, he could see his apparently lifeless body on the bed below. He also witnessed his blind roommate get up from his bed and leave the room to get help, an action his roommate later confirmed. Brad then found himself rapidly ascending through the ceilings of the building until he was above the roof. Outside, he noticed it was between 6:30 and 7:00 in the morning, with a cloudy, dark sky. Snow from a recent storm covered everything except the plowed but slushy streets, with visible snowbanks created by the plows. He saw a streetcar pass by and recognized the school playground and a familiar hill nearby. Brad reported being able to see clearly for the first time in his life. He found himself in a tunnel and emerged into an immense field illuminated by a tremendous, all-encompassing light. Walking on a path surrounded by tall grass, he noticed tall trees with immense leaves and heard beautiful, otherworldly music. Following the music, he climbed a hill and encountered a glittering stone structure that appeared to be praising God. Inside, he met a man emanating overwhelming love who gently nudged him backward. The experience reversed, and Brad found himself back in his bed gasping for air, attended by two nurses. Despite being blind from birth, Brad's perceptions during the experience were remarkably clear and detailed, describing things he had never seen before with his physical eyes. |
20 | 50 | Strong Evidence | 6 | Highly Compatible | Saw external environment from above building | |
| 4530 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon, "Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind: A Study of Apparent Eyeless Vision," Journal of Near-Death Studies 16(2) (Winter 1997): 101-147, Nancy, Case 3 |
Nancy, a 41-year-old woman, underwent a biopsy in 1991 for a possible cancerous chest tumor. During the procedure, the surgeon made a catastrophic error by inadvertently cutting her superior vena cava, then compounded the mistake by sewing it closed. This caused multiple medical catastrophes including complete blindness, discovered only after surgery when Nancy awoke in the recovery room screaming "I'm blind, I'm blind!" Medical records indicated she was completely blind at the time of her subsequent experience. Shortly after discovering her blindness, Nancy was rushed on a gurney down the hospital corridor for an emergency angiogram. The attendants, in their haste to get her to the procedure, slammed her gurney into a closed elevator door. At that moment, Nancy had an out-of-body experience where she floated above the gurney and could see her body below. Despite being totally blind from the surgical complications, she could also see down the hallway where two men were standing - the father of her son and her current lover, Leon. Nancy was puzzled by the fact that both men simply stood there agape, making no movement to approach her as she was being rushed past. She could see them looking shocked approximately 100 feet away. Leon was standing right next to the father of her child as the medical team rushed her past them and into the service elevator. The scene included IVs, breathing apparatus, and the urgent movement of the medical staff trying to save her life. Both men were later interviewed and independently confirmed all essential facts of the event. Leon specifically recalled seeing Nancy being rushed out of surgery with her face severely swollen to twice its normal size, being wheeled past him at about 3-5 feet away, and the team taking her to the service elevator for an emergency angiogram. He confirmed standing there in shock with the other man, unable to move or speak. Given Nancy's complete blindness and the respirator partially occluding her face, there was no physical way she could have seen these men down the hall. |
25 | 55 | Strong Evidence | 4 | Highly Compatible | Saw two men down hallway while being rushed on gurney | |
| 4532 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon, "Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind: A Study of Apparent Eyeless Vision," Journal of Near-Death Studies 16(2) (Winter 1997): 101-147, Vicki Umipeg, Case 5 |
In early 1973, Vicki Umipeg, then 22 and working as an occasional nightclub singer in Seattle, suffered severe injuries in an automobile accident. After being unable to get a taxi, she accepted a ride from two intoxicated patrons. The resulting crash threw her from the van, causing life-threatening injuries including skull fracture, concussion, and damage to her neck, back, and leg. Recovery took a full year before she could stand upright without fainting. At Harborview Hospital's emergency room, Vicki found herself floating at the ceiling, watching a male doctor and female medical professional working on her body below. She could overhear their conversation about fears that eardrum damage might make her deaf as well as blind. She recognized her body by her distinctive wedding ring and thin build, though initially she didn't realize it was her own body. She tried desperately but unsuccessfully to communicate that she was fine. Vicki then ascended through the hospital ceilings until above the roof, where she had a brief panoramic view of her surroundings. She felt exhilarated by her freedom of movement and began hearing sublimely beautiful music like wind chimes. She was then pulled head-first into a dark tube, moving toward light, eventually "rolling out" onto grass in a place of tremendous light that conveyed love. She encountered five deceased people she had known: two blind schoolmates Debby and Diane (who had died at ages 11 and 6, but appeared healthy, beautiful and "in their prime"), her childhood caretakers Mr. and Mrs. Zilk, and her grandmother who had died two years earlier. Vicki experienced total knowledge and understanding of everything - languages, calculus, planetary formation - despite having no education in these areas. She then encountered a figure of far greater radiance whom she recognized as Jesus (from her previous NDE). He told her telepathically that she couldn't stay, needed to return to learn and teach about loving and forgiving, and to have children. After watching a complete panoramic life review with gentle commentary from Jesus about the significance of her actions, she heard "You have to leave now" and experienced a sickening thud, finding herself back in her painful body. |
25 | 45 | Moderate Evidence | 9 | Highly Compatible | Observed medical team working and heard conversation | |
| 4532 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon, "Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind: A Study of Apparent Eyeless Vision," Journal of Near-Death Studies 16(2) (Winter 1997): 101-147, Vicki Umipeg, Case 5 |
In early 1973, Vicki Umipeg, then 22 and working as an occasional nightclub singer in Seattle, suffered severe injuries in an automobile accident. After being unable to get a taxi, she accepted a ride from two intoxicated patrons. The resulting crash threw her from the van, causing life-threatening injuries including skull fracture, concussion, and damage to her neck, back, and leg. Recovery took a full year before she could stand upright without fainting. At Harborview Hospital's emergency room, Vicki found herself floating at the ceiling, watching a male doctor and female medical professional working on her body below. She could overhear their conversation about fears that eardrum damage might make her deaf as well as blind. She recognized her body by her distinctive wedding ring and thin build, though initially she didn't realize it was her own body. She tried desperately but unsuccessfully to communicate that she was fine. Vicki then ascended through the hospital ceilings until above the roof, where she had a brief panoramic view of her surroundings. She felt exhilarated by her freedom of movement and began hearing sublimely beautiful music like wind chimes. She was then pulled head-first into a dark tube, moving toward light, eventually "rolling out" onto grass in a place of tremendous light that conveyed love. She encountered five deceased people she had known: two blind schoolmates Debby and Diane (who had died at ages 11 and 6, but appeared healthy, beautiful and "in their prime"), her childhood caretakers Mr. and Mrs. Zilk, and her grandmother who had died two years earlier. Vicki experienced total knowledge and understanding of everything - languages, calculus, planetary formation - despite having no education in these areas. She then encountered a figure of far greater radiance whom she recognized as Jesus (from her previous NDE). He told her telepathically that she couldn't stay, needed to return to learn and teach about loving and forgiving, and to have children. After watching a complete panoramic life review with gentle commentary from Jesus about the significance of her actions, she heard "You have to leave now" and experienced a sickening thud, finding herself back in her painful body. |
25 | 45 | Moderate Evidence | 9 | Highly Compatible | Recognized own body by wedding ring | |
| 4532 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon, "Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind: A Study of Apparent Eyeless Vision," Journal of Near-Death Studies 16(2) (Winter 1997): 101-147, Vicki Umipeg, Case 5 |
In early 1973, Vicki Umipeg, then 22 and working as an occasional nightclub singer in Seattle, suffered severe injuries in an automobile accident. After being unable to get a taxi, she accepted a ride from two intoxicated patrons. The resulting crash threw her from the van, causing life-threatening injuries including skull fracture, concussion, and damage to her neck, back, and leg. Recovery took a full year before she could stand upright without fainting. At Harborview Hospital's emergency room, Vicki found herself floating at the ceiling, watching a male doctor and female medical professional working on her body below. She could overhear their conversation about fears that eardrum damage might make her deaf as well as blind. She recognized her body by her distinctive wedding ring and thin build, though initially she didn't realize it was her own body. She tried desperately but unsuccessfully to communicate that she was fine. Vicki then ascended through the hospital ceilings until above the roof, where she had a brief panoramic view of her surroundings. She felt exhilarated by her freedom of movement and began hearing sublimely beautiful music like wind chimes. She was then pulled head-first into a dark tube, moving toward light, eventually "rolling out" onto grass in a place of tremendous light that conveyed love. She encountered five deceased people she had known: two blind schoolmates Debby and Diane (who had died at ages 11 and 6, but appeared healthy, beautiful and "in their prime"), her childhood caretakers Mr. and Mrs. Zilk, and her grandmother who had died two years earlier. Vicki experienced total knowledge and understanding of everything - languages, calculus, planetary formation - despite having no education in these areas. She then encountered a figure of far greater radiance whom she recognized as Jesus (from her previous NDE). He told her telepathically that she couldn't stay, needed to return to learn and teach about loving and forgiving, and to have children. After watching a complete panoramic life review with gentle commentary from Jesus about the significance of her actions, she heard "You have to leave now" and experienced a sickening thud, finding herself back in her painful body. |
25 | 45 | Moderate Evidence | 9 | Highly Compatible | Panoramic view from above hospital roof | |
| 4532 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon, "Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind: A Study of Apparent Eyeless Vision," Journal of Near-Death Studies 16(2) (Winter 1997): 101-147, Vicki Umipeg, Case 5 |
In early 1973, Vicki Umipeg, then 22 and working as an occasional nightclub singer in Seattle, suffered severe injuries in an automobile accident. After being unable to get a taxi, she accepted a ride from two intoxicated patrons. The resulting crash threw her from the van, causing life-threatening injuries including skull fracture, concussion, and damage to her neck, back, and leg. Recovery took a full year before she could stand upright without fainting. At Harborview Hospital's emergency room, Vicki found herself floating at the ceiling, watching a male doctor and female medical professional working on her body below. She could overhear their conversation about fears that eardrum damage might make her deaf as well as blind. She recognized her body by her distinctive wedding ring and thin build, though initially she didn't realize it was her own body. She tried desperately but unsuccessfully to communicate that she was fine. Vicki then ascended through the hospital ceilings until above the roof, where she had a brief panoramic view of her surroundings. She felt exhilarated by her freedom of movement and began hearing sublimely beautiful music like wind chimes. She was then pulled head-first into a dark tube, moving toward light, eventually "rolling out" onto grass in a place of tremendous light that conveyed love. She encountered five deceased people she had known: two blind schoolmates Debby and Diane (who had died at ages 11 and 6, but appeared healthy, beautiful and "in their prime"), her childhood caretakers Mr. and Mrs. Zilk, and her grandmother who had died two years earlier. Vicki experienced total knowledge and understanding of everything - languages, calculus, planetary formation - despite having no education in these areas. She then encountered a figure of far greater radiance whom she recognized as Jesus (from her previous NDE). He told her telepathically that she couldn't stay, needed to return to learn and teach about loving and forgiving, and to have children. After watching a complete panoramic life review with gentle commentary from Jesus about the significance of her actions, she heard "You have to leave now" and experienced a sickening thud, finding herself back in her painful body. |
25 | 45 | Moderate Evidence | 9 | Highly Compatible | Saw deceased friends transformed | |
| 4532 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon, "Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind: A Study of Apparent Eyeless Vision," Journal of Near-Death Studies 16(2) (Winter 1997): 101-147, Vicki Umipeg, Case 5 |
In early 1973, Vicki Umipeg, then 22 and working as an occasional nightclub singer in Seattle, suffered severe injuries in an automobile accident. After being unable to get a taxi, she accepted a ride from two intoxicated patrons. The resulting crash threw her from the van, causing life-threatening injuries including skull fracture, concussion, and damage to her neck, back, and leg. Recovery took a full year before she could stand upright without fainting. At Harborview Hospital's emergency room, Vicki found herself floating at the ceiling, watching a male doctor and female medical professional working on her body below. She could overhear their conversation about fears that eardrum damage might make her deaf as well as blind. She recognized her body by her distinctive wedding ring and thin build, though initially she didn't realize it was her own body. She tried desperately but unsuccessfully to communicate that she was fine. Vicki then ascended through the hospital ceilings until above the roof, where she had a brief panoramic view of her surroundings. She felt exhilarated by her freedom of movement and began hearing sublimely beautiful music like wind chimes. She was then pulled head-first into a dark tube, moving toward light, eventually "rolling out" onto grass in a place of tremendous light that conveyed love. She encountered five deceased people she had known: two blind schoolmates Debby and Diane (who had died at ages 11 and 6, but appeared healthy, beautiful and "in their prime"), her childhood caretakers Mr. and Mrs. Zilk, and her grandmother who had died two years earlier. Vicki experienced total knowledge and understanding of everything - languages, calculus, planetary formation - despite having no education in these areas. She then encountered a figure of far greater radiance whom she recognized as Jesus (from her previous NDE). He told her telepathically that she couldn't stay, needed to return to learn and teach about loving and forgiving, and to have children. After watching a complete panoramic life review with gentle commentary from Jesus about the significance of her actions, she heard "You have to leave now" and experienced a sickening thud, finding herself back in her painful body. |
25 | 45 | Moderate Evidence | 9 | Highly Compatible | Complete life review shown visually | |
| 4591 | qualitative | Pereira, Contzen and J. Shashi Kiran Reddy. "Near-Death Cases Desegregating Non-Locality/Disembodiment via Quantum Mediated Consciousness: An Extended Version of the Cell-Soul Pathway." Case 2: Vicki Noratuk. |
Vicki Noratuk, blind from birth, was severely injured in a car crash that resulted in multiple traumatic injuries. She sustained a skull fracture, concussion, neck injury, back injury, and leg injury. Most critically, her heart stopped during emergency treatment, rendering her clinically dead for approximately four minutes. During this period of cardiac arrest, she experienced consciousness outside her physical body, with her back against the ceiling of the operating room, observing everything happening on the hospital table below. From this elevated perspective, she witnessed the medical team's resuscitation efforts with remarkable clarity. She heard one doctor comment that it was unfortunate she would now also be deaf along with being blind, as there was blood on her left ear drum. Another female doctor mentioned that even if she survived the coma, she would likely remain in a vegetative state. These auditory perceptions occurred while she was clinically dead and supposedly unable to process sensory information. The most extraordinary aspect of her experience was gaining visual perception for the first time in her life. Having been blind from birth, she had never experienced visual imagery, even in dreams. During the NDE, she could see her left hand and the ring on her finger. She observed her hair had been shortened and shaved for the medical procedures. She described experiencing different intensities of light, though she could not differentiate colors, having no prior reference for them. The visual experience initially frightened her as she could now perceive things beyond the reach of touch, which had always defined her sensory world. After resuscitation, Vicki returned to her world of darkness but retained vivid memories of her brief visual experience. Her ability to accurately describe visual details during clinical death, despite lifelong blindness, represents one of the most compelling cases of veridical perception in NDE research. |
20 | 35 | Moderate Evidence | 5 | Highly Compatible | Saw own left hand and ring despite blindness | |
| 4591 | qualitative | Pereira, Contzen and J. Shashi Kiran Reddy. "Near-Death Cases Desegregating Non-Locality/Disembodiment via Quantum Mediated Consciousness: An Extended Version of the Cell-Soul Pathway." Case 2: Vicki Noratuk. |
Vicki Noratuk, blind from birth, was severely injured in a car crash that resulted in multiple traumatic injuries. She sustained a skull fracture, concussion, neck injury, back injury, and leg injury. Most critically, her heart stopped during emergency treatment, rendering her clinically dead for approximately four minutes. During this period of cardiac arrest, she experienced consciousness outside her physical body, with her back against the ceiling of the operating room, observing everything happening on the hospital table below. From this elevated perspective, she witnessed the medical team's resuscitation efforts with remarkable clarity. She heard one doctor comment that it was unfortunate she would now also be deaf along with being blind, as there was blood on her left ear drum. Another female doctor mentioned that even if she survived the coma, she would likely remain in a vegetative state. These auditory perceptions occurred while she was clinically dead and supposedly unable to process sensory information. The most extraordinary aspect of her experience was gaining visual perception for the first time in her life. Having been blind from birth, she had never experienced visual imagery, even in dreams. During the NDE, she could see her left hand and the ring on her finger. She observed her hair had been shortened and shaved for the medical procedures. She described experiencing different intensities of light, though she could not differentiate colors, having no prior reference for them. The visual experience initially frightened her as she could now perceive things beyond the reach of touch, which had always defined her sensory world. After resuscitation, Vicki returned to her world of darkness but retained vivid memories of her brief visual experience. Her ability to accurately describe visual details during clinical death, despite lifelong blindness, represents one of the most compelling cases of veridical perception in NDE research. |
20 | 35 | Moderate Evidence | 5 | Highly Compatible | Observed shortened and shaved hair | |
| 4622 | qualitative | Titus Rivas et al., The Self Does Not Die: Verified Paranormal Phenomena from Near-Death Experiences, 2nd edition, ed. Janice Holden (International Association for Near-Death Studies, 2023). Case 1.8: Nancy, , pp. 21-22. | Nancy, 41, was admitted to a California hospital in September 1991 for a biopsy when the superior vena cava was accidentally nicked. The surgeon panicked and stitched the vessel shut, hindering circulation. After revival, Nancy discovered she could not see anymore and was rushed on a gurney to an elevator. When the gurney slammed into the elevator, she had an OBE while in life-threatening condition due to impeded blood supply. Despite her loss of sight, during the OBE she could see her face covered by a breathing pump, her body under a sheet, people panicking around her, and two men in the corridor looking shocked - her son's father and boyfriend Leon. After resuscitation, doctors couldn't restore her sight. Dr. Ring and Ms. Cooper verified through medical files and interviews with both men. Leon confirmed he was in shock when learning what happened and that he and her son's father stood together in the corridor, corroborating Nancy's "blind" observations. | 15 | 40 | Moderate Evidence | 5 | Highly Compatible | Saw despite blindness | |
| 4622 | qualitative | Titus Rivas et al., The Self Does Not Die: Verified Paranormal Phenomena from Near-Death Experiences, 2nd edition, ed. Janice Holden (International Association for Near-Death Studies, 2023). Case 1.8: Nancy, , pp. 21-22. | Nancy, 41, was admitted to a California hospital in September 1991 for a biopsy when the superior vena cava was accidentally nicked. The surgeon panicked and stitched the vessel shut, hindering circulation. After revival, Nancy discovered she could not see anymore and was rushed on a gurney to an elevator. When the gurney slammed into the elevator, she had an OBE while in life-threatening condition due to impeded blood supply. Despite her loss of sight, during the OBE she could see her face covered by a breathing pump, her body under a sheet, people panicking around her, and two men in the corridor looking shocked - her son's father and boyfriend Leon. After resuscitation, doctors couldn't restore her sight. Dr. Ring and Ms. Cooper verified through medical files and interviews with both men. Leon confirmed he was in shock when learning what happened and that he and her son's father stood together in the corridor, corroborating Nancy's "blind" observations. | 15 | 40 | Moderate Evidence | 5 | Highly Compatible | Saw two men in corridor | |
| 4789 | qualitative | P.M.H. Atwater, Dying to Know You: Proof of God in the Near-Death Experience, Rainbow Ridge Books, Chapter 6, Portland Oregon Man, 2014 |
A man in Portland, Oregon was driving north of town around midnight during the dark of the moon in late October. A sudden temperature drop created black ice on the roadway with tight switch-backs. Driving much too fast for the dangerous conditions, he missed one of the turns and crashed head-on into a large tree. The impact was catastrophic, with his car broken into pieces, blood everywhere, and his right arm completely severed from his body. In his near-death state, he reported floating up to the top of the tree and looking down at the accident scene below. From this elevated vantage point, he could see his destroyed car in pieces, observe the blood everywhere, and clearly see that his right arm was gone. Despite the severity of his injuries, he made a conscious choice to try to save his body. Though no dwellings were close to the accident site, he spotted one house on a hill nearby and saw a light coming from a window on the second floor. He described floating over to that window where he saw a man inside. In his out-of-body state, he jumped up and down and screamed at the man: "There's been an accident. Call the police." The man inside the house later told police investigators a remarkable story: "There was this jumping fog outside my window. Fog doesn't jump up and down. I just stared at that fog and then heard a loud voice in my ear yelling, 'There's been an accident. Call the police.' I did, then I grabbed a flashlight and went downstairs and outside. Took me a while to find the wreck." Physicians saved the man's life but could not save his arm. He had been a right-handed professional artist who now also had to deal with blindness caused by the force of impact. Two months later his sight returned. When it did, he requested pencil and paper, and with his left hand drew a detailed picture of the accident scene, including every single minute detail. The man from the house and the investigating police officers were called to study the drawing. All were stunned by its accuracy - there was no way the injured man could have seen anything that night, yet his drawing was so accurate it was as if a photograph of the accident scene. |
30 | 75 | Exceptional Evidence | 5 | Highly Compatible | Aerial view of accident scene | |
| 4883 | qualitative | Long, Jeffrey MD. Evidence of the Afterlife. HarperOne. Chapter 5. Vicki - Ring and Cooper Study. Pages 82-83. 2010 |
Vicki had been blind from shortly after birth due to optic nerve damage from excess oxygen in an incubator. She experienced two NDEs - one at age twelve from appendicitis complications and another at twenty-two following a serious car accident with severe trauma including head injuries. Having never possessed vision in her life, she could not understand the concept of sight. The second NDE following the car accident was more vivid and detailed, occurring while she was still recovering from injuries a year later. During her second NDE, Vicki found herself in "stunned awe" floating above her body in the emergency room, watching medical personnel trying to save her. Initially not recognizing the body as her own, she observed from the ceiling thinking "Well, that's kind of weird. What am I doing up here?" She perceived herself as tall and thin, gradually realizing it was her body because she wasn't in it. Her experience included traveling through a tunnel, visiting a beautiful unearthly realm, encountering deceased friends, and having a life review. This was the only time she could relate to seeing and understanding what light was. Vicki, blind from birth, experienced vision for the first time during her NDE, seeing her body on the operating table and recognizing physical details. She saw her wedding ring with orange blossoms on the corners and her father's ring, details she had never visually perceived. She could see the medical team working on her body and experienced full visual perception throughout the NDE. The experience was profoundly significant as someone without any concept of vision suddenly experienced sight. She emphasized this was "the only time I could ever relate to seeing and to what light was, because I experienced it." Her ability to immediately comprehend visual perceptions despite being blind from birth was remarkable, contrasting with the typical prolonged adjustment period when blind people gain sight through surgery. |
15 | 35 | Moderate Evidence | 8 | Highly Compatible | Blind person saw own body for first time | |
| 4883 | qualitative | Long, Jeffrey MD. Evidence of the Afterlife. HarperOne. Chapter 5. Vicki - Ring and Cooper Study. Pages 82-83. 2010 |
Vicki had been blind from shortly after birth due to optic nerve damage from excess oxygen in an incubator. She experienced two NDEs - one at age twelve from appendicitis complications and another at twenty-two following a serious car accident with severe trauma including head injuries. Having never possessed vision in her life, she could not understand the concept of sight. The second NDE following the car accident was more vivid and detailed, occurring while she was still recovering from injuries a year later. During her second NDE, Vicki found herself in "stunned awe" floating above her body in the emergency room, watching medical personnel trying to save her. Initially not recognizing the body as her own, she observed from the ceiling thinking "Well, that's kind of weird. What am I doing up here?" She perceived herself as tall and thin, gradually realizing it was her body because she wasn't in it. Her experience included traveling through a tunnel, visiting a beautiful unearthly realm, encountering deceased friends, and having a life review. This was the only time she could relate to seeing and understanding what light was. Vicki, blind from birth, experienced vision for the first time during her NDE, seeing her body on the operating table and recognizing physical details. She saw her wedding ring with orange blossoms on the corners and her father's ring, details she had never visually perceived. She could see the medical team working on her body and experienced full visual perception throughout the NDE. The experience was profoundly significant as someone without any concept of vision suddenly experienced sight. She emphasized this was "the only time I could ever relate to seeing and to what light was, because I experienced it." Her ability to immediately comprehend visual perceptions despite being blind from birth was remarkable, contrasting with the typical prolonged adjustment period when blind people gain sight through surgery. |
15 | 35 | Moderate Evidence | 8 | Highly Compatible | Saw wedding ring details never seen before | |
| 4883 | qualitative | Long, Jeffrey MD. Evidence of the Afterlife. HarperOne. Chapter 5. Vicki - Ring and Cooper Study. Pages 82-83. 2010 |
Vicki had been blind from shortly after birth due to optic nerve damage from excess oxygen in an incubator. She experienced two NDEs - one at age twelve from appendicitis complications and another at twenty-two following a serious car accident with severe trauma including head injuries. Having never possessed vision in her life, she could not understand the concept of sight. The second NDE following the car accident was more vivid and detailed, occurring while she was still recovering from injuries a year later. During her second NDE, Vicki found herself in "stunned awe" floating above her body in the emergency room, watching medical personnel trying to save her. Initially not recognizing the body as her own, she observed from the ceiling thinking "Well, that's kind of weird. What am I doing up here?" She perceived herself as tall and thin, gradually realizing it was her body because she wasn't in it. Her experience included traveling through a tunnel, visiting a beautiful unearthly realm, encountering deceased friends, and having a life review. This was the only time she could relate to seeing and understanding what light was. Vicki, blind from birth, experienced vision for the first time during her NDE, seeing her body on the operating table and recognizing physical details. She saw her wedding ring with orange blossoms on the corners and her father's ring, details she had never visually perceived. She could see the medical team working on her body and experienced full visual perception throughout the NDE. The experience was profoundly significant as someone without any concept of vision suddenly experienced sight. She emphasized this was "the only time I could ever relate to seeing and to what light was, because I experienced it." Her ability to immediately comprehend visual perceptions despite being blind from birth was remarkable, contrasting with the typical prolonged adjustment period when blind people gain sight through surgery. |
15 | 35 | Moderate Evidence | 8 | Highly Compatible | Saw medical team working on her body | |
| 4930 | qualitative | Long, Jeffrey. God and the Afterlife. HarperOne, 2016. Chapter 7, James, pp. not specified. |
James was a physician who was legally blind even with glasses. During a cardiac catheterization procedure, an error led to a heart attack, congestive heart failure, and the loss of his heartbeat and blood pressure for approximately four minutes. This represents a documented cardiac arrest with precise timing. Remarkably, despite being legally blind, James reported he could see clearly without glasses during his NDE, with no restrictions on distant or near vision. During his experience, James reached an area of darkness with a faint light in the distance and felt compelled to travel toward it. As he neared the light, he became aware of other spirits around him that he couldn't see but could sense. A mixture of clouds, fog, smoke, and mist connected with the spirits and light. He saw hazy outlines of indistinct figures and knew them, communicating instantaneously through thought transmission rather than words. He met his deceased sister and mother who had died years earlier. While happy to be with them, he kept being drawn to the most brilliant golden white light that permeated everything. As he approached, he felt an overwhelming power and presence he recognized as God. He asked questions and received immediate answers. He was filled with love, joy, happiness and surrounded by unconditional love, forgiveness, and acceptance. When he wanted to continue through the light, he received a clear message: "No, go back. It isn't your time," accompanied by visions of his wife and children. Despite not wanting to return, he had no choice and awoke with a doctor shaking him. James emphasized that the light and presence were clearly God, present everywhere and part of everything, with no limits to God's power. His experience as a blind person seeing clearly adds significant evidential weight. |
18 | 43 | Moderate Evidence | 7 | Highly Compatible | Clear vision despite legal blindness | |
| 4995 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Brad Barrows, pp. 18-21, 38-45 | Brad, blind from birth due to undeveloped eye tissue, was eight years old attending the Boston Center for Blind Children when he contracted severe pneumonia in February 1968. After struggling to breathe for days, one night he became rigid and stopped breathing. His heart stopped for four minutes. During this time, he floated up from his bed and saw his lifeless body below, witnessed his blind roommate leave to get help, and penetrated through the ceiling to observe the snowy streets outside with remarkable detail - noting snow banks, a passing trolley, and the school playground. He was then pulled through a dark tunnel at a 45-degree angle, hearing an electric transformer hum, before entering an immense field with huge palm trees and tall grass. He experienced brilliant light that penetrated everything, heard sublime music in unknown languages, and approached a glittering stone structure. A large firm arm stopped him at the narrowest part of a tubular passage, telepathically communicating he needed to return to earth as he was not ready for this plane. He was rapidly catapulted back through the tunnel and awoke gasping for air with medical staff performing CPR. | 22 | 44 | Moderate Evidence | 6 | Highly Compatible | Saw his body on the bed and roommate getting help | |
| 4995 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Brad Barrows, pp. 18-21, 38-45 | Brad, blind from birth due to undeveloped eye tissue, was eight years old attending the Boston Center for Blind Children when he contracted severe pneumonia in February 1968. After struggling to breathe for days, one night he became rigid and stopped breathing. His heart stopped for four minutes. During this time, he floated up from his bed and saw his lifeless body below, witnessed his blind roommate leave to get help, and penetrated through the ceiling to observe the snowy streets outside with remarkable detail - noting snow banks, a passing trolley, and the school playground. He was then pulled through a dark tunnel at a 45-degree angle, hearing an electric transformer hum, before entering an immense field with huge palm trees and tall grass. He experienced brilliant light that penetrated everything, heard sublime music in unknown languages, and approached a glittering stone structure. A large firm arm stopped him at the narrowest part of a tubular passage, telepathically communicating he needed to return to earth as he was not ready for this plane. He was rapidly catapulted back through the tunnel and awoke gasping for air with medical staff performing CPR. | 22 | 44 | Moderate Evidence | 6 | Highly Compatible | Detailed view of snow-covered streets from above building | |
| 4995 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Brad Barrows, pp. 18-21, 38-45 | Brad, blind from birth due to undeveloped eye tissue, was eight years old attending the Boston Center for Blind Children when he contracted severe pneumonia in February 1968. After struggling to breathe for days, one night he became rigid and stopped breathing. His heart stopped for four minutes. During this time, he floated up from his bed and saw his lifeless body below, witnessed his blind roommate leave to get help, and penetrated through the ceiling to observe the snowy streets outside with remarkable detail - noting snow banks, a passing trolley, and the school playground. He was then pulled through a dark tunnel at a 45-degree angle, hearing an electric transformer hum, before entering an immense field with huge palm trees and tall grass. He experienced brilliant light that penetrated everything, heard sublime music in unknown languages, and approached a glittering stone structure. A large firm arm stopped him at the narrowest part of a tubular passage, telepathically communicating he needed to return to earth as he was not ready for this plane. He was rapidly catapulted back through the tunnel and awoke gasping for air with medical staff performing CPR. | 22 | 44 | Moderate Evidence | 6 | Highly Compatible | Immense field with vegetation and light | |
| 4997 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Debbie, pp. 52-55 | Debbie, blind from birth with ROP and only limited light perception, was recovering at home from serious burn injuries when she fell unconscious while brushing her teeth shortly after Easter. She immediately found herself enveloped in and traveling through beautiful light of indescribable colors. She saw in stereo - simultaneously observing her body lying on the bathroom floor with her mother in a bathrobe bending over her, while also seeing her deceased grandparents. She met her grandmother who appeared young, about thirty, with brown hair, and her friend Darlene who had died of nephritis and appeared as a beautiful young girl without her earthly health problems. A divine being presented himself and showed her future events including a child she would give birth to. She begged to stay but was told she must return. Her mother later confirmed she was wearing a black bathrobe as Debbie had seen. Debbie described this as the only time she ever had clear sight perception, perhaps even clearer than normal vision. | 20 | 37 | Moderate Evidence | 7 | Highly Compatible | Saw mother and self on bathroom floor | |
| 4997 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Debbie, pp. 52-55 | Debbie, blind from birth with ROP and only limited light perception, was recovering at home from serious burn injuries when she fell unconscious while brushing her teeth shortly after Easter. She immediately found herself enveloped in and traveling through beautiful light of indescribable colors. She saw in stereo - simultaneously observing her body lying on the bathroom floor with her mother in a bathrobe bending over her, while also seeing her deceased grandparents. She met her grandmother who appeared young, about thirty, with brown hair, and her friend Darlene who had died of nephritis and appeared as a beautiful young girl without her earthly health problems. A divine being presented himself and showed her future events including a child she would give birth to. She begged to stay but was told she must return. Her mother later confirmed she was wearing a black bathrobe as Debbie had seen. Debbie described this as the only time she ever had clear sight perception, perhaps even clearer than normal vision. | 20 | 37 | Moderate Evidence | 7 | Highly Compatible | Saw deceased grandmother and friend | |
| 4997 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Debbie, pp. 52-55 | Debbie, blind from birth with ROP and only limited light perception, was recovering at home from serious burn injuries when she fell unconscious while brushing her teeth shortly after Easter. She immediately found herself enveloped in and traveling through beautiful light of indescribable colors. She saw in stereo - simultaneously observing her body lying on the bathroom floor with her mother in a bathrobe bending over her, while also seeing her deceased grandparents. She met her grandmother who appeared young, about thirty, with brown hair, and her friend Darlene who had died of nephritis and appeared as a beautiful young girl without her earthly health problems. A divine being presented himself and showed her future events including a child she would give birth to. She begged to stay but was told she must return. Her mother later confirmed she was wearing a black bathrobe as Debbie had seen. Debbie described this as the only time she ever had clear sight perception, perhaps even clearer than normal vision. | 20 | 37 | Moderate Evidence | 7 | Highly Compatible | Experienced indescribable colors and light | |
| 5001 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Nancy, pp. 72-79 | Nancy entered a California hospital in September 1991 for a routine biopsy that went catastrophically wrong. During surgery, her superior vena cava was accidentally cut and then sewn closed, causing her to lose blood flow to her head and become blind. While being rushed on a gurney to an MRI, already blind and with an ambu bag forcing her to breathe, she stepped out of her body when the gurney hit the elevator. From beside the elevator, she clearly saw the medical team of 6 people in panic, the IV, the black ambu bag covering her face, and most remarkably, she saw her son's father and her lover standing 15-20 feet down the hall just watching in shock. She wondered why they weren't coming closer. She then experienced a bright, focused laser-like white light and began moving toward it before deciding to return. Both men she saw in the hallway later independently confirmed they were standing exactly where she saw them, unable to move closer in their shock. Medical records confirm the surgical accident and emergency treatment. Nancy remained permanently blind from this incident. This case has the strongest corroboration in the study, with two independent witnesses confirming her impossible observations. | 15 | 54 | Strong Evidence | 4 | Highly Compatible | Saw medical team and self on gurney | |
| 5001 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Nancy, pp. 72-79 | Nancy entered a California hospital in September 1991 for a routine biopsy that went catastrophically wrong. During surgery, her superior vena cava was accidentally cut and then sewn closed, causing her to lose blood flow to her head and become blind. While being rushed on a gurney to an MRI, already blind and with an ambu bag forcing her to breathe, she stepped out of her body when the gurney hit the elevator. From beside the elevator, she clearly saw the medical team of 6 people in panic, the IV, the black ambu bag covering her face, and most remarkably, she saw her son's father and her lover standing 15-20 feet down the hall just watching in shock. She wondered why they weren't coming closer. She then experienced a bright, focused laser-like white light and began moving toward it before deciding to return. Both men she saw in the hallway later independently confirmed they were standing exactly where she saw them, unable to move closer in their shock. Medical records confirm the surgical accident and emergency treatment. Nancy remained permanently blind from this incident. This case has the strongest corroboration in the study, with two independent witnesses confirming her impossible observations. | 15 | 54 | Strong Evidence | 4 | Highly Compatible | Saw two men in hallway 15-20 feet away | |
| 5002 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Vicki Umipeg, pp. 14-17, 26-38 | Vicki, blind from birth due to excessive oxygen in an incubator causing optic nerve damage, was seriously injured in a car accident on February 2, 1973. Thrown from the vehicle, she suffered a skull fracture, concussion, and damage to neck, back and leg. At Harborview Hospital, she found herself on the ceiling watching a male doctor and female staff member working on her body, overhearing their concern about potential deafness from eardrum damage. She recognized her body by her long hair (partially shaved), wedding ring, and her father's ring. She rose through the hospital ceilings, briefly seeing the roof, city lights, and buildings below. Sucked into a dark tube, she moved toward light while hearing wind chime music. She emerged onto grass in a place of tremendous light and love where everyone was made of light. She met five deceased people: blind schoolmates Debby and Diane (appearing healthy and "in their prime"), caretakers Mr. and Mrs. Zilk, and her grandmother. She experienced total omniscient knowledge and understanding. Jesus appeared to her with beard, long hair, and robe with sash, telling her she must return to learn, teach, and have children. She experienced a complete life review seeing her entire life from birth, then returned with a "sickening thud" to her pain-filled body. | 25 | 50 | Strong Evidence | 9 | Highly Compatible | Saw self and medical team from ceiling | |
| 5002 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Vicki Umipeg, pp. 14-17, 26-38 | Vicki, blind from birth due to excessive oxygen in an incubator causing optic nerve damage, was seriously injured in a car accident on February 2, 1973. Thrown from the vehicle, she suffered a skull fracture, concussion, and damage to neck, back and leg. At Harborview Hospital, she found herself on the ceiling watching a male doctor and female staff member working on her body, overhearing their concern about potential deafness from eardrum damage. She recognized her body by her long hair (partially shaved), wedding ring, and her father's ring. She rose through the hospital ceilings, briefly seeing the roof, city lights, and buildings below. Sucked into a dark tube, she moved toward light while hearing wind chime music. She emerged onto grass in a place of tremendous light and love where everyone was made of light. She met five deceased people: blind schoolmates Debby and Diane (appearing healthy and "in their prime"), caretakers Mr. and Mrs. Zilk, and her grandmother. She experienced total omniscient knowledge and understanding. Jesus appeared to her with beard, long hair, and robe with sash, telling her she must return to learn, teach, and have children. She experienced a complete life review seeing her entire life from birth, then returned with a "sickening thud" to her pain-filled body. | 25 | 50 | Strong Evidence | 9 | Highly Compatible | View above hospital roof | |
| 5002 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Vicki Umipeg, pp. 14-17, 26-38 | Vicki, blind from birth due to excessive oxygen in an incubator causing optic nerve damage, was seriously injured in a car accident on February 2, 1973. Thrown from the vehicle, she suffered a skull fracture, concussion, and damage to neck, back and leg. At Harborview Hospital, she found herself on the ceiling watching a male doctor and female staff member working on her body, overhearing their concern about potential deafness from eardrum damage. She recognized her body by her long hair (partially shaved), wedding ring, and her father's ring. She rose through the hospital ceilings, briefly seeing the roof, city lights, and buildings below. Sucked into a dark tube, she moved toward light while hearing wind chime music. She emerged onto grass in a place of tremendous light and love where everyone was made of light. She met five deceased people: blind schoolmates Debby and Diane (appearing healthy and "in their prime"), caretakers Mr. and Mrs. Zilk, and her grandmother. She experienced total omniscient knowledge and understanding. Jesus appeared to her with beard, long hair, and robe with sash, telling her she must return to learn, teach, and have children. She experienced a complete life review seeing her entire life from birth, then returned with a "sickening thud" to her pain-filled body. | 25 | 50 | Strong Evidence | 9 | Highly Compatible | Deceased friends appeared transformed | |
| 5002 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Vicki Umipeg, pp. 14-17, 26-38 | Vicki, blind from birth due to excessive oxygen in an incubator causing optic nerve damage, was seriously injured in a car accident on February 2, 1973. Thrown from the vehicle, she suffered a skull fracture, concussion, and damage to neck, back and leg. At Harborview Hospital, she found herself on the ceiling watching a male doctor and female staff member working on her body, overhearing their concern about potential deafness from eardrum damage. She recognized her body by her long hair (partially shaved), wedding ring, and her father's ring. She rose through the hospital ceilings, briefly seeing the roof, city lights, and buildings below. Sucked into a dark tube, she moved toward light while hearing wind chime music. She emerged onto grass in a place of tremendous light and love where everyone was made of light. She met five deceased people: blind schoolmates Debby and Diane (appearing healthy and "in their prime"), caretakers Mr. and Mrs. Zilk, and her grandmother. She experienced total omniscient knowledge and understanding. Jesus appeared to her with beard, long hair, and robe with sash, telling her she must return to learn, teach, and have children. She experienced a complete life review seeing her entire life from birth, then returned with a "sickening thud" to her pain-filled body. | 25 | 50 | Strong Evidence | 9 | Highly Compatible | Detailed vision of Jesus | |
| 5002 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Vicki Umipeg, pp. 14-17, 26-38 | Vicki, blind from birth due to excessive oxygen in an incubator causing optic nerve damage, was seriously injured in a car accident on February 2, 1973. Thrown from the vehicle, she suffered a skull fracture, concussion, and damage to neck, back and leg. At Harborview Hospital, she found herself on the ceiling watching a male doctor and female staff member working on her body, overhearing their concern about potential deafness from eardrum damage. She recognized her body by her long hair (partially shaved), wedding ring, and her father's ring. She rose through the hospital ceilings, briefly seeing the roof, city lights, and buildings below. Sucked into a dark tube, she moved toward light while hearing wind chime music. She emerged onto grass in a place of tremendous light and love where everyone was made of light. She met five deceased people: blind schoolmates Debby and Diane (appearing healthy and "in their prime"), caretakers Mr. and Mrs. Zilk, and her grandmother. She experienced total omniscient knowledge and understanding. Jesus appeared to her with beard, long hair, and robe with sash, telling her she must return to learn, teach, and have children. She experienced a complete life review seeing her entire life from birth, then returned with a "sickening thud" to her pain-filled body. | 25 | 50 | Strong Evidence | 9 | Highly Compatible | Complete life review with visual scenes | |
| 5003 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Vicki Umipeg 1963, pp. 14, 31-35 | Vicki, blind from birth, experienced her first NDE at age 12 on February 12, 1963, from appendicitis and peritonitis. Similar to her later experience, she separated from her body, went through a tube, and emerged in a realm of light. She underwent her first life review, seeing her entire life in detail despite never having had vision. She saw specific incidents including finding and returning a crucifix belonging to another blind girl named Bunny, seeing the dormitory rooms, metal chairs, round tables with plastic tablecloths in the dining room. She saw her blind friends Debby and Diane, with Debby appearing plump with fluid retention and a shunt for hydrocephalus, and Diane appearing delicate and crippled. She also witnessed a violent scene with her abusive grandmother. Jesus appeared to her in this experience as well, embracing her and showing her the life review. Her housemother later validated her descriptions of Debby and Diane's appearances. This was Vicki's first experience of anything resembling sight, leaving her shocked and in awe. | 20 | 38 | Moderate Evidence | 8 | Highly Compatible | Life review scenes from blind school | |
| 5003 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Vicki Umipeg 1963, pp. 14, 31-35 | Vicki, blind from birth, experienced her first NDE at age 12 on February 12, 1963, from appendicitis and peritonitis. Similar to her later experience, she separated from her body, went through a tube, and emerged in a realm of light. She underwent her first life review, seeing her entire life in detail despite never having had vision. She saw specific incidents including finding and returning a crucifix belonging to another blind girl named Bunny, seeing the dormitory rooms, metal chairs, round tables with plastic tablecloths in the dining room. She saw her blind friends Debby and Diane, with Debby appearing plump with fluid retention and a shunt for hydrocephalus, and Diane appearing delicate and crippled. She also witnessed a violent scene with her abusive grandmother. Jesus appeared to her in this experience as well, embracing her and showing her the life review. Her housemother later validated her descriptions of Debby and Diane's appearances. This was Vicki's first experience of anything resembling sight, leaving her shocked and in awe. | 20 | 38 | Moderate Evidence | 8 | Highly Compatible | Saw appearances of blind friends | |
| 5004 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Cheryl OBE, pp. 50-51, 68-69 | Cheryl, blind from birth, has had multiple out-of-body experiences. During one summer visit to her parents' house while lying on her back, she felt a tumbling sensation and found herself about 10-12 feet in the air looking down at her body. She could see herself dressed in jeans, t-shirt, no socks, with a watch on her left arm and her long hair. She described it as "knowing" rather than strictly seeing. The experience was brief - one moment above her body, the next at her girlfriend's house. In another significant OBE, she found herself at her friend Irene's house where she witnessed Pat (another respondent in this study) sick in the bathroom, throwing up in front of the toilet on her knees with her left hand holding her hair back. She accurately described the bathroom layout: bathtub to right of toilet, hamper in corner, toilet paper holder, towel on rack by sink. She was viewing from the doorway facing Pat's back. The next day she called Pat who confirmed she had been sick at Irene's exactly as Cheryl described, causing Pat embarrassment. Cheryl physically felt awful after this experience. | 12 | 20 | Suggestive Evidence | 5 | Highly Compatible | Saw own body from 10-12 feet above | |
| 5004 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Cheryl OBE, pp. 50-51, 68-69 | Cheryl, blind from birth, has had multiple out-of-body experiences. During one summer visit to her parents' house while lying on her back, she felt a tumbling sensation and found herself about 10-12 feet in the air looking down at her body. She could see herself dressed in jeans, t-shirt, no socks, with a watch on her left arm and her long hair. She described it as "knowing" rather than strictly seeing. The experience was brief - one moment above her body, the next at her girlfriend's house. In another significant OBE, she found herself at her friend Irene's house where she witnessed Pat (another respondent in this study) sick in the bathroom, throwing up in front of the toilet on her knees with her left hand holding her hair back. She accurately described the bathroom layout: bathtub to right of toilet, hamper in corner, toilet paper holder, towel on rack by sink. She was viewing from the doorway facing Pat's back. The next day she called Pat who confirmed she had been sick at Irene's exactly as Cheryl described, causing Pat embarrassment. Cheryl physically felt awful after this experience. | 12 | 20 | Suggestive Evidence | 5 | Highly Compatible | Saw Pat sick in bathroom at Irene's house | |
| 5006 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Frank OBE, pp. 69-71 | Frank, who lost his sight completely in 1982 and cannot see anything including light or shadows, has had several OBEs since becoming blind. Around 1992, a friend was going to drive him to a wake and bought him a tie that morning, dropping it off without telling him the color or design. Frank got dressed, put on the tie, and while lying on the couch saw himself coming out of his body. He could see the tie he was wearing - it was red (rose-colored) with two gray circles and dots in the middle of the circles. When his friend returned to pick him up, Frank asked "Are the circles gray in this tie?" She confirmed they were and was surprised he knew, asking if anyone had visited. Frank told her he just guessed, not wanting to explain the OBE as he felt she wouldn't believe it. The tie became known for being beautiful with people often remarking on it. When researchers contacted his friend, she confirmed purchasing a tie that day and picking him up but couldn't clearly recall the sequence of events or exact design and colors. She said Frank doesn't embellish stories and thought he was probably accurate. | 10 | 16 | Suggestive Evidence | 4 | Highly Compatible | Saw previously unknown tie design while wearing it | |
| 5007 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Helen OBEs, p. 51 | Helen, blind from birth and now 45, described two OBEs. The first occurred in 1974 in a boarding house while lying down. She saw herself on the bed from above, recognizing it as her body like "seeing a landmark." She wasn't scared, saying "Oh, is that where I'm supposed to come back to?" and "Oh well, that's who I am and I'm on this bed and I'll come back." She wasn't very surprised by the visual experience. She then found herself outside seeing trees, plants, and people walking about, which excited her greatly. In 1985 while living in England, she had another OBE where she saw herself from above sitting relaxed in a chair, looking happy and not dead. She again floated outside her room and recognized certain friends walking to various shops in the neighborhood. She emphasized that her vision was clear during these experiences, able to see and recognize people and surroundings despite being blind from birth. | 8 | 10 | Weak Evidence | 3 | Highly Compatible | First OBE - saw self on bed and outdoor scene | |
| 5007 | qualitative | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Helen OBEs, p. 51 | Helen, blind from birth and now 45, described two OBEs. The first occurred in 1974 in a boarding house while lying down. She saw herself on the bed from above, recognizing it as her body like "seeing a landmark." She wasn't scared, saying "Oh, is that where I'm supposed to come back to?" and "Oh well, that's who I am and I'm on this bed and I'll come back." She wasn't very surprised by the visual experience. She then found herself outside seeing trees, plants, and people walking about, which excited her greatly. In 1985 while living in England, she had another OBE where she saw herself from above sitting relaxed in a chair, looking happy and not dead. She again floated outside her room and recognized certain friends walking to various shops in the neighborhood. She emphasized that her vision was clear during these experiences, able to see and recognize people and surroundings despite being blind from birth. | 8 | 10 | Weak Evidence | 3 | Highly Compatible | Second OBE - saw self in chair and friends outside | |
| 5068 | qualitative | Burke, John. Imagine Heaven: Near-Death Experiences, God's Promises, and the Exhilarating Future That Awaits You. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, Chapter 2, Vicki, Pages 24-28, 2015 |
Vicki, twenty-two years old and blind since birth, experienced a severe van crash resulting in a basal skull fracture and broken back and neck. She was treated at Harborview Medical Center where she had an extraordinary near-death experience. During the event, she found herself floating above the accident scene, experiencing sight for the first time in her life. She observed the crumpled van from above, then later found herself near the ceiling of the hospital room watching medical staff work on her body below. She recognized her own body by her long hair and distinctive wedding band with orange blossoms engraved on it. She heard doctors discussing their concern about potential eardrum damage that could cause deafness in addition to her blindness. When they stated "We can't bring her back!" she felt detached and thought "I'm out of here," immediately ascending through the ceiling. She experienced a panoramic view of the hospital roof and city lights, feeling exhilarated by the freedom of movement. Vicki was then pulled through a dark tube toward a brilliant light, hearing sublime music that transitioned into songs of praise. She emerged in a place of tremendous light where she lay on grass surrounded by trees, flowers, and countless people. The light conveyed love and seemed to permeate everything. She was welcomed by five deceased acquaintances including two blind schoolmates who appeared healthy and in their prime, her childhood caretakers Mr. and Mrs. Zilk, and her grandmother. A being of greater radiance whom she recognized as Jesus appeared, embraced her, and she could feel his beard and hair. Jesus communicated telepathically that it wasn't her time and she must return to "learn and teach more about loving and forgiving." She experienced a complete panoramic life review from birth with gentle commentary to help her understand her actions' significance. Her return was marked by "a sickening thud" as she re-entered her body, feeling heavy and full of pain. |
37 | 60 | Strong Evidence | 8 | Highly Compatible | Heard doctors discussing potential eardrum damage | |
| 5068 | qualitative | Burke, John. Imagine Heaven: Near-Death Experiences, God's Promises, and the Exhilarating Future That Awaits You. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, Chapter 2, Vicki, Pages 24-28, 2015 |
Vicki, twenty-two years old and blind since birth, experienced a severe van crash resulting in a basal skull fracture and broken back and neck. She was treated at Harborview Medical Center where she had an extraordinary near-death experience. During the event, she found herself floating above the accident scene, experiencing sight for the first time in her life. She observed the crumpled van from above, then later found herself near the ceiling of the hospital room watching medical staff work on her body below. She recognized her own body by her long hair and distinctive wedding band with orange blossoms engraved on it. She heard doctors discussing their concern about potential eardrum damage that could cause deafness in addition to her blindness. When they stated "We can't bring her back!" she felt detached and thought "I'm out of here," immediately ascending through the ceiling. She experienced a panoramic view of the hospital roof and city lights, feeling exhilarated by the freedom of movement. Vicki was then pulled through a dark tube toward a brilliant light, hearing sublime music that transitioned into songs of praise. She emerged in a place of tremendous light where she lay on grass surrounded by trees, flowers, and countless people. The light conveyed love and seemed to permeate everything. She was welcomed by five deceased acquaintances including two blind schoolmates who appeared healthy and in their prime, her childhood caretakers Mr. and Mrs. Zilk, and her grandmother. A being of greater radiance whom she recognized as Jesus appeared, embraced her, and she could feel his beard and hair. Jesus communicated telepathically that it wasn't her time and she must return to "learn and teach more about loving and forgiving." She experienced a complete panoramic life review from birth with gentle commentary to help her understand her actions' significance. Her return was marked by "a sickening thud" as she re-entered her body, feeling heavy and full of pain. |
37 | 60 | Strong Evidence | 8 | Highly Compatible | Identified her body by hair and wedding band | |
| 5068 | qualitative | Burke, John. Imagine Heaven: Near-Death Experiences, God's Promises, and the Exhilarating Future That Awaits You. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, Chapter 2, Vicki, Pages 24-28, 2015 |
Vicki, twenty-two years old and blind since birth, experienced a severe van crash resulting in a basal skull fracture and broken back and neck. She was treated at Harborview Medical Center where she had an extraordinary near-death experience. During the event, she found herself floating above the accident scene, experiencing sight for the first time in her life. She observed the crumpled van from above, then later found herself near the ceiling of the hospital room watching medical staff work on her body below. She recognized her own body by her long hair and distinctive wedding band with orange blossoms engraved on it. She heard doctors discussing their concern about potential eardrum damage that could cause deafness in addition to her blindness. When they stated "We can't bring her back!" she felt detached and thought "I'm out of here," immediately ascending through the ceiling. She experienced a panoramic view of the hospital roof and city lights, feeling exhilarated by the freedom of movement. Vicki was then pulled through a dark tube toward a brilliant light, hearing sublime music that transitioned into songs of praise. She emerged in a place of tremendous light where she lay on grass surrounded by trees, flowers, and countless people. The light conveyed love and seemed to permeate everything. She was welcomed by five deceased acquaintances including two blind schoolmates who appeared healthy and in their prime, her childhood caretakers Mr. and Mrs. Zilk, and her grandmother. A being of greater radiance whom she recognized as Jesus appeared, embraced her, and she could feel his beard and hair. Jesus communicated telepathically that it wasn't her time and she must return to "learn and teach more about loving and forgiving." She experienced a complete panoramic life review from birth with gentle commentary to help her understand her actions' significance. Her return was marked by "a sickening thud" as she re-entered her body, feeling heavy and full of pain. |
37 | 60 | Strong Evidence | 8 | Highly Compatible | Saw and described appearance of childhood friends during life review | |
| 5088 | qualitative | Burke, John. Imagine the God of Heaven: Near-Death Experiences, God's Revelation, and the Love You've Always Wanted. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2023. Chapter 2, Debbie, Pages 42-44 | Debbie, 48, congenitally blind from birth with no light perception, was recuperating from severe burns when she felt she was dying and fell unconscious on her bathroom floor. Miraculously, she suddenly gained sight for the first time, seeing "beautiful light" with indescribable colors. From above, she observed her body on the floor with her mother bending over her, experiencing unique "stereo" perception - simultaneously seeing the physical scene and her deceased grandparents in the spiritual realm. A being guided her across a bridge where she met deceased relatives including her grandmother (who introduced herself) and friend Darlene. She encountered God who imparted extensive information including prophecies: showing her future husband and telling her she'd have a "beautiful baby girl" - both later came true. She was told to "teach people when she returns." During the experience, she visually perceived people for the first time, accurately describing her mother as short with gray hair wearing a dark bathrobe (confirmed as black), herself as thin with brown-gray hair, her grandmother as young with brown hair (mother confirmed), and deceased friend Darlene as thin in the afterlife versus overweight on earth from thyroid problems. These visual observations by a congenitally blind person with no visual frame of reference, combined with fulfilled prophecies about her marriage and daughter, provide extraordinary evidence. Her case, documented by Dr. Kenneth Ring and Sharon Cooper, stands as powerful evidence that consciousness and perception can operate independently of the physical brain. | 30 | 60 | Strong Evidence | 8 | Highly Compatible | Blind woman visually perceived and described mother | |
| 5088 | qualitative | Burke, John. Imagine the God of Heaven: Near-Death Experiences, God's Revelation, and the Love You've Always Wanted. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2023. Chapter 2, Debbie, Pages 42-44 | Debbie, 48, congenitally blind from birth with no light perception, was recuperating from severe burns when she felt she was dying and fell unconscious on her bathroom floor. Miraculously, she suddenly gained sight for the first time, seeing "beautiful light" with indescribable colors. From above, she observed her body on the floor with her mother bending over her, experiencing unique "stereo" perception - simultaneously seeing the physical scene and her deceased grandparents in the spiritual realm. A being guided her across a bridge where she met deceased relatives including her grandmother (who introduced herself) and friend Darlene. She encountered God who imparted extensive information including prophecies: showing her future husband and telling her she'd have a "beautiful baby girl" - both later came true. She was told to "teach people when she returns." During the experience, she visually perceived people for the first time, accurately describing her mother as short with gray hair wearing a dark bathrobe (confirmed as black), herself as thin with brown-gray hair, her grandmother as young with brown hair (mother confirmed), and deceased friend Darlene as thin in the afterlife versus overweight on earth from thyroid problems. These visual observations by a congenitally blind person with no visual frame of reference, combined with fulfilled prophecies about her marriage and daughter, provide extraordinary evidence. Her case, documented by Dr. Kenneth Ring and Sharon Cooper, stands as powerful evidence that consciousness and perception can operate independently of the physical brain. | 30 | 60 | Strong Evidence | 8 | Highly Compatible | Blind woman saw deceased grandmother and described hair | |
| 5088 | qualitative | Burke, John. Imagine the God of Heaven: Near-Death Experiences, God's Revelation, and the Love You've Always Wanted. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2023. Chapter 2, Debbie, Pages 42-44 | Debbie, 48, congenitally blind from birth with no light perception, was recuperating from severe burns when she felt she was dying and fell unconscious on her bathroom floor. Miraculously, she suddenly gained sight for the first time, seeing "beautiful light" with indescribable colors. From above, she observed her body on the floor with her mother bending over her, experiencing unique "stereo" perception - simultaneously seeing the physical scene and her deceased grandparents in the spiritual realm. A being guided her across a bridge where she met deceased relatives including her grandmother (who introduced herself) and friend Darlene. She encountered God who imparted extensive information including prophecies: showing her future husband and telling her she'd have a "beautiful baby girl" - both later came true. She was told to "teach people when she returns." During the experience, she visually perceived people for the first time, accurately describing her mother as short with gray hair wearing a dark bathrobe (confirmed as black), herself as thin with brown-gray hair, her grandmother as young with brown hair (mother confirmed), and deceased friend Darlene as thin in the afterlife versus overweight on earth from thyroid problems. These visual observations by a congenitally blind person with no visual frame of reference, combined with fulfilled prophecies about her marriage and daughter, provide extraordinary evidence. Her case, documented by Dr. Kenneth Ring and Sharon Cooper, stands as powerful evidence that consciousness and perception can operate independently of the physical brain. | 30 | 60 | Strong Evidence | 8 | Highly Compatible | Received prophecies about future marriage and daughter | |
| 5091 | qualitative | Carter, Chris. Science and the Near-Death Experience: How Consciousness Survives Death. Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions, 2010. Chapter 15, pp. 230-231. Case: Swedish Blind Woman |
This remarkable case, forwarded to researchers Kenneth Ring and Sharon Cooper by Swedish nurse and NDE researcher Ingegerd Bergstrom, involves a woman who had been blind for ten years, with only the ability to distinguish between light and darkness - she could not perceive forms or colors. One evening during a conversation with her husband, she suffered a cardiac arrest at home, suddenly falling silent mid-conversation. Her husband immediately began resuscitation efforts on the floor and succeeded in restarting her heart, though she remained unconscious. She was transported by ambulance to the hospital. When the woman regained consciousness in the intensive care unit hours later, her first words to her husband shocked him: "Why is there unwashed china in the sink? You know I can't stand that." This was extraordinary because during their conversation, her husband had been standing at the kitchen sink with his back to her, and the sink was behind a screen, completely out of her line of sight even if she had normal vision. More importantly, she hadn't been able to see any forms or objects for ten years due to her blindness. When her husband expressed surprise and asked why she hadn't told him about this vision before, she simply replied, "You never asked if I saw anything at the time my heart stopped." She then described how the sink "appeared out of the fog" and that there was unwashed china piled up in it. This was indeed the husband's responsibility, and he looked very guilty about it. The observation was particularly significant as it involved visual perception of specific objects in a location that was both out of normal sight lines and observed by someone who had been functionally blind for a decade. This case provides exceptional evidence for visual perception during cardiac arrest by a blind person, with the specific details of the unwashed dishes confirmed by the witness who was responsible for them, demonstrating consciousness and enhanced perception during clinical death. |
27 | 55 | Strong Evidence | 3 | Highly Compatible | Blind woman saw unwashed dishes in sink behind screen | |
| 5092 | qualitative | Carter, Chris. Science and the Near-Death Experience: How Consciousness Survives Death. Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions, 2010. Chapter 15, pp. 231-233. Case: Nancy |
Nancy, a woman blind since birth, was admitted to a California hospital in September 1991 for a biopsy of a chest tumor. During the operation, a catastrophic surgical error occurred when the superior vena cava was accidentally severed. In the ensuing panic, medical staff attempted to repair the damage by sewing the vein shut, which blocked blood flow from the upper body to the heart. Nancy's brain began to swell dangerously, and her heart stopped. After eight hours of intensive surgery, she was finally wheeled from recovery on a gurney, her face and body severely swollen from the ordeal. While being transported through the hospital corridor in an unconscious state, Nancy had a remarkable out-of-body experience. She recalled being on the gurney and hearing her lover Leon's voice. Despite being blind from birth, she could visually perceive Leon and their friend Diane standing on her left side. She observed with amazing detail that Diane wore "a kind of print dress. It was green and it had some kind of a pattern on it, maybe flowers or something." She noted Leon had on "a light-colored shirt, maybe a white shirt, and a gray-striped tie." Nancy remembered thinking to herself why they weren't coming up to say something, as this might be their last chance to see her. She then perceived a beautiful, clear white light and moved toward it before eventually deciding to return. Researchers Ring and Cooper thoroughly investigated this case, retrieving Nancy's medical records which confirmed the surgical mishap and cardiac arrest. They interviewed both Leon and Diane, who described seeing Nancy's grotesquely swollen appearance as she was wheeled out. Leon confirmed he was in shock after the ten-hour ordeal, saying she "looked like she's already dead." Both witnesses confirmed the complete accuracy of Nancy's description of their clothing. The researchers noted that even if Nancy had possessed some residual vision, an ambu bag on her head would have blocked any lateral vision from her supine position, not to mention the medical attendants surrounding her. This case provides extraordinary evidence of visual perception by someone blind from birth during cardiac arrest, with specific clothing details independently verified by multiple witnesses, demonstrating consciousness functioning with enhanced sensory abilities during clinical death. |
27 | 73 | Exceptional Evidence | 5 | Highly Compatible | Blind woman saw Diane's specific clothing | |
| 5092 | qualitative | Carter, Chris. Science and the Near-Death Experience: How Consciousness Survives Death. Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions, 2010. Chapter 15, pp. 231-233. Case: Nancy |
Nancy, a woman blind since birth, was admitted to a California hospital in September 1991 for a biopsy of a chest tumor. During the operation, a catastrophic surgical error occurred when the superior vena cava was accidentally severed. In the ensuing panic, medical staff attempted to repair the damage by sewing the vein shut, which blocked blood flow from the upper body to the heart. Nancy's brain began to swell dangerously, and her heart stopped. After eight hours of intensive surgery, she was finally wheeled from recovery on a gurney, her face and body severely swollen from the ordeal. While being transported through the hospital corridor in an unconscious state, Nancy had a remarkable out-of-body experience. She recalled being on the gurney and hearing her lover Leon's voice. Despite being blind from birth, she could visually perceive Leon and their friend Diane standing on her left side. She observed with amazing detail that Diane wore "a kind of print dress. It was green and it had some kind of a pattern on it, maybe flowers or something." She noted Leon had on "a light-colored shirt, maybe a white shirt, and a gray-striped tie." Nancy remembered thinking to herself why they weren't coming up to say something, as this might be their last chance to see her. She then perceived a beautiful, clear white light and moved toward it before eventually deciding to return. Researchers Ring and Cooper thoroughly investigated this case, retrieving Nancy's medical records which confirmed the surgical mishap and cardiac arrest. They interviewed both Leon and Diane, who described seeing Nancy's grotesquely swollen appearance as she was wheeled out. Leon confirmed he was in shock after the ten-hour ordeal, saying she "looked like she's already dead." Both witnesses confirmed the complete accuracy of Nancy's description of their clothing. The researchers noted that even if Nancy had possessed some residual vision, an ambu bag on her head would have blocked any lateral vision from her supine position, not to mention the medical attendants surrounding her. This case provides extraordinary evidence of visual perception by someone blind from birth during cardiac arrest, with specific clothing details independently verified by multiple witnesses, demonstrating consciousness functioning with enhanced sensory abilities during clinical death. |
27 | 73 | Exceptional Evidence | 5 | Highly Compatible | Blind woman saw Leon's specific clothing | |
| 5136 | qualitative | Pim van Lommel, Consciousness Beyond Life, HarperOne, Chapter 2, Vicki, Pages 31-34, 2010 |
Vicki was born extremely premature in 1951 at only twenty-two weeks gestation and was immediately placed in a primitive incubator with 100% oxygen. This high oxygen concentration caused complete atrophy of her eyeball and optic nerve, leaving her totally blind from birth. The visual cortex in her brain also failed to develop properly due to receiving no light stimuli. She had never seen anything - no light, no shadows, nothing - and her dreams contained only taste, touch, sound, and smell sensations. In 1973, at age twenty-two, Vicki was hurled from her car in a traffic accident. She suffered a basal skull fracture, severe concussion resulting in coma, fractured neck and back vertebrae, and a broken leg. During this life-threatening crisis, she suddenly found herself above the accident scene where she could see and recognize the smashed Volkswagen van - her first visual experience ever. In the emergency room, she observed from above a body on a metal gurney with two people present, hearing their concerned discussions. Only when she recognized her wedding ring, which she had only known by touch, did she realize it was her own body. Vicki then went up through the ceiling and saw the roof of the hospital and trees. She heard incredible wind chime sounds ranging from lowest to highest tones. She approached an area with trees, birds, and many people made of light. She reported being overwhelmed because she couldn't imagine what light was like before this experience. She was welcomed by five deceased individuals she recognized: two blind schoolmates who had died years earlier (Debby and Diane), two childhood caretakers (Mr. and Mrs. Zilk), and her grandmother. The experience concluded with a forced reentry into her body, which was excruciatingly painful and heavy. She felt very sick upon return. This case is extraordinary because a person blind from birth with an atrophied eyeball, optic nerve, and undeveloped visual cortex was able to see and accurately describe her surroundings during her NDE. |
27 | 38 | Moderate Evidence | 7 | Highly Compatible | Saw smashed car from above despite being blind | |
| 5136 | qualitative | Pim van Lommel, Consciousness Beyond Life, HarperOne, Chapter 2, Vicki, Pages 31-34, 2010 |
Vicki was born extremely premature in 1951 at only twenty-two weeks gestation and was immediately placed in a primitive incubator with 100% oxygen. This high oxygen concentration caused complete atrophy of her eyeball and optic nerve, leaving her totally blind from birth. The visual cortex in her brain also failed to develop properly due to receiving no light stimuli. She had never seen anything - no light, no shadows, nothing - and her dreams contained only taste, touch, sound, and smell sensations. In 1973, at age twenty-two, Vicki was hurled from her car in a traffic accident. She suffered a basal skull fracture, severe concussion resulting in coma, fractured neck and back vertebrae, and a broken leg. During this life-threatening crisis, she suddenly found herself above the accident scene where she could see and recognize the smashed Volkswagen van - her first visual experience ever. In the emergency room, she observed from above a body on a metal gurney with two people present, hearing their concerned discussions. Only when she recognized her wedding ring, which she had only known by touch, did she realize it was her own body. Vicki then went up through the ceiling and saw the roof of the hospital and trees. She heard incredible wind chime sounds ranging from lowest to highest tones. She approached an area with trees, birds, and many people made of light. She reported being overwhelmed because she couldn't imagine what light was like before this experience. She was welcomed by five deceased individuals she recognized: two blind schoolmates who had died years earlier (Debby and Diane), two childhood caretakers (Mr. and Mrs. Zilk), and her grandmother. The experience concluded with a forced reentry into her body, which was excruciatingly painful and heavy. She felt very sick upon return. This case is extraordinary because a person blind from birth with an atrophied eyeball, optic nerve, and undeveloped visual cortex was able to see and accurately describe her surroundings during her NDE. |
27 | 38 | Moderate Evidence | 7 | Highly Compatible | Saw emergency room and own body | |
| 5136 | qualitative | Pim van Lommel, Consciousness Beyond Life, HarperOne, Chapter 2, Vicki, Pages 31-34, 2010 |
Vicki was born extremely premature in 1951 at only twenty-two weeks gestation and was immediately placed in a primitive incubator with 100% oxygen. This high oxygen concentration caused complete atrophy of her eyeball and optic nerve, leaving her totally blind from birth. The visual cortex in her brain also failed to develop properly due to receiving no light stimuli. She had never seen anything - no light, no shadows, nothing - and her dreams contained only taste, touch, sound, and smell sensations. In 1973, at age twenty-two, Vicki was hurled from her car in a traffic accident. She suffered a basal skull fracture, severe concussion resulting in coma, fractured neck and back vertebrae, and a broken leg. During this life-threatening crisis, she suddenly found herself above the accident scene where she could see and recognize the smashed Volkswagen van - her first visual experience ever. In the emergency room, she observed from above a body on a metal gurney with two people present, hearing their concerned discussions. Only when she recognized her wedding ring, which she had only known by touch, did she realize it was her own body. Vicki then went up through the ceiling and saw the roof of the hospital and trees. She heard incredible wind chime sounds ranging from lowest to highest tones. She approached an area with trees, birds, and many people made of light. She reported being overwhelmed because she couldn't imagine what light was like before this experience. She was welcomed by five deceased individuals she recognized: two blind schoolmates who had died years earlier (Debby and Diane), two childhood caretakers (Mr. and Mrs. Zilk), and her grandmother. The experience concluded with a forced reentry into her body, which was excruciatingly painful and heavy. She felt very sick upon return. This case is extraordinary because a person blind from birth with an atrophied eyeball, optic nerve, and undeveloped visual cortex was able to see and accurately describe her surroundings during her NDE. |
27 | 38 | Moderate Evidence | 7 | Highly Compatible | Met five deceased individuals | |