| Case Id | Source Type | Record Type | Source Citation | Source Url | Nde Year | Nde Date | Year Nde Submitted | Subject Age At Nde | Subject Gender | Text Summary | Clinical Death Type Id | Medical Setting | Medical Context Score | Veridical Quality Score | Total Score | Classification | Stated Verification Score | Narrative Quality Score | Medical Context Justification | Veridical Quality Justification | Corroboration Justification | Alternatives Justification | Doc Type | Eeg Documented | Cardiac Monitoring | Anesthesia Records | Eyes Taped | Ears Blocked | Deep Anesthesia | Other Barriers | Records Reviewed By | Review Date | Updated At | Observation Count | Corroboration Count | Primary Observation | Primary Obs Verified | Primary Witness | Biblical Compatibility | Tabatt Total Score | |
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| 5001 | qualitative | book | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Nancy, pp. 72-79 | Mindsight Book - Nancy Case - Pages 72-79 - Copyright 2008 | 1991 | 1991-09-30 | 2008 | 41 | F | 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. | 3 | Hospital | 17 | 15 | 54 | Strong Evidence | 22 | Deep anesthesia during surgery, superior vena cava cut causing cardiac crisis, documented in medical records (17 points) | Already blind but saw specific people in hallway at distance with extreme clarity (15 points) | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | Became blind during surgery before NDE | Research team | 8/4/2025 | 2 | 2 | Saw medical team and self on gurney | 0.00 | Leon (lover) | Highly Compatible | 4 | |||||
| 5002 | qualitative | book | 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 | Mindsight Book - Vicki Umipeg Case - Pages 14-17, 26-38 - Copyright 2008 | 1973 | 1973-02-02 | 2008 | 22 | F | 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. | 5 | Hospital | 12 | 25 | 50 | Strong Evidence | 13 | Life-threatening injuries from accident, skull fracture, extensive trauma, year of recovery (12 points) | Blind from birth but multiple specific visual observations plus transcendent visions (25 points) | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Blind from birth - no optic nerve function | 8/4/2025 | 5 | 1 | Saw self and medical team from ceiling | 0.00 | Housemother | Highly Compatible | 9 | ||||||
| 5003 | qualitative | book | 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 | Mindsight Book - Vicki Umipeg 1963 Case - Pages 14, 31-35 - Copyright 2008 | 1963 | 1963-02-12 | 2008 | 12 | F | 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. | 5 | Hospital | 10 | 20 | 38 | Moderate Evidence | 8 | Appendicitis and peritonitis, life-threatening infection (10 points) | First experience of sight while blind from birth, multiple specific details (20 points) | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Blind from birth - no optic nerve function | 8/4/2025 | 2 | 1 | Life review scenes from blind school | 0.00 | Housemother | Highly Compatible | 8 | ||||||
| 5004 | qualitative | book | 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 | Mindsight Book - Cheryl OBE Case - Pages 50-51, 68-69 - Copyright 2008 | 1994 | 2008 | 37 | F | 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. | 6 | Home | 2 | 12 | 20 | Suggestive Evidence | 6 | OBE without medical crisis, spontaneous occurrence at home (2 points) | Accurate distant observation of friend being sick with specific details verified (12 points) | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Blind from birth | 8/4/2025 | 2 | 1 | Saw own body from 10-12 feet above | 0.00 | Pat (friend) | Highly Compatible | 5 | |||||||
| 5005 | qualitative | book | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Claudia OBE, pp. 97-99 | Mindsight Book - Claudia OBE Case - Pages 97-99 - Copyright 2008 | 1996 | 2008 | 40 | F | Claudia, who lost her sight completely by age 5 and never saw well as a child, had an OBE during a rape assault when she was 36. During the attack, she found herself looking down at her body from above. She emphasizes this was not visual in the normal sense - she describes it as "almost like a tactile thing, except that there was no way I could have touched from up there." She believes she was on the lower bunk bed with the top bunk above, which should have blocked any view from the ceiling, yet she could perceive her body below. She described it as clear in that all details were there, but not with the sharp detail she remembers from limited childhood vision. It was "kind of like vision but it's not vision" - seeing without seeing, more like a general awareness or knowing what was happening without actually perceiving it in a way that conforms to ordinary sight. The experience had a tactile quality despite the impossibility of touch from that position. | 5 | Other | 5 | 8 | 13 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Traumatic assault situation but not medically life-threatening (5 points) | Non-visual awareness of body from impossible vantage point, tactile-like perception (8 points) | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Blind since age 5 | 8/4/2025 | 1 | 0 | Non-visual awareness of body during assault | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 3 | ||||||||
| 5006 | qualitative | book | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Frank OBE, pp. 69-71 | Mindsight Book - Frank OBE Case - Pages 69-71 - Copyright 2008 | 1992 | 2008 | 66 | M | 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. | 6 | Home | 2 | 10 | 16 | Suggestive Evidence | 4 | Spontaneous OBE while resting, no medical crisis (2 points) | Saw unknown tie design and color while completely blind, partially verified (10 points) | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Completely blind since 1982, no light perception | 8/4/2025 | 1 | 1 | Saw previously unknown tie design while wearing it | 1.00 | Female friend | Highly Compatible | 4 | |||||||
| 5007 | qualitative | book | Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon. Mindsight: Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind. iUniverse, 2008. Case: Helen OBEs, p. 51 | Mindsight Book - Helen OBE Case - Page 51 - Copyright 2008 | 1974 | 2008 | 45 | F | 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. | 6 | Home | 2 | 8 | 10 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Spontaneous OBEs while resting, no medical crisis (2 points) | Blind from birth but reported clear vision of self and surroundings (8 points) | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Blind from birth | 8/4/2025 | 2 | 0 | First OBE - saw self on bed and outdoor scene | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 3 | ||||||||
| 5008 | qualitative | book | Sjogren, Steve and Hunter, Todd. The Day I Died. Bethany House Publishers, 2006 | The Day I Died - Steve Sjogren - 2006 | 1997 | 2006 | 42 | M | Steve Sjogren underwent routine laparoscopic gallbladder surgery at a suburban Cincinnati hospital in December 1997. During the procedure, the surgeon accidentally pierced his aorta twice while making an incision, causing massive internal bleeding. His blood pressure dropped to 50/30 and his heart stopped for seven minutes. During cardiac arrest, Steve experienced an out-of-body experience, floating toward the ceiling and observing the chaos in the operating room from above. He heard God's audible voice saying "Don't be afraid. You have nothing to fear. It's all going to be okay." He could see medical staff performing chest compressions and observed specific details of the emergency response. A vascular surgeon was called and successfully repaired the aorta. Steve was moved to ICU where he remained aware despite being in a coma. He experienced multiple spiritual encounters including seeing four translucent deceased patients praying for him in a circle around his bed, later confirming their identities and causes of death with staff. An angel appearing as an African American nurse visited him three nights at 2:30 AM, though no such nurse worked at the hospital. After multiple surgeries, infections, and months of recovery, Steve survived but with permanent physical disabilities including nerve damage to his legs. | 1 | Hospital | 30 | 25 | 75 | Exceptional Evidence | 20 | Documented cardiac arrest with flatline for 7 minutes, multiple monitoring equipment present during surgery, ventilator and ICU monitoring | Multiple specific observations including surgical procedures, seeing doctors from ceiling perspective, identifying deceased patients' details, awareness during coma | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | Ventilator tube | 8/4/2025 | 3 | 2 | Observed surgical chaos from ceiling perspective | 1.00 | Medical team, Dr. Hanto | Highly Compatible | 8 | |||||||
| 5009 | qualitative | book | Sabom, Michael. Light and Death. Zondervan, 1998. Chapter 9. Beau. | Light and Death, Chapter 9, Beau, 1998 | 1998 | M |
Beau, a retired grocery store owner, collapsed at home while opening soup. His wife attempted CPR, followed by their son, until EMTs arrived. He was still in ventricular fibrillation when paramedics reached him. One defibrillator shock restored normal rhythm, but he remained unconscious for two weeks due to severe hypoxic brain damage. During his unconscious state, Beau experienced going to hell initially, where he encountered his deceased brother-in-law who had been an alcoholic. He described hell as hot, uncomfortable, and seeming lower down. His brother-in-law appeared to be working there. Guardian angels then appeared - including his uncle, his wife's uncle, and his father's friend - all in spirit form like clouds. They told him a mistake had been made and he was to move up. He then encountered his father who seemed happy and working. They floated above his grandfather's property, seeing cleared fields and a bridge. He met relatives dressed in purple robes with gold glitter on the chest, introducing themselves and shaking hands. The guardian angel told him he had to return for his grandchildren and children. They informed him he would forget everything except two things: that heaven and hell exist, and that the Golden Rule will get a person to heaven. They said he would not be a preacher but an average Christian who could share his experience with believers. Upon awakening in the dark hospital hallway, Beau felt compelled to tell his experience. He called his preacher immediately. Despite being a backslider who had not been an outstanding Christian, he was certain of meeting his deceased relatives and the reality of both heaven and hell. |
2 | Home | 10 | 15 | 28 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Documented cardiac arrest requiring defibrillation, severe hypoxic brain damage, unconscious for two weeks | Specific observations of deceased relatives, detailed descriptions of realms, knowledge of spiritual truths | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Two weeks unconscious | 8/4/2025 | 2 | 0 | Saw deceased brother-in-law in hell | 0.00 | Mixed Compatibility | 8 | ||||||||||
| 5010 | qualitative | book | Sabom, Michael. Light and Death. Zondervan, 1998. Chapter 5/6. Bobby Jean. | Light and Death, Chapter 5/6, Bobby Jean, 1998 | 1998 | F |
Bobby Jean, in her early twenties and caught in a destructive marriage while dealing with her father's death, attempted suicide by taking a massive overdose of sleeping pills. She felt numbness overtaking her body as she lost consciousness. Her experience began with her spirit looking down at her completely stationary body, unable to move or make any sound despite wanting to cry. She knew she had died and felt sad initially. Then the ceiling and roof lifted off the room, opening completely to the sky. A huge figure appeared whom she immediately knew was Jesus - a man in flowing white clothing, very bright, with the most kind and loving look. He spoke to her through his eyes rather than verbally, telling her how much he loved her. She felt love more strongly than ever before and wanted to touch him. When she reached up as far as possible, his arm extended down and his hand took hers. Instantly her spirit re-entered her body and she was able to weep, not sorrowfully but from the overwhelming feeling of love she had never experienced before. She remained in bed for hours afterward, bathed in warmth and love, feeling as if she was being cared for. The experience convinced her that she was able to love and care for her four-year-old son, contrary to what she had believed before. She recovered, divorced, remarried, and had no further suicide attempts in the 32 years since. Her second NDE occurred during hospitalization for carcinoid syndrome when she had an allergic reaction to iodine contrast. She observed her husband praying for hours beside her bed, asking forgiveness and for her return. Despite her deep family attachments, she felt totally indifferent to his suffering while out of body, traveling toward tremendous light and peace. |
5 | Home | 7 | 10 | 20 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Intentional overdose causing loss of consciousness and apparent death | Out-of-body observation of own body, encounter with Jesus figure, physical sensation of hand contact | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/4/2025 | 2 | 0 | Observed own body from above | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 7 | |||||||||||
| 5011 | qualitative | book | Sabom, Michael. Light and Death. Zondervan, 1998. Chapter 4. Brent Morton. | Light and Death, Chapter 4, Brent Morton, 1998 | 1998 | M |
Brent suffered a heart attack and cardiac arrest while cooking sausage at a Boy Scout pancake fundraiser on a Saturday morning. He immediately fell unconscious and was resuscitated by nearby paramedics. His wife accompanied him in the ambulance where she watched an EMT insert a long needle into Brent's heart to revive him. He regained consciousness in the emergency room and was transported to the coronary care unit. About thirty minutes after arrival in the CCU, Brent heard a Code Blue called over the intercom for another patient. Then another Code Blue sounded, and he realized with shock that the team was running into his room. Despite his protests that they had the wrong person, he could not communicate. His mind was working clearly - he was trying to yell "Leave me alone!" and attempting to pull his pants up while they were being removed. He felt them push the resuscitation board under him, experiencing this as a slap-like sensation. After the board was placed, Brent experienced an immediate transition out of his body. All pain and emotional feeling disappeared, replaced by total peace and beauty. From above, he watched a man take the paddles, rub them together, and shock his body. He saw his body jump and lurch but felt nothing. He then had a conversation with a voice about whether he was dead, if they would succeed in saving him, and was told it was his decision. When he chose to return to be with his family and see his children through college, the voice said "Very well then, make it happen." He immediately woke up with all the pain returning, seeing a hairy-faced doctor close to his face saying "We've got him. We've got him." The transition from terror while conscious during the arrest to complete tranquility during the OBE was dramatic and memorable. |
1 | Hospital | 15 | 15 | 40 | Moderate Evidence | 10 | Documented cardiac arrest in CCU with monitoring, resuscitation by medical team | Detailed observation of resuscitation procedures including paddle rubbing and body response to shock | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/4/2025 | 3 | 1 | Felt board being pushed under him before OBE | 1.00 | CCU medical team | Highly Compatible | 6 | ||||||||||
| 5012 | qualitative | book | Sabom, Michael. Light and Death. Zondervan, 1998. Chapter 4. Charlene. | Light and Death, Chapter 4, Charlene, 1998 | 1998 | 50 | F |
Charlene, a 50-year-old medical records librarian, had experienced blackout spells for years despite normal cardiac evaluations. She was fitted with an event monitor to record her heartbeat when triggered. Five days later, she woke at 12:30 AM feeling unwell. She was conscious enough to push the recording button and turn on the light. Sitting on the bedside, she told her husband she was going to pass out. Her heart felt like it was beating 100 miles an hour, her chest felt ready to explode, and she heard whooshing sounds in her ears before losing consciousness. The monitor recorded ventricular tachycardia progressing to ventricular fibrillation. During her unconscious state, she had a dream-like but very real experience. She was lying on the ground in a scene with vivid colors - red Georgia clay, bright blue sky, mirror-like water, green leaves, and bright brown bark on trees. A man in a brown suit with short gray hair stood between her and the water, looking stern and talking though she couldn't hear his words. His lips were moving but no sound reached her. Far away, she heard a man's voice calling "Charlene! Charlene! Come back!" repeatedly. The voice came from beyond the trees, not from the man in brown. She wanted to get up and go to that voice, feeling no fear, just wanting strength to move. She finally opened her eyes to see her husband's face close to hers, still calling her name. She believed she would have died if she hadn't moved toward the voice. She credits the love between her and her husband, combined with God's help, for willing her back to life. The man in the brown suit she identified as definitely being God, though she couldn't hear what he was saying. |
1 | Home | 15 | 12 | 37 | Moderate Evidence | 10 | Documented ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation on event monitor, clear cardiac arrest | Vivid scene details, heard husband calling from distance while unconscious, saw figure identified as God | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/4/2025 | 2 | 1 | Heard husband calling her name | 1.00 | Husband | Highly Compatible | 5 | |||||||||
| 5013 | qualitative | book | Sabom, Michael. Light and Death. Zondervan, 1998. Chapter 2. Darrell Pell. | Light and Death, Chapter 2, Darrell Pell, 1998 | 1994 | 1994-07-31 | 1998 | 34 | M |
Darrell Pell, a 34-year-old grocery store manager awaiting heart transplant, suffered ten cardiac arrests over four days in the cardiac ICU. On Sunday morning July 31, 1994, at 9:50 AM, he went into ventricular tachycardia at 220 beats per minute. Despite being told to relax, he became cold, shivery, and sweaty. After breathing deeply three times through a mask, he lost consciousness while reciting Bible verses including John 3:16 and Psalm 23. Everything became sky blue and he saw faces of loved ones racing by like a panoramic slideshow. Upon finishing the fourth verse of Psalm 23, he found himself at ceiling level with "the Lord Jesus Christ" - a figure with reddish-brown shoulder-length hair and blue t-shirt - whose left arm was wrapped around him. Below, he watched six medical staff shock his body with 360 joules. He observed specific details: Sandy the nurse in pink uniform at his right, the cardiologist and two others in green scrubs around his right leg, one in blue scrubs, and a male nurse in blue at the foot of the bed. He saw the balloon pump insertion procedure but heard only gibberish. During his third arrest, Jesus spoke a single word: "Go." Darrell immediately felt the shock and returned to his body. His first words to his wife Alison were "Don't worry about me. It's not so bad over there." The staff confirmed he quoted Scripture while unconscious. That night, Alison saw a light around Darrell and a figure she identified as Jesus kneeling on the bed with his hand on Darrell's heart. Darrell experienced a complete transformation, becoming deeply religious, joining the Christian Motorcyclists Association, visiting prisons, counseling juvenile delinquents, and working with dying children. He drew a picture of his NDE showing himself and Jesus above the doorway, which coincidentally aligned with the crucifix location in the room. |
1 | Hospital | 25 | 20 | 60 | Strong Evidence | 15 | Ten documented cardiac arrests in ICU with full monitoring, balloon pump insertion, multiple resuscitations | Specific accurate details of staff positions, uniforms, procedures during arrests | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Balloon pump insertion | Dr. Michael Sabom | 1994-08-06 | 8/4/2025 | 4 | 2 | Saw nurse Sandy in pink uniform | 1.00 | Sandy Sherman, Louise Levy, Patricia Aldridge | Highly Compatible | 8 | ||||
| 5014 | qualitative | book | Sabom, Michael. Light and Death. Zondervan, 1998. Chapter 4. Gene. | Light and Death, Chapter 4, Gene, 1998 | 1998 | M |
Gene, a physician, suffered a cardiac arrest in hospital room 314. When the Code Blue was called, CPR was already in progress with his cardiologist friend leading the resuscitation. The cardiologist grabbed the defibrillator paddles and began shocking Gene's heart with maximum 360 joules output. An anesthesiologist provided artificial ventilation while nurses pushed IV cardiac drugs. Gene recalled the early moments as terrifying, which he blocked from his mind. After 15 minutes of full CPR and 10-15 electrical shocks with no response, the code team wanted to stop. However, Gene's cardiologist friend couldn't let him go and sent for a special high-output defibrillator from the electrophysiology lab two floors below. One super-charged 500-joule shock from this device restored normal sinus rhythm. By this time, Gene's pupils were fixed, dilated, and unresponsive - a clinical sign of brain death. During this period, Gene experienced being out in infinity space without a body, like a mind and soul. From a far distance he saw a light and began approaching it, picking up speed as he got closer. The light's intensity was like a beam that grew brighter and brighter, incredibly intense. He felt wonderful - ten times better than anything else, overwhelmingly calm and peaceful. He didn't care which way he went and was tempted to stay. Then he heard his mother's voice (who had died a year earlier) saying "Gene." He recognized two lights - a smaller one like glowing gases off to the side (his mother) and the bright main light he felt was God or a superior being controlling his body or soul. His mother told him "it's not your time to go." When he asked when his time would be, he knew there would be no answers. Everything started going back and he woke up on the respirator. |
1 | Hospital | 20 | 10 | 40 | Moderate Evidence | 10 | Documented cardiac arrest, 15+ minutes CPR, 10-15 shocks, special defibrillator needed, pupils fixed/dilated | Experience of light, deceased mother's voice, sense of God's presence | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Fixed dilated pupils | 8/4/2025 | 1 | 1 | Awareness of resuscitation details | 1.00 | Cardiologist friend, anesthesiologist, nurses | Highly Compatible | 7 | |||||||||
| 5015 | qualitative | book | Sabom, Michael. Light and Death. Zondervan, 1998. Chapter 5. Gloria. | Light and Death, Chapter 5, Gloria, 1998 | 1991 | 1991-04-30 | 1998 | F |
Gloria underwent a seven-hour esophagogastrectomy for squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, with only a 4% five-year survival rate. Her esophagus and stomach were removed and an artificial connection surgically created. During surgery, cancer was found to have spread to her esophageal wall and two lymph nodes, further reducing her survival chances. The surgery began at 9:15 AM on April 30, 1991. In the recovery room immediately after surgery while vital signs were failing, Gloria experienced a white, lovely, iridescent light that was warm and very comforting, like reconciliation. She felt she had crossed over and been close and back again. She felt close to God but didn't see God directly. She experienced reconciliation with God, feeling whole, happy, completed, with joy, harmony, and unity with the universe. She felt like she had suddenly grown up and didn't have to be afraid anymore, like nothing could ever hurt her again. This light experience left her with what she called a powerful gift of faith that sustained her through recovery. She described it as being in a bubble or glass bell of faith where nothing could touch her, being held in the palm of God's hand 24 hours a day. This faith encompassment was deeper than anything and was all of God's grace. She prayed not to lose it and became known as the nurses' star patient who did remarkably well. Gloria survived well beyond medical expectations. Her son and daughter-in-law in Texas, members of an evangelical church that believes strongly in angels and prayer, prayed for her during surgery and believe their prayer helped. Gloria experienced lasting spiritual transformation with deepened intrinsic faith, increased meaning in life centered on her husband and eight grandchildren, enhanced capacity for love and forgiveness, and strengthened family involvement. |
3 | Hospital | 17 | 10 | 30 | Moderate Evidence | 3 | Seven-hour major surgery under general anesthesia, vital signs failing in recovery, high-mortality procedure | Experience of divine light and presence, spiritual insights about reconciliation | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | Dr. Michael Sabom | 1994-05-01 | 8/4/2025 | 2 | 0 | Experienced divine light | 0.00 | Moderately Compatible | 5 | |||||||
| 5016 | qualitative | book | Sabom, Michael. Light and Death. Zondervan, 1998. Chapter 4/6. Greg. | Light and Death, Chapter 4/6, Greg, 1998 | 1969 | 1998 | 35 | M |
Greg, in his mid-thirties, was hospitalized for what he thought was simple indigestion on Labor Day weekend. After two days with normal tests, he was ready for discharge when the crash cart was called to his room at 1:30 PM. Despite feeling fine and checking his monitor leads, the medical team surrounded his bed and pushed him down. He protested that they had the wrong person while the head nurse said "There he goes!" They slid a board under his back and shocked him with electricity that "straightened me out like a pencil." After three shocks while conscious and protesting, Greg suddenly found himself out of his body at the corner ceiling of the hospital room, looking down as a computer analyst trying to figure out how he could be in two places simultaneously. He couldn't see who was in the bed due to the doctors and nurses blocking the view. When one doctor moved to get something from the cart, Greg saw it was himself but felt completely cool and no alarm. He then found himself in a tunnel of light, his analytical mind drinking in the sights. He saw white images moving in diffused white light that he thought were angels, joking with himself that "at least I came to the right place." Despite knowing the seriousness, he was able to think rationally and make decisions, calling on the Lord Jesus Christ. He prayed to return to help his wife raise their three boys, feeling like he was standing naked before the Trinity pleading his case. Greg experienced multiple medical crises over 26 years following his NDE, documented in a four-page medical history with 50 entries including seven catheterizations, three bypass surgeries, and two angioplasties. He credited his faith, strengthened by the NDE, for sustaining him through these ordeals. |
1 | Hospital | 20 | 15 | 45 | Moderate Evidence | 10 | Documented cardiac arrest in hospital with monitoring, multiple shocks while conscious | Detailed observations of resuscitation, conscious cardioversion experience, analytical thinking during OBE | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Conscious during shocks | 8/4/2025 | 3 | 1 | Conscious cardioversion experience | 1.00 | Head nurse, medical team | Highly Compatible | 7 | |||||||
| 5017 | qualitative | book | Sabom, Michael. Light and Death. Zondervan, 1998. Chapter 6/9. Jake. | Light and Death, Chapter 6/9, Jake, 1998 | 1980 | 1998 | 27 | M |
Jake, a 40-year-old wheelchair-bound war veteran with flaccid legs, attempted suicide 13 years earlier when deeply depressed. He drove to the North Georgia mountains and overdosed on 20-30 Quaaludes and several cans of beer. After passing out alone, he experienced being in a place like hell - a valley with scorched earth resembling a Bosch painting. Vapor rose from the ground like steam, with an overcast sky of grayish clouds. He felt awful, depressed, miserable, and unbearable - worse than anything experienced before. He no longer had his body. Demons were giving him a bad time, making fun of him and kicking him. He kept falling down. Chain lightning appeared in the background and God spoke to him not in voice but like a voice saying "You could have had anything you wanted - you threw it away." The sky would light up like heat lightning when God spoke. Jake thought about how he could have been anything but had destroyed it. In desperation, Jake threw himself to his knees and prayed "Forgive me. I want to live. God, please help me." He begged hard and suddenly came to, throwing up the Quaaludes. He believes his spirit left his body and went to a waiting room, insisting this was real, not a nightmare. Despite scoring very low on spiritual questionnaires (3.5 on Spiritual Beliefs, 14 on Hoge's scale), Jake maintains deep belief that God loves him and looks over him. Following this NDE, Jake reattempted suicide twice with Valium but had been drug-free for eight years at the time of interview. He continued using prayer during difficult times, including a hospitalization for foot burns where prayer relieved his fears. Jake firmly believes his prayerful turning to God during his NDE saved his life. |
5 | Other | 5 | 8 | 13 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Intentional overdose of Quaaludes and alcohol causing unconsciousness | Hellish realm with demons, heard God's voice, specific environmental details | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/4/2025 | 2 | 0 | Saw hellish environment | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 8 | |||||||||
| 5018 | qualitative | book | Sabom, Michael. Light and Death. Zondervan, 1998. Chapter 4/8. Lori. | Light and Death, Chapter 4/8, Lori, 1998 | 1998 | 50 | F |
Lori, in her mid-fifties and working as a marketing supervisor, began experiencing grand mal seizures. Initially misdiagnosed with paranoia by a neurologist who called in a psychiatrist, she signed out against medical advice. She went home to fast, pray, and seek God's guidance. Three days later, her general practitioner referred her to a prominent Atlanta neurosurgeon. She immediately felt a childlike peace that this was God's will. A workup revealed a large right temporal lobe meningioma requiring seven hours of surgery. One year before these events, while perfectly healthy, Lori had received a premonition. She was told to "Get your house in order or you will surely die." She and her husband prayed about it but forgot until everything happened. Days before surgery, while on a gurney entering the emergency room, she saw two mighty angels standing at the end of the gurney between it and the doors. They were almost ceiling height, men of light with visible arms, legs, and heads, too blinding to look at directly like sunlight. She told her concerned husband not to be afraid because of the angels' presence. During her cardiac arrest in surgery, she went down a dark corridor like wind, being ushered rather than walking. At the end was a bright light, brighter than any sunlight or star, permeating everything. Her spirit knew it was heaven, glory, paradise, God, everything - life, joy, and peace to the fullest. A barrier prevented her from pushing through though she could see through it. She knew if she stepped over, she could stay in the light forever. Two mighty angels stood in the light holding up their hands, stopping her. Their hands related to the barrier. Without words, there was understanding, and her spirit had to turn around and be ushered back down the dark corridor. She was sad to return but survived. Years earlier during fasting and prayer, she had an out-of-body experience where someone took her through her bedroom window over Chicago's skyline to Lake Michigan's edge, where she saw a terrible pit with spirits crying out hopelessly. |
3 | Hospital | 17 | 12 | 35 | Moderate Evidence | 6 | Seven-hour brain surgery for meningioma, cardiac arrest during procedure, general anesthesia | Saw angels before surgery, detailed tunnel and light experience, barrier preventing entry | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 8/4/2025 | 3 | 1 | Saw angels before surgery | 1.00 | Gerry (husband) | Highly Compatible | 8 | |||||||||
| 5019 | qualitative | book | Sabom, Michael. Light and Death. Zondervan, 1998. Chapter 4/8. Margaret. | Light and Death, Chapter 4/8, Margaret, 1998 | 1998 | 67 | F |
Margaret, 67 years old, was visiting her dying son-in-law with terminal cancer at a large Atlanta hospital. Emotionally and physically drained one night, she left his room and went to the hospital lobby to collect her thoughts. Her daughter followed and found her with her head bowed in her hands as if praying. Margaret suddenly lurched forward fully unconscious on the lobby floor. A Code Blue was called by an alert passerby, and pandemonium erupted. Doctors and nurses flooded the scene, angrily yelling for medical equipment and drugs that weren't immediately available. In the midst of chaos, Margaret was resuscitated and transported unconscious to the coronary care unit. However, she recalled a completely different scene from what was happening around her. During her unconscious state, Margaret experienced being in heaven, which she described as "so pretty." She saw Jesus with beautiful, gorgeous hair - all that hair standing there in long hair and white robes. Angels were all around. She saw children and was looking for her grandmother, who was more precious to her than gold, but couldn't find her. She saw pretty steps and was walking up them, wanting to go further. The Lord was standing on the steps waiting for her but wouldn't let her pass. He said "There's no room now," which upset Margaret as she wanted to stay. She wanted to go into heaven but was prevented. Years earlier, she had experienced two strokes and was told she would never walk again. One night while praying for help, the Lord appeared on her footboard with her room lighting up, saying "Don't worry, everything is going to be all right, my child." She subsequently made a full recovery from the strokes. |
2 | Hospital | 10 | 10 | 26 | Suggestive Evidence | 6 | Cardiac arrest in hospital lobby, Code Blue called, resuscitated, transported to CCU | Saw Jesus and angels, children in heaven, specific visual details | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/4/2025 | 2 | 1 | Saw Jesus in heaven | 0.00 | Daughter | Moderately Compatible | 5 | |||||||||
| 5020 | qualitative | book | Sabom, Michael. Light and Death. Zondervan, 1998. Chapter 6. Rick Bowers. | Light and Death, Chapter 6, Rick Bowers, 1998 | 1981 | 1998 | 55 | M |
Rick, a no-nonsense stockbroker in his mid-fifties, suffered a heart attack in 1981 while reading in his reclining chair at home. He felt tightening in his jaw and a drop of hot lead sensation down his left arm. Paramedics rushed him to Saint Joseph's Hospital CCU where he remained stable throughout the week. On Good Friday at 5 PM, while his cardiologist was explaining Monday's catheterization procedure, Rick experienced a strange feeling through his whole body and couldn't answer the doctor's question. His heart had stopped. The nurse rushed in to check the telemetry leads, which were still attached. A Code Blue was called and Rick's wife Barbara was told to leave. During CPR, Rick drifted into a dream-like state, traveling through a greenish valley with a mountainside on the left. A pale white vision appeared, then his father (who had died in August 1980) appeared in detail, calling out "Red, what are you doing here?" - his father's nickname for him. Other figures began appearing behind his father. Suddenly someone grabbed him from behind and rapidly pulled him backwards. He zoomed out of the scene and heard a nurse yelling "Wake up!" When he came to, Sister Ernestine asked if he believed in prayer. They prayed together with her clasping his left hand to her chest. A cooling sensation started at his fingertips, worked down his arm and through his chest, and the pain was gone. He was immediately taken for catheterization and then surgery. Barbara had been praying continuously since the ambulance ride, asking God for Scripture and guidance. She received assurance that it wasn't his time to die. During Rick's arrest, she believed the agreement of her prayers with Sister Ernestine's saved his life, with their prayers pulling him back from his near-death experience. Both Rick and Barbara attributed his survival to the power of their coordinated prayer. |
1 | Hospital | 22 | 15 | 52 | Strong Evidence | 15 | Documented cardiac arrest in CCU on Good Friday, full monitoring, immediate resuscitation, followed by cath and surgery | Saw deceased father who recognized him by nickname, felt being pulled back, healing through prayer | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Dr. Michael Sabom | 1994-01-01 | 8/4/2025 | 3 | 2 | Saw deceased father | 1.00 | Sister Ernestine | Highly Compatible | 6 | ||||||
| 5021 | qualitative | book | Storm, Howard. My Descent Into Death: A Second Chance at Life. Doubleday, 2005. Howard Storm. Pages 1-245. Copyright 2005 | My Descent Into Death: A Second Chance at Life. Howard Storm. Full Book. Copyright 2005 | 1985 | 1985-06-01 | 2005 | 38 | M |
On June 1, 1985, Howard Storm, a 38-year-old art professor, experienced a perforation in his duodenum while in Paris, France. He collapsed in excruciating pain in his hotel room and was taken to a hospital where he waited ten hours for surgery. During this time, his condition deteriorated to the point where he believed he was dying, having been told that with such a perforation, life expectancy was about five hours. As Storm lay dying in the hospital bed, he suddenly found himself standing beside his bed, looking down at his own body. He felt more alive and aware than ever before, with all his senses heightened to an extraordinary degree. When he tried to communicate with his wife Beverly and roommate Monsieur Fleurin, they could not see or hear him. He then heard voices calling him from the hallway, and followed them into increasing darkness. These beings became increasingly hostile and eventually attacked him viciously in the darkness. They tore at his flesh and tormented him in what he recognized as a hellish realm. In his desperation, a voice from within told him to "Pray to God," and when he called out "Jesus, save me," a brilliant light appeared. The light was Jesus Christ, who rescued Storm from the dark beings and embraced him with overwhelming love. Jesus lifted him up and his torn body was miraculously healed. Storm was then taken on a journey where he met angels and experienced a comprehensive life review, seeing how his actions had affected others. The angels showed him future world events and taught him theological truths. They told him he needed to return to life to love others and share God's love with the world. Storm observed specific details during his out-of-body experience, including the exact appearance of the hospital room, the positions of people, and later experienced multiple angel visitations that were witnessed by medical staff reactions. After his NDE, Storm completely transformed his life, leaving his career as an artist to become a United Church of Christ minister, dedicating his life to sharing his experience and God's love. |
5 | Hospital | 15 | 22 | 55 | Strong Evidence | 18 | Life-threatening perforated duodenum documented, 10-hour delay before surgery, doctors stated 5-hour life expectancy, critically ill for weeks after | Multiple specific observations including seeing his body from outside, heightened sensory details of room, wife and roommate frozen in time, later angel sightings in church ceiling | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/4/2025 | 5 | 3 | Saw his own body in the hospital bed | 1.00 | Dr. Linne, Dr. Grover, American doctors | Highly Compatible | 9 | |||||||
| 5022 | qualitative | book | Wiese, Bill. What Happens When I Die? True Stories of the Afterlife. Charisma House, 2013, pp. 54-56 | What Happens When I Die - Donald Whitaker - 2013 | 2013 | M |
Dr. Donald Whitaker, a PhD specialist in research science, was dying in the hospital from acute hemorrhagic necrotic pancreatitis, a condition with virtually no survival rate. As a successful atheist who had worked his way from Oklahoma welfare to becoming one of the most powerful men in his state, he had always rejected his Christian friend Ron's attempts to share faith with him. As he lay dying, he began to question what if the Christians were right about heaven and hell. During the night, as he began to fade away, he experienced profound darkness that penetrated his very being. He left his body and found himself in a place of untold terror. The darkness was absolute and overwhelming, completely different from the warm, loving experiences others reported. He felt no warmth, no love, only terror, knowing that if he slipped all the way into this darkness, he would never return. He fought all night, desperately waiting for Ron to arrive. The experience transformed this staunch atheist completely. He knew with absolute certainty that he had been heading toward hell, a place he had never believed existed. When Ron finally arrived the next morning, Dr. Whitaker asked him to lead him in prayer to accept Christ. After his conversion, he felt wonderful, describing it as a two-ton weight rolling off his chest. His near-death experience had shown him the reality of the afterlife and the destination awaiting those who reject God. From that point forward, he became a believer and follower of Christ. |
5 | Hospital | 10 | 5 | 18 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Life-threatening pancreatitis documented but no cardiac arrest mentioned | Experience of darkness and terror, left body | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/4/2025 | 1 | 1 | Experienced overwhelming darkness and left body | 0.00 | Ron (friend) | Highly Compatible | 6 | ||||||||||
| 5023 | qualitative | book | Black, Dale. Flight to Heaven. Bethany House, 2010. Referenced in Wiese 2013, pp. 56-58 | Flight to Heaven - Captain Dale Black - 2010 | 2010 | M |
Captain Dale Black, a TWA pilot with over forty years of flying experience, was the sole survivor of a devastating plane crash that should have killed him instantly. His injuries were massive and extensive, requiring thirty-four operations to repair the damage. The medical team considered his survival miraculous given the severity of his trauma. He was pronounced dead at the scene but experienced something extraordinary during that time. During his death, he found himself rapidly approaching a magnificent golden city among resplendent colors, with beauty beyond words. He witnessed a huge gathering of millions of angels and people in worship. The grass was pure and perfect, with colorful wildflowers and a gentle, sweet fragrance permeating everything. Majestic mountains stood in the distance. His experience was like being in a three-dimensional movie multiplied by ten thousand, with his body elevated above ground and moving effortlessly with boundless energy, feeling stronger and healthier than ever before in his life. Music filled the atmosphere everywhere, with worship of God as the heart and focus. He experienced overwhelming peace and automatic understanding when he had questions. He understood that God's Word was the foundation for everything, with God being the heart of heaven, His love, will, and order pervading all. He saw streets of literal gold and was approaching pearlescent gates when he suddenly returned to his body. The EMTs had pronounced him dead instantly at the crash scene. His doctor later verified his medical records, confirming the miraculous nature of his survival. After recovery, he dedicated his life to flying thousands of missionaries and helping others, earning a PhD in business and establishing jet pilot training programs. |
5 | Other | 7 | 10 | 23 | Suggestive Evidence | 6 | Severe trauma from plane crash, pronounced dead at scene | Multiple specific details about heavenly city, overwhelming sensory experiences | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/4/2025 | 3 | 1 | Saw magnificent golden city | 0.00 | EMTs and doctor | Highly Compatible | 8 | ||||||||||
| 5024 | qualitative | book | Robinson, Mickey. Falling to Heaven. Arrow, 2003. Referenced in Wiese 2013, pp. 58-59 | Falling to Heaven - Mickey Robinson - 2003 | 2003 | M |
Mickey Robinson, an expert parachutist and thrill-seeker who spent his life jumping from planes and pursuing dangerous adventures, survived a catastrophic plane crash that left him with third-degree burns over three-quarters of his body. The doctors were certain he would not survive, and he faded in and out of consciousness near death. During this critical time, he stepped out of his broken body and had a profound spiritual experience. He began traveling toward a pure white light, brighter than a thousand suns, his whole being yearning for this brilliance. However, as he moved toward the light, he became aware of something eerie and black hovering behind him. This darkness was more terrifying than evil itself - a total emptiness waiting to penetrate and swallow all that made him alive. He was completely helpless and incapable of saving himself. The experience was more agonizing than being burned alive, knowing that if the darkness swallowed him, he would be imprisoned in an empty world with no windows or doors, crying for help but never being heard in an aloneness that would be final and forever. As the last eclipse of light was disappearing and he faced being consumed by darkness, his spirit screamed out "God, I'm sorry! I want to live! Please give me another chance!" Immediately upon saying these words, he found himself standing in heaven, enfolded by a living, breathing glory. Though he could not see any form, he knew it was a Person of magnificent power, wisdom, splendor, and love. This pure being clothed in perfect light drenched him with love like a flood. He was shown aspects of heaven but did not want to return. God sent him back, and despite numerous operations and the doctors' pessimism, he recovered. He became a Christian and has served God ever since, now having an international speaking ministry. |
5 | Hospital | 7 | 10 | 23 | Suggestive Evidence | 6 | Third-degree burns over 75% of body, near death, doctors expected death | Experienced both darkness/hell and heaven, specific descriptions of both realms | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/4/2025 | 2 | 1 | Saw pure white light and darkness | 0.00 | Medical staff | Highly Compatible | 7 | ||||||||||
| 5025 | qualitative | book | Melvin, B. W. A Land Unknown: Hell's Dominion. Xulon Press, 2005. Referenced in Wiese 2013, pp. 59-61 | A Land Unknown - B. W. Melvin - 2005 | 1980 | 2005 | M |
B. W. Melvin, previously an atheist, was working in extreme heat on the outskirts of Tucson in summer 1980 when temperatures reached 124 degrees. Seeking relief, he took a drink from a cooler in a truck, taking a long guzzle of what seemed warm and slimy. Upon inspection, they discovered the cooler contained green fungus and worm-like creatures swimming in putrid green-brown muck. He became deathly ill with severe agony, vomiting, and high fever that paradoxically made him feel extremely cold. He contracted Vibrio Cholerae, a deadly waterborne illness. Hours later, while unconscious, he found himself sitting in a room watching his entire sixty-year life pass by at incredibly high speed in what appeared to be a video format. As the life review approached his current age, it slowed down. When he regained consciousness on the roadside where paramedics had pulled him from the car, he was momentarily disoriented about his location and age. During his out-of-body experience, he saw himself in a room watching this life review, then encountered a being in white robes whom he recognized as Jesus from holy cards. He was shown hell, experiencing unspeakable horror, putrid stench, intense screams, flames, and extreme heat. He witnessed demons tormenting people in cages and felt the terror of being hopelessly lost forever. The Lord then rescued him from that horrible place. When found by a friend, he suddenly returned to life and was taken to the hospital. The doctor confirmed he had contracted Vibrio Cholerae and had passed the critical stage, considering him lucky to survive. The experience transformed this atheist into a believer in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. |
5 | Hospital | 5 | 5 | 13 | Weak Evidence | 3 | Deadly waterborne illness confirmed by doctor, critical condition | Life review experience, saw hell with specific details | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/4/2025 | 2 | 1 | Life review at high speed | 0.00 | Hospital doctor | Highly Compatible | 8 | |||||||||
| 5026 | qualitative | book | Stone, Perry. Secrets From Beyond the Grave. Charisma House, 2010. Referenced in Wiese 2013, pp. 61-62 | Secrets From Beyond the Grave - Bill Fishel - 2010 | 1974 | 2010 | M |
In 1974, Bill Fishel was dying in a hospital when he experienced a profound near-death experience that would completely transform his spiritual life. As he lay dying, he became aware of moving rapidly through a very dark and dreary tunnel, spiraling downward under the crust of the earth. His immediate thought was confusion about why he was going downward rather than upward toward heaven. As he continued his descent through the darkness, he observed a faint light at the tunnel's end. The light emanated from a large cavern somewhere deep in the earth, accompanied by intense heat. The ground was desolate and hard. People of various ages began appearing - souls and spirits of men and women from around the world who had just died and were drawn to this area before their final confinement. He watched in horror as these people fell headlong into a massive pit while a supernatural being directed them. A second angelic creature was casting people into this immeasurable opening. The canyon contained thousands of smaller pits, all burning with fire, from which arose a mighty chorus of moans and cries. There was depressing darkness above the hole and a strong odor of burning sulfur mixed with the sickening smell of burnt flesh. In his terror, Bill began crying out to God for mercy and help. Meanwhile, in the hospital, doctors and nurses were working to revive him and succeeded. As they brought him back, he felt himself being drawn upward through the tunnel back toward earth's surface. When asked about his spiritual state at the time, he admitted he attended church but wasn't living the life he should have been. After this experience, Bill was so profoundly shaken that he committed to serve the Lord and follow Him for the rest of his life. He remained faithful to this commitment until his death. |
6 | Hospital | 2 | 8 | 10 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Dying in hospital, no specific medical condition mentioned | Detailed observations of hell, multiple specific elements | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/4/2025 | 3 | 0 | Descent through dark tunnel to cavern | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 7 | ||||||||||
| 5027 | qualitative | book | Rawlings, Maurice. To Hell and Back. Referenced in Wiese 2013, pp. 62-64 | To Hell and Back - Ron Reagan - 2013 | 2013 | M |
Ron Reagan, formerly an atheist who had lived a troubled life and kept dangerous company, experienced a dramatic near-death encounter that transformed him completely. During a violent altercation in a store, another man slashed his arm open with a broken bottle, causing him to bleed profusely. As paramedics rushed him to the hospital in an ambulance, he began to leave his body and suddenly the ambulance appeared to explode with light as he entered a supernatural realm. He found himself traveling through a dark tunnel filled with smoke and darkness. Emerging from the tunnel, he began hearing the voices of a multitude of people screaming, groaning, and crying in agony. Looking down, he saw what appeared to be a volcanic opening filled with fire and smoke. He witnessed people burning but not being consumed, experiencing endless torment. Most terrifying was that he began recognizing many of the people in the flames - he could see their features clearly, their frustration and pain evident on their faces. Several of the tormented souls began calling his name, warning him "Ronnie, don't come to this place. If you come here, there's no escape. There's no way out." He recognized one who had been shot in a robbery attempt and bled to death, and others who had died from drug overdoses. The smell was overwhelmingly foul, like sulfur and electric welding, a terrible stench. He was struck most powerfully by the complete loneliness and hopelessness - there was absolutely no hope of escape. Having experienced many terrible things in his life and witnessed horrible sights, he stated this experience literally scared him to death. Shortly after this experience, he accepted the Lord as his Savior and has served as a pastor of a church for many years. |
5 | Ambulance | 5 | 10 | 18 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Bleeding to death from severed artery, in ambulance | Recognized specific deceased individuals who warned him by name | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/4/2025 | 2 | 1 | Recognized specific deceased people | 0.00 | Author met him personally | Highly Compatible | 8 | ||||||||||
| 5028 | qualitative | book | Rawlings, Maurice. Memorial Hospital Chattanooga case. Referenced in Wiese 2013, p. 64 | Maurice Rawlings - Ira Anderson - 2013 | 2013 | 62 | M |
Ira Anderson (pseudonym), a sixty-two-year-old man, was brought to Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga suffering from an acute heart attack. His case was documented by Mary Ann Hickman and assistant head nurse Dotty Gilbert, providing medical professional testimony to the extraordinary events that unfolded. During his cardiac emergency, the medical staff had to physically restrain him as he fought violently against invisible entities he identified as demons. Using his own words, he desperately reported that "demons were coming after me," fighting the medical staff while writhing and kicking at the unseen creatures attacking him. His cardiac arrest rhythm was successfully corrected through electric shock defibrillation, restoring normal heart function. However, even as he regained consciousness and was transferred to the intensive care unit, the demonic harassment continued. The demons appeared to follow him from the emergency room to intensive care, where they pounced on him once again. The medical staff carefully reviewed his records and found no medications that could account for the hallucinatory experience of demonization. This ruled out drug-induced hallucinations as an explanation for what he was experiencing. The nurses and medical staff witnessed his genuine terror and physical struggle against unseen forces. This case occurred during the same week as another similar incident in the same emergency room, suggesting a pattern of spiritual experiences during cardiac events. The medical documentation and multiple professional witnesses make this a particularly credible account of a hellish near-death experience. |
2 | Hospital | 10 | 5 | 25 | Suggestive Evidence | 10 | Acute heart attack, cardiac arrest corrected by defibrillation | Fighting demons, witnessed by medical staff | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/4/2025 | 1 | 1 | Demons attacking patient | 1.00 | Mary Ann Hickman, Dotty Gilbert (assistant head nurse) | Highly Compatible | 4 | |||||||||
| 5029 | qualitative | book | Bennett, Rita. To Heaven and Back. Zondervan, 1997. Referenced in Wiese 2013, pp. 67-68 | To Heaven and Back - Pneumonia Patient - 1997 | 1997 | F |
A woman was dying from severe complications including double pneumonia, a blood clot, internal bleeding, and kidney failure. As medical staff fought for her life, she heard the doctor loudly asking the nurse to check her blood pressure. The nurse's response was chilling: "Zero. Zilch." She realized the medical team was desperately fighting to save her life. In her distress, she questioned God, asking "Why me? Why now?" as she did not want to die. Suddenly she began moving upward and realized her body was below her. She was taken through three heavens by a Being she immediately recognized as Jesus Christ. His eyes were piercing but loving, as clear as blue water. When He looked at her, He looked straight through her and into her, and she realized immediately that He knew everything about her. In a matter of seconds, she found herself before the Most High. She then heard the Father and Son communing about her case. Jesus said, "My blood is sufficient. She's mine." When He spoke those words, all her doubts about her unworthiness instantly disappeared. She was overcome with joy, jumping up and down, shouting and rejoicing. She had never experienced such happiness in her entire life. The kind of love she felt was beyond explanation. She kept exclaiming, "Oh, my God. Oh, my God. This is my Advocate," recognizing Jesus as her advocate just as described in the Bible. Jesus returned to where she was and looked at her again with comforting love. She never wanted to leave His side and told Him so, but a look in His eyes communicated that she had to return. Her return to her body in intensive care was as quick as her departure had been. After recovery, she began work for the Lord with a completely different appreciation for human relationships and love as her primary purpose. |
5 | Hospital | 2 | 5 | 7 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Multiple organ failure, blood pressure zero | Encountered Jesus, heard divine conversation | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/4/2025 | 2 | 0 | Heard medical staff conversation | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 8 | |||||||||||
| 5030 | qualitative | book | Newberry, Jerry. My Journey pamphlet. Referenced in Wiese 2013, pp. 68-69 | My Journey - Jerry Newberry - 2006 | 1946 | 2006 | 15 | M |
Jerry R. Newberry, at age fifteen in 1946, nearly died from acute appendicitis. Following surgery for his life-threatening condition, he experienced a profound near-death experience that would remain vivid in his memory for sixty years before he documented it. After the surgery, the lights above his bed slowly went out and he found himself entering a supernatural realm. A dim haze appeared and he could see a tunnel opening before him. In the distance, he could hear people moaning, groaning, and wailing - a sound that filled him with fear. Two hooded beings appeared, one on either side of him, and he had never heard wailing of such magnitude. The sound was horrible and overwhelming. The smell was equally terrible, like many things burning together. His eyes burned, his nostrils burned, and his lungs burned from the toxic atmosphere. Walking through corridors, he saw countless thousands of people behind huge metal bars, screaming, crying, and calling for water, but no water was given. There was no relief from their torment and misery. The place was unbearably hot with total hopelessness and despair. He saw thousands upon thousands behind massive metal bars. The heat of the flames was intense, with no peace or joy - only misery and eternal death with no end. An angel told him "This was Hell, and it is deep, deep, deep." He felt an inexpressible urge to warn people not to go to that awful place. Then he heard a voice with total command and authority say, "He has to go back," and they made an about-face. When he opened his eyes, his mother and siblings were standing at his bedside. He knew he would never be the same again. The first Sunday he was able, he went to church and gave his heart to Jesus Christ. In 1989, visiting Hawaii's volcano crater, the sulfur smell confirmed his experience from 1946. |
5 | Hospital | 5 | 8 | 16 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Nearly died from appendicitis, post-surgery | Detailed hell description, later confirmed sulfur smell at volcano | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/4/2025 | 3 | 1 | Saw people behind metal bars | 0.00 | Mother and siblings | Highly Compatible | 7 | ||||||||
| 5031 | qualitative | book | Welch, Thomas. Oregon's Amazing Miracle. Acorn House, 2007. Referenced in Wiese 2013, pp. 70-72 | Oregon's Amazing Miracle - Thomas Welch - 2007 | 1924 | 2007 | M |
Thomas Welch experienced one of the most well-documented cases of death and return in 1924 at a sawmill in Bridal Veil, Oregon. He fell thirty feet, landing on his head on a beam, then fell into the water and disappeared from view. The search continued for forty-five minutes to one hour before J. H. Gunderson found his body. He was completely dead as far as this world was concerned, having been underwater for at least forty-five minutes. During this extended time of death, he was alive in another world. He found himself standing near the shoreline of a great ocean of fire, which appeared to be what the Bible describes as "the lake which burns with fire and brimstone." This was the most awesome sight he had ever seen. As far as his eyes could see, it was a burning, turbulent, rolling mass of blue fire. There was nobody in it at that moment. He saw other people whom he had known who had died, and they recognized each other. Their expressions were those of bewilderment and confusion. The scene was so awesome that words failed to describe it adequately. He realized there was no way of escape except by Divine intervention. He said audibly to himself, "If I had known about this I would have done anything that was required of me to escape coming to a place like this." Then he saw another man coming by - he knew immediately it was Jesus, with a strong, kind, compassionate face, master of all He saw. Thomas thought, "If He would only look my way and see me, He could rescue me from this place." Jesus turned His head and looked directly at him. That look was enough - in seconds he was back entering his body. Mrs. Brocke had been praying, "O God, don't take Tom. He is not saved." They saw his eyelids move, tears came, he tried to talk, and more life returned. The men standing around were amazed and happy - they had seen a miracle. At the hospital, they cleaned his head wounds, put many stitches in his scalp, and bandaged seven broken ribs on his left side. |
5 | Other | 10 | 10 | 30 | Moderate Evidence | 10 | Dead 45+ minutes underwater, multiple injuries documented | Saw lake of fire, recognized deceased people, saw Jesus | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/4/2025 | 3 | 2 | Saw great ocean of blue fire | 0.00 | J. H. Gunderson, Mrs. Brocke, other workers | Highly Compatible | 7 | |||||||||
| 5032 | qualitative | book | Wood, Gary L. A Place Called Heaven. Tate Publishing, 2008. Referenced in Wiese 2013, pp. 72-73 | A Place Called Heaven - Dr. Gary L. Wood - 2008 | 2008 | M |
Dr. Gary L. Wood was instantly killed in a catastrophic car accident. There was an explosion followed by sharp, instant pain across his face, then a brilliant light engulfed him and he was free from all pain. He slipped out of his body and could see it below in the car as he ascended through a tunnel of light, feeling tranquil peace. Angels were singing all around him. He found himself walking on green, lush grass covering a hillside, viewing the outer portion of a magnificent city. The city was surrounded by a wonderful wall made of jasper, with a beautiful gate made of solid pearl studded with sapphires, rubies, diamonds, and many other precious gems. Inside a large building that looked like a library with walls of solid gold, his deceased best friend John showed him hundreds of volumes of books containing records of every person's life throughout history - everything done on earth, good or bad, is recorded in these books. He could see the prayers of saints shooting up like arrows toward heaven, with angels receiving them and bringing them into God's throne room, where God would grant requests and dispatch angels to deliver miracles. He stood before Jesus, whose beauty was incomparable to anything he had ever seen. His injuries included broken vertebrae, one of which causes certain death, and mid-face lorinzal injuries meaning his vocal cords and voice box were completely shattered with no hope of ever talking again. Yet he has X-rays showing no vocal cords, but he can talk and sing. When he prayed for healing and dedicated his life to telling the world about God, Jesus appeared in his room and touched his throat. He felt warmth flowing through his body. When the nurse came in and he spoke, she was startled, saying "You can't talk!" Within moments, doctors surrounded him saying he shouldn't be able to speak because he has no vocal cords. He preaches and sings to this day as a living miracle. |
5 | Hospital | 7 | 12 | 25 | Suggestive Evidence | 6 | Fatal injuries including broken vertebrae, shattered voice box | Miraculous healing - speaks without vocal cords, verified by X-rays | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/4/2025 | 3 | 1 | Saw heavenly city and library | 0.00 | Multiple doctors and nurses | Highly Compatible | 8 | ||||||||||
| 5033 | qualitative | book | Sigmund, Richard. A Place Called Heaven. Cleft of the Rock Ministries, 2004. Referenced in Wiese 2013, pp. 74-76 | A Place Called Heaven - Richard Sigmund - 2004 | 1974 | 1974-10-17 | 2004 | M |
Richard Sigmund, known as "Little Richard" as a boy preacher who had preached in meetings with Oral Roberts, Kathryn Kuhlman, and other prominent evangelists, experienced an extraordinary death and resurrection on October 17, 1974. Following a devastating car accident, he was pronounced dead and remained deceased for eight hours before God brought him back to life. During this extended time in death, he experienced heaven in remarkable detail before returning with bones knitting together and scars healing as he sat up. A force drew him up through a glory cloud, and on the other side he could hear people singing. He saw two beautiful women of great age whose countenance appeared as if in their mid-twenties. He witnessed people waiting for loved ones to arrive in heaven, and as they passed through a veil, they immediately became young and beautiful. The environment included beautiful flowers, perfect grass, and enormous trees. Not even one blade of grass would die in heaven. The sky was rosette pinkish in color yet crystal-clear blue, with clouds that were actually thousands of angels. He saw the Lamb's Book of Life and a wall filled with precious jewels. The gates were huge - twenty-five miles high - and along the pathway were many beautiful mansions. People would casually stroll off their verandas and float easily to the ground. He glimpsed Jesus talking with people, loving and hugging them. A little girl who had died of cancer approached him with beautiful blonde hair she had lost during her illness, deliberately messing it up to show her joy in having it restored. Many children displayed abilities far greater than any adult on earth. When they wheeled him to the morgue after eight hours, he could feel his bones knitting together and scars healing while sitting up. A doctor who had pronounced him dead came in insisting he was dead even while he was sitting up talking. Multiple doctors and nurses witnessed him telling the story of where he had been. God also showed him hell with horrific sights. |
5 | Hospital | 10 | 12 | 28 | Suggestive Evidence | 6 | Pronounced dead for 8 hours, beyond clinical death | Miraculous healing witnessed, bones knitting, detailed heaven observations | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/4/2025 | 4 | 1 | Transformation through veil | 0.00 | Multiple doctors and nurses | Highly Compatible | 8 | ||||||||
| 5034 | qualitative | book | Eby, Richard. Caught Up Into Paradise. Fleming H. Revell, 1978. Referenced in Wiese 2013, pp. 79-81 | Caught Up Into Paradise - Dr. Richard Eby - 1978 | 1978 | M |
Dr. Richard Eby, an accomplished physician, experienced death beyond clinical parameters when he fell off a balcony and split his head open. His bloody skull was exposed with the scalp torn down over each ear. His body was already grey-white and blood had quit flowing. His wife checked for pulse and breath, finding neither - he was completely dead. During this time of death, he experienced being taken to paradise by Jesus in the twinkling of an eye. He was instinctively aware that the Lord of Lords was everywhere about this place. His gaze was riveted on an exquisite valley with forests of symmetrical trees, not a brown spot or dead leaf anywhere, and stately grasses. He discovered there was no time lag between thought and act in this realm. Beautiful, melodious, angelic background music filled the atmosphere. When he bent to smell the flowers, he encountered perfume so exotic it defied description. He decided to find his wife to share this unbelievable peace and joy, naturally assuming she must have died also since marriage had made them one. Moving down the path effortlessly, weightless and confident, he heard his wife's distant voice calling "Richard, Richard." As her voice grew louder, the valley grew dimmer and the light went out. He was back on earth where prayers had been answered for his return. His skull had been split apart enough to shift his eye sockets. At noon the surgeon appeared saying, "Don't get false hopes, Doc! There is no way to avoid being a vegetable. Your brain tissue yesterday was jelly where we saw it exposed. You had no blood left, so we couldn't transfuse you. I don't know why you're still here. It beats me." But Jesus had told him he would live, and he miraculously recovered. He went on sharing his testimony and serving God until he went home to be with the Lord in the 1990s. Later he was also given a vision of hell with terrifying isolation. |
5 | Hospital | 10 | 10 | 30 | Moderate Evidence | 10 | Split skull, no blood, brain tissue like jelly, pronounced dead | Paradise experience, miraculous recovery against medical impossibility | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/4/2025 | 3 | 2 | Paradise sensory experience | 0.00 | Wife | Highly Compatible | 7 | ||||||||||
| 5035 | qualitative | book | Hagin, Kenneth E. I Believe in Visions. Rhema Bible Church, 1984. Referenced in Wiese 2013, pp. 81-82 | I Believe in Visions - Kenneth E. Hagin - 1984 | 1984 | 17 | M |
Dr. Kenneth E. Hagin experienced death three times at age seventeen while bedfast with two serious organic heart problems. At fifteen, doctors had given him absolutely no hope of survival. During his death experiences, his heart stopped beating and the spiritual man living in his body departed. He had proof he was actually dead. The experience occurred three times in one evening, each time with him descending to hell and being pulled back. He went down, down, down until the lights of earth faded away. The farther down he went, the blacker it became, the hotter and more stifling. Finally, far below, he could see lights flickering on the walls of the caverns of the damned, caused by the fires of hell. The heat beat him in the face. Coming to the entrance of hell, he sensed that one more foot, one more step, one more yard, and he would be gone forever with no possibility of escape. At the bottom of the pit, he became conscious of a spirit being beside him. The creature laid its hand on his arm to escort him in. At that moment, a voice spoke from far above the blackness, above the earth, above the heavens. When the voice spoke, its words reverberated throughout the region of the damned, shaking it like a leaf in the wind and causing the creature to remove its hand. He began ascending until he reached the top of the pit and saw the lights of earth. This happened three times. The third time, he cried out that he belonged to the church and had been baptized, but realized this was insufficient. As he prayed "O God! I come to You in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I ask You to forgive me of my sins and to cleanse me from all sin," he was born again. Looking at the clock, it was 7:40 PM - twenty minutes before 8 o'clock, the very hour he was born again through God's mercy and his mother's prayers. He felt like a two-ton weight had rolled off his chest. He recovered from his heart condition, founded Rhema Bible Institute, and preached almost daily until going home to the Lord at an old age. |
2 | Home | 10 | 10 | 23 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Heart stopped three times, two serious organic heart problems | Three descents to hell, creature touch, divine voice intervention | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/4/2025 | 3 | 1 | Descent to hell entrance | 0.00 | Mother and family | Highly Compatible | 8 | |||||||||
| 5036 | qualitative | book | Wiese, Bill. What Happens When I Die? Charisma House, 2013, pp. 8-11 | What Happens When I Die - Bill Wiese - 2013 | 2012 | 2012-04-18 | 2013 | 60 | M |
Bill Wiese, the author of this book, experienced a near-death event on April 18, 2012, while driving to Los Angeles airport with his wife at 5:30 AM on the 405 freeway. After taking a vitamin supplement that was 85% nitric oxide (typically given for high blood pressure), his already low blood pressure dropped dangerously. He suddenly felt faint and passed out at the wheel while driving 65 mph in the inside lane of six lanes of heavy traffic. His wife miraculously maneuvered the car across five lanes to safety. Paramedics found his heart beating at only three beats per minute, calling out "Precardiac!" An injection raised it to only thirty beats per minute. The nitric oxide had to be flushed from his system over thirty-six hours in the hospital. During the minute he was unconscious on the roadside, he experienced something profound. He saw himself sitting in a room watching his entire sixty-year life pass by at incredibly high speed in video format, yet he could absorb it all. As the film approached his current age, it began to slow. When he regained consciousness on the roadside with paramedics around him, he was momentarily disoriented about his location and age, having just traveled through all the years of his life. The experience made him acutely aware of life's fragility and that there truly is an afterlife where everything we do is recorded - every second, word, thought, and intent of the heart. This near-death experience reinforced his understanding that God has a sophisticated recording system capturing even thoughts and heart intentions. It caused him to be ever more conscious of his life in every area, knowing we will all give account for every word, thought, and action. |
6 | Ambulance | 2 | 5 | 7 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Heart rate 3 bpm, nitric oxide poisoning | Complete life review at high speed in one minute | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/4/2025 | 1 | 0 | Complete life review | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 6 | ||||||||
| 5037 | qualitative | book | Smith, Near-Death Experiences, Sophia Institute Press, Chapter Introduction, AWARE Study, Pages 13-14, 2024 | Near-Death Experiences AWARE Study Pages 13-14 Copyright 2024 | 2012 | 2024 | 57 | M | A 57-year-old man experienced cardiac arrest and clinical death during the AWARE study. After resuscitation efforts using an automated external defibrillator, he was declared dead but then revived. During his death state, he reported traveling through a tunnel toward an intense light that did not hurt his eyes. He encountered other unrecognized people in the tunnel and emerged to witness a beautiful crystal city with a river of crystal-clear water running through its middle. Many people without distinct faces were washing in the waters, appearing very beautiful. He heard the most beautiful singing that moved him to tears. He also experienced an out-of-body perspective, observing events from an upper corner of the room during his resuscitation. He accurately described people present and specific activities including the use of the defibrillator. Upon return, he stated God had sent him back as it was not his time and he had many things to do. The experience matched biblical descriptions of the heavenly city with its crystal river flowing from God's throne. | 1 | Hospital | 35 | 25 | 80 | Exceptional Evidence | 20 | Documented cardiac arrest with defibrillator use, clinical death confirmed with resuscitation records | Out-of-body observation from room corner with accurate description of resuscitation procedures and defibrillator use | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Dr. Sam Parnia and AWARE study team | 2,012.00 | 8/4/2025 | 2 | 1 | Observed resuscitation from room corner | 1.00 | Medical staff | Highly Compatible | 8 | ||||||
| 5038 | qualitative | book | Smith, Near-Death Experiences, Sophia Institute Press, Chapter 8, Fr. Cedric Pisegna, Pages 112-130, 2024 | Near-Death Experiences Fr. Cedric Pisegna Pages 112-130 Copyright 2024 | 1977 | 2024 | 20 | M | Fr. Cedric Pisegna, then a 20-year-old college student who had fallen away from Catholicism, experienced an out-of-body experience while watching a Red Sox game at his parents' home in Massachusetts. Despite not being near death, he felt himself being pulled through a tunnel-like passageway against his will by a magnetic force. He instinctively knew he was transcending to God. At the tunnel's end, he encountered an overwhelming light more brilliant than the sun, describing it as pure, living luminescent light. He was bathed in this light and experienced God's glory as rhythmic, powerful surges running through him like electricity. He could actually see thick horizontal lines of glory moving upward through him, comparing it to waves through a flag. The experience brought pure bliss, ecstasy, and complete happiness. He stood before God's throne experiencing the beatific vision. The encounter was so powerful it happened twice, confirming its reality. Though he was away from his body for about 30 minutes, the experience led him to become a priest and dedicate his life to sharing this glimpse of eternity. | 6 | Home | 2 | 15 | 17 | Suggestive Evidence | 0 | No medical crisis or life-threatening condition - watching TV at home | Detailed tunnel experience, encounter with divine light and glory, beatific vision described | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/4/2025 | 3 | 0 | Tunnel/passageway experience | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 8 | |||||||||
| 5039 | qualitative | book | Smith, Near-Death Experiences, Sophia Institute Press, Chapter 7, Fr. Jean Derobert, Pages 101-111, 2024 | Near-Death Experiences Fr. Jean Derobert Pages 101-111 Copyright 2024 | 1958 | 2024 | M | Fr. Jean Derobert, a French seminarian and spiritual son of Padre Pio, was executed by firing squad in Algeria by the FLN in 1958 along with five other soldiers. He immediately experienced disembodiment, seeing his bloodied body among dead comrades. He began ascending through a tunnel where he saw many faces transitioning from somber to luminous as he rose. He experienced his glorified body - able to see all around without turning, feeling no wounds, existing outside of time. He visited his parents' home in France and communicated telepathically with Pope Pius XII. He entered a beautiful scenery with soft blue light where he saw thousands of people all appearing about 30 years old, including those who had died at different ages. He saw saints as drops of light, then Mary in full radiance with her ineffable smile, Jesus behind her, and dove into the Father's light experiencing total fulfillment. He was then found alive with bullet holes in clothing but no wounds, which his commander called a miracle. Padre Pio later told him "You really took me for a ride" suggesting he had accompanied the journey. | 5 | Other | 7 | 20 | 37 | Moderate Evidence | 10 | Shot by firing squad, multiple witnesses to execution and survival | Visited parents home and noted furniture change later verified, telepathic communication with Pope, detailed heaven description | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/4/2025 | 5 | 1 | Saw own dead body | 0.00 | Commander Cazelle | Highly Compatible | 8 | |||||||||
| 5040 | qualitative | book | Smith, Near-Death Experiences, Sophia Institute Press, Chapter 9, Fr. Stephen Scheier, Pages 131-150, 2024 | Near-Death Experiences Fr. Stephen Scheier Pages 131-150 Copyright 2024 | 1985 | 1985-10-18 | 2024 | M | Fr. Stephen Scheier, a priest for 12 years, suffered a head-on collision on Highway 96 in Kansas. His scalp was torn off the right side of his head with partial brain shearing, and he suffered a C2 neck break (hangman's break). Given only 15% chance of survival, multiple churches united in prayer. During his unconscious state, he found himself before the judgment seat of Jesus Christ. They reviewed his entire life with Fr. Stephen agreeing "Yes" to every accusation. Jesus pronounced his sentence as Hell, which Fr. Stephen accepted as just. Then he heard Mary's voice interceding: "Son, will You please spare his life and eternal soul?" Jesus initially resisted, saying the priest had served himself not Christ for 12 years. Mary persisted, asking for special graces to see if he would bear fruit. Jesus relented saying "Mother, he's yours." Fr. Stephen recovered miraculously, wore a halo brace for 5 months, and transformed into a devoted priest. The experience manifested later when a Gospel reading about the fig tree given another chance literally flew off the page at him during Mass, confirming his second chance. | 5 | Hospital | 10 | 18 | 43 | Moderate Evidence | 15 | Severe documented injuries - C2 break, brain damage, 15% survival chance, extended hospitalization | Detailed judgment scene, dialogue between Jesus and Mary, Gospel page manifestation witnessed | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Halo brace for 5 months | 8/5/2025 | 3 | 1 | Life review with Jesus | 0.00 | Hospital medical team | Highly Compatible | 8 | |||||||
| 5041 | qualitative | book | Smith, Near-Death Experiences, Sophia Institute Press, Chapter 1, Jonah, Pages 17-29, 2024 | Near-Death Experiences Jonah Pages 17-29 Copyright 2024 | 2024 | M | Jonah, fleeing from God's command to preach to Nineveh, was thrown overboard during a storm and swallowed by a great fish. He died and descended to Sheol, the realm of the dead, for three days. From the belly of Sheol he cried out to God, describing being cast into the deep with waters closing over him, weeds wrapped around his head at the roots of mountains. He went down to the land whose bars closed upon him forever - a clear description of death and the underworld. God brought his life up from the Pit after three days. When the fish vomited him onto shore, God said "Arise" - the same word used for resurrection. This death and resurrection after three days became the "Sign of Jonah" that Jesus referenced as prefiguring His own death and resurrection. Ancient tradition holds this was Jonah's second resurrection, having been previously raised by Elijah as the widow's son. After rising, Jonah's preaching converted all of Nineveh. His NDE involved consciousness in Sheol with awareness of separation from God but maintaining faith and hope. | 5 | Other | 5 | 8 | 13 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Death by drowning, three days dead as per ancient understanding | Description of Sheol/underworld, consciousness after death maintained | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 2 | 0 | Experience of Sheol | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 5 | |||||||||||
| 5042 | qualitative | book | Smith, Near-Death Experiences, Sophia Institute Press, Chapter 10, Kevin Wells, Pages 151-166, 2024 | Near-Death Experiences Kevin Wells Pages 151-166 Copyright 2024 | 2024 | M | Kevin Wells, nephew of murdered Msgr. Thomas Wells, suffered a brain aneurysm that hemorrhaged for a week. The pressure split his skull with unbearable pain. Multiple shunt attempts failed, and deep brain surgery to reach the arteriovenous malformation also failed. Doctors gave him only days to live. Hospital chaplain Fr. Bill detected demonic oppression in the room. Kevin's wife held a consecrated Host over him while praying. When given Last Rites by Fr. Stack (Msgr. Wells's best friend), Kevin unconsciously asked for his uncle Tommy to intercede. Fr. Stack called on his deceased friend and suddenly a benevolent fire filled the room with lights everywhere. Fr. Stack felt the whole heavenly court surrounding the bed with overwhelming warmth. Assistant Mary Pat felt powerful pleasant pulsing through her body. Kevin experienced sustained palpable warmth in chest and abdomen. The next day's angiogram showed the AVM had completely vanished - all errant blood flow stopped and trapped fluids disappeared. Two friends witnessed Kevin point to corner saying "Look, it's the Lady of Guadalupe." Complete miraculous healing followed. | 5 | Hospital | 12 | 10 | 40 | Moderate Evidence | 18 | Week-long brain hemorrhage, failed surgery, documented AVM that vanished | Heavenly visitation witnessed by priest and assistant, miraculous healing verified | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | Neurosurgical team | 8/5/2025 | 2 | 2 | Heavenly court visitation | 1.00 | Fr. Stack, Mary Pat Donoghue | Highly Compatible | 7 | |||||||||
| 5043 | qualitative | book | Smith, Near-Death Experiences, Sophia Institute Press, Chapter 6, Monk Peter, Pages 84-86, 2024 | Near-Death Experiences Monk Peter Pages 84-86 Copyright 2024 | 2024 | M | Monk Peter lived in a monastery founded by Pope St. Gregory the Great. He was struck dead by an unknown sickness and found himself surrounded by the torments and innumerable places of Hell. He saw many mighty men of the world hanging in flames. As his soul was being carried down to be thrown into the same fire, just as he felt the first flames, an angel in beautiful attire plucked him from the pit. The angel told him to go back and carefully look unto himself regarding how he leads his life. Peter returned to life as his body gradually became warm. The experience transformed him completely - he became a hermit in the desert of Evasa, binding himself to fasting, watching, and silent prayer. His life thereafter spoke to the torments he had seen and feared. Gregory wrote that God's providence worked in his temporary death so that he would not die everlastingly. The angel's message to examine his life represents the singular message of every NDE. | 6 | Unknown | 7 | 10 | 23 | Suggestive Evidence | 6 | Struck dead by unknown sickness, body became cold then gradually warmed | Detailed vision of Hell with mighty men in flames, angelic rescue | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 2 | 1 | Vision of Hell | 0.00 | Fellow monks | Highly Compatible | 8 | ||||||||||
| 5044 | qualitative | book | Smith, Near-Death Experiences, Sophia Institute Press, Chapter 2, St. Paul, Pages 30-42, 2024 | Near-Death Experiences St. Paul Pages 30-42 Copyright 2024 | 2024 | M | St. Paul was stoned to death at Lystra by Jews from Antioch and Iconium. They stoned him inside the city according to formal execution procedures, then dragged his lifeless body outside supposing he was dead. The disciples gathered around him in prayer and he rose up, entering the city the next day. This was the only biblical account of surviving stoning. Fourteen years before writing 2 Corinthians, Paul was caught up to the third heaven and Paradise, whether in or out of body he knew not. He heard things that cannot be told which man may not utter. He experienced being beside himself with abundance of revelations. The timing suggests this occurred during the stoning at Lystra. Paul describes himself as often near death, beaten, stoned, shipwrecked. The phrase "rose up" used for his recovery parallels the resurrection language used for Jairus's daughter. His experience of Paradise gave him a thorn in the flesh to prevent pride. He became the apostle to the Gentiles with numerous missionary journeys following this event. | 5 | Other | 10 | 12 | 32 | Moderate Evidence | 10 | Formal execution by stoning, dragged out as dead, disciples prayed | Caught up to third heaven/Paradise, heard unspeakable things, out of body experience | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 2 | 1 | Third Heaven/Paradise | 0.00 | Disciples | Highly Compatible | 7 | ||||||||||
| 5045 | qualitative | book | Smith, Near-Death Experiences, Sophia Institute Press, Chapter 4, St. Teresa of Avila, Pages 46-70, 2024 | Near-Death Experiences St. Teresa of Avila Pages 46-70 Copyright 2024 | 1537 | 1537-08-15 | 2024 | 22 | F | St. Teresa of Ávila at age 22 suffered a seizure on the Feast of the Assumption and remained unconscious for four days. Her Carmelite sisters prepared her grave, performed funeral rites, and covered her eyes with wax. Her father alone refused burial, claiming to feel a faint pulse. Upon awakening, she asked "Why did you call me back?" and spoke of seeing Hell, Heaven, and Purgatory. She saw Hell as a long narrow passage like a furnace with filthy mud and wicked reptiles, experiencing fire within her soul. She was shown this would have been her fate without conversion. She mentioned future convents and foundations to save souls. She remained paralyzed for nine months, unable to move except one finger, until healed through St. Joseph's intercession on Easter. Later she experienced the transverberation - an angel pierced her heart with a golden spear of divine love. Her incorrupt heart still shows this wound today. She also received visions of Heaven with light that knows no night and the glorified beauty of Christ that no imagination could conceive. | 6 | Other | 15 | 20 | 55 | Strong Evidence | 20 | Dead 4 days, funeral preparations made, wax on eyes, complete paralysis 9 months | Detailed Heaven and Hell visions, predicted future convents, transverberation wound verified | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Funeral preparations | Francisco de Ribera | 1,590.00 | 8/5/2025 | 3 | 2 | Vision of Hell | 0.00 | Carmelite sisters, Don Alonso (father) | Highly Compatible | 8 | ||||
| 5046 | qualitative | book | Smith, Near-Death Experiences, Sophia Institute Press, Chapter 5, St. Therese of Lisieux, Pages 71-81, 2024 | Near-Death Experiences St. Therese of Lisieux Pages 71-81 Copyright 2024 | 1883 | 1883-05-13 | 2024 | 10 | F | St. Thérèse of Lisieux at age 10 fell mysteriously ill after her sister Pauline entered Carmel. The illness began with constant headaches, then intensified to shivering, convulsions, hallucinations, and lack of appetite for seven months. Doctors including psychiatrist Dr. Fouqueray were baffled. She experienced terrifying visions with objects transforming into frightening shapes - her father's hat became something horrible. Her sister Marie testified to chills-inducing cries of distress and indescribable terror in her eyes. On Pentecost Sunday May 13, 1883, during a novena to Our Lady of Victories, Thérèse could not recognize her sisters. As they knelt praying before a statue of Mary, the statue suddenly came alive and grew beautiful with divine beauty. Mary smiled at her with ineffable sweetness and compassion. The vision lasted over 40 minutes. Thérèse was instantly and completely cured. She later said Mary's smile brought such warmth it carried her to entering Carmel. This miraculous cure gave Mary the title "Our Lady of the Smile." | 6 | Home | 8 | 12 | 35 | Moderate Evidence | 15 | Seven months mysterious illness, multiple doctors baffled, complete cure | Statue came alive, Mary smiled, 40-minute vision, instant healing | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Dr. Marie-Dominique Fouqueray | 8/5/2025 | 2 | 2 | Statue transformation | 1.00 | Marie, Léonie, Céline (sisters) | Highly Compatible | 6 | ||||||
| 5047 | qualitative | book | Smith, Near-Death Experiences, Sophia Institute Press, Chapter 6, Stephen Not the Smith, Pages 86-88, 2024 | Near-Death Experiences Stephen Not the Smith Pages 86-88 Copyright 2024 | 2024 | M | Stephen was traveling on business to Constantinople when he fell sick and died. With no surgeon available to embalm him, he lay dead all day and night. His soul was carried down into the dungeons of Hell where he saw many things he had heard about but little believed. He waited upon a hellish judge/bureaucrat who eventually admitted Hell had made an error - they wanted "Stephen the Smith" not this Stephen. He was immediately restored to life. Stephen the Smith in Constantinople died at that very hour. Despite seeing Hell's torments, Stephen failed to amend his life. He returned to Rome and died about three years later in a plague described as "arrows from heaven." Pope Gregory notes this as an example of someone who saw Hell but did not profit from the warning. Later during the soldier's NDE, Stephen was seen attempting to cross the bridge to Heaven but slipped, with demons pulling him down while angels pulled him up, his eternal fate left unknown. | 6 | Other | 5 | 8 | 13 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Died from unknown illness, lay dead day and night without embalming | Detailed Hell visit, bureaucratic error, saw specific torments | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 2 | 0 | Hell's dungeons | 0.00 | Low Compatibility | 6 | |||||||||||
| 5048 | qualitative | book | Smith, Near-Death Experiences, Sophia Institute Press, Chapter 6, The Soldier, Pages 88-95, 2024 | Near-Death Experiences The Soldier Pages 88-95 Copyright 2024 | 2024 | M | A soldier died in a mysterious plague that Pope Gregory described as "arrows from heaven" striking people. He experienced being carried out of his body, lying void of sense. He saw a bridge over a black smoky river with intolerable smell. Beyond lay green meadows with sweet flowers and companies of men in white like armies. He saw shining mansions, one especially magnificent with golden bricks being built by those he had helped in life. Near the river some houses were touched by stinking vapors, others not. The bridge was a trial - the wicked fell into the dark river while the just passed securely to pleasant places. He saw Peter (Gregory's steward) bound in iron in a filthy place as punishment for cruelty. He saw a priest cross safely. He witnessed Stephen attempting to cross but slipping, with demons pulling him down and angels pulling him up, the outcome unknown when the soldier returned to life. Gregory interpreted the bridge as the narrow path to life, the river as worldly corruption, and the vapors as carnal sins affecting even good works. | 6 | Unknown | 5 | 15 | 23 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Died in mysterious plague, carried out of body | Detailed otherworld geography, recognized specific people, golden mansion construction | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 4 | 0 | Bridge trial scene | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 7 | |||||||||||
| 5049 | qualitative | book | Parr, The Girl Who Visited Heaven, Grapevine Books, Chapter 14, Anthony Chipoletti, Pages 135-139, 2024 | The Girl Who Visited Heaven - Anthony Chipoletti - Chapter 14 - Pages 135-139 - 2024 | 1945 | 2024 | 7 | M |
Anthony Chipoletti, aged seven, underwent a routine tonsillectomy in 1945 under ether anesthesia. Several days post-surgery, he experienced severe bleeding complications while being driven to the hospital. During this medical crisis, he lost consciousness and had a profound near-death experience. In his NDE state, Anthony encountered his deceased Uncle Neil, who had been killed two years earlier in World War II when a bomber crashed into his barracks in Great Britain. The uncle appeared to Anthony and communicated telepathically, passing on extensive knowledge about the future. This included information about cures for mental and physical illnesses and the remarkable prediction that humans would one day walk on the moon - an event that would not occur for another 24 years. The experience had lasting effects on Anthony's cognitive abilities. Following his NDE, he demonstrated exceptional scientific knowledge, particularly in chemistry, without any formal education in the subject. His understanding was so advanced that in high school, his chemistry teacher allowed him to teach the class. He also developed psychic sensitivities that persisted into adulthood, including spontaneous awareness of distant tragic events. Anthony kept this experience secret for decades at his father's request, only sharing it publicly in the 1990s when he met NDE researcher PMH Atwater. The transformative nature of his childhood NDE influenced his entire life trajectory, leading him to become an engineer and later an author exploring consciousness and spiritual themes. |
5 | Hospital | 5 | 8 | 16 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Post-surgical bleeding from tonsillectomy, loss of consciousness | Encountered deceased uncle, received future knowledge including moon landing prediction | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 8/5/2025 | 1 | 1 | Received future knowledge from deceased uncle | 1.00 | Father | Highly Compatible | 5 | ||||||||
| 5050 | qualitative | book | Parr, The Girl Who Visited Heaven, Grapevine Books, Chapter 15, Rev. Bill McDonald, Pages 140-152, 2024 | The Girl Who Visited Heaven - Rev. Bill McDonald - Chapter 15 - Pages 140-152 - 2024 | 1953 | 2024 | 8 | M |
Bill McDonald, age eight, was hospitalized for a year at San Jose County Hospital with severe complications from mumps, including lung infection and kidney disease. Isolated from his family with only brief Sunday visits, he spent his first night in critical condition after doctors drained fluid from his lungs and essentially gave up on him. That first night, Bill suddenly felt all pain disappear and found himself floating above his body, observing his physical form below. He was enveloped in brilliant light and experienced what he described as the embrace of a million loving grandmothers - profound, indescribable love and bliss. Unlike typical adult NDEs with life reviews, Bill was shown his entire future in chronological order on a panoramic screen. He saw his future wife at age 14 (whom he later married and remains married to), witnessed President Kennedy's assassination in Dallas (which he warned people about a week before it happened in 1963), saw himself in Vietnam on Huey helicopters in combat, and glimpsed his future children, homes, and career as a scuba instructor. The verified predictions were remarkable - he accurately foresaw JFK's assassination including multiple shooters contrary to official accounts, specific helicopter crashes in Vietnam that he tried unsuccessfully to prevent, and meeting his future wife in high school. During his year-long recovery, Bill developed meditation and energy healing techniques, later discovering these matched ancient Tibetan practices. He used these abilities to heal the family dog after it was hit by a car. Bill kept his experience secret for decades until his fifties, when he began sharing it publicly. The NDE fundamentally transformed his understanding of love as the ultimate healing force and shaped his entire life path as a spiritual teacher and healer. |
5 | Hospital | 7 | 15 | 22 | Suggestive Evidence | 0 | Critical condition with lung and kidney disease, year-long hospitalization | Extensive verified precognitive visions including JFK assassination, Vietnam War events, future wife | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 3 | 0 | Saw body from above | 0.00 | Moderately Compatible | 7 | |||||||||
| 5051 | qualitative | book | Parr, The Girl Who Visited Heaven, Grapevine Books, Chapter 8, Dr. Brian Sackett, Pages 108-111, 2024 | The Girl Who Visited Heaven - Dr. Brian Sackett - Chapter 8 - Pages 108-111 - 2024 | 1941 | 2024 | 3 | M |
Brian Sackett was three and a half years old when he fell from a moving car traveling at 60 mph on a Wisconsin highway. The family's Nash Rambler had front-opening back doors, and while playing with his brother in the backseat, Brian accidentally hit the door handle. The door flew open and he was sucked out by the wind, landing on his head on the gravel shoulder. A trucker driving behind witnessed the accident, seeing Brian fly out and land head-first. The trucker stopped and was holding the unconscious, bleeding child when the parents returned. Brian remained unconscious during the 30-mile drive to the nearest town for medical help, where he received ten stitches for his scalp wound. Decades later, through hypnotic regression therapy at age 40, Brian recovered memories of the incident. He recalled experiencing a very bright light upon regaining consciousness - both an external light from the nurse in white and a white porcelain bowl, and an internal spiritual light. Within this spiritual light, he sensed the presence of a wise being. The experience left him with lasting trauma, both physical (feeling like breathing through cut glass) and emotional (feeling unloved when his mother didn't comfort him during recovery). The NDE profoundly impacted Brian's life, leading to a lifelong yearning to understand what happened spiritually. It took years of therapy to work through the belief that neither his mother nor God loved him, stemming from the lack of comfort during his recovery. He eventually became a clinical psychologist specializing in trauma, spiritual emergence, and transpersonal psychology. |
5 | Other | 5 | 5 | 16 | Suggestive Evidence | 6 | Head trauma from 60mph fall, unconscious, scalp wound requiring stitches | Experienced bright spiritual light with wise being presence | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 1 | 1 | Saw bright spiritual light | 0.00 | Trucker | Highly Compatible | 5 | ||||||||
| 5052 | qualitative | book | Parr, The Girl Who Visited Heaven, Grapevine Books, Chapter 6, Ingrid Honkala, Pages 90-100, 2024 | The Girl Who Visited Heaven - Ingrid Honkala - Chapter 6 - Pages 90-100 - 2024 | 1975 | 2024 | 2 | F |
Ingrid Honkala drowned at age two in a large water tank in her backyard in Colombia while playing with her three-year-old sister. The housemaid was in her room listening to radio, unaware of the accident. After falling in and sinking, Ingrid saw a bright light at the bottom of the water and experienced immediate calm. She left her body and began an extraordinary out-of-body journey. During her OBE, Ingrid telepathically contacted her mother who was walking to catch a bus 10 minutes away. Her mother immediately sensed something was wrong with one of her children and ran home, going directly to the tank where she found Ingrid and performed CPR. Ingrid observed this from outside her body, also visiting the maid's room and various locations, experiencing teleportation and a profound oneness with everything. The transformation following her NDE was remarkable. Before age three, she could read, write, solve complex math problems, complete difficult puzzles, and paint. She developed ongoing communication with "beings of light" who became her guides, experienced frequent OBEs, saw spirits, and had precognitive visions by age four. Her previously poor health improved dramatically overnight. She initially rejected her identity, calling herself "Jeff" and crying when seeing her reflection. Ingrid grew up to become a marine biologist, oceanographer, and NASA scientist. She credits her genius-level abilities and career path to her NDE at age two. Her mother validated her experiences with the beings of light, revealing she also had psychic abilities. The beings told Ingrid her NDE happened young so she could remember but wasn't yet culturally conditioned. |
2 | Home | 10 | 12 | 32 | Moderate Evidence | 10 | Drowning in water tank, mother performed CPR resuscitation | Telepathically contacted mother 10 minutes away who immediately returned home | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 3 | 1 | Telepathic contact with mother | 1.00 | Mother | Mixed Compatibility | 8 | ||||||||
| 5053 | qualitative | book | Parr, The Girl Who Visited Heaven, Grapevine Books, Chapter 7, Jacob Cooper, Pages 101-107, 2024 | The Girl Who Visited Heaven - Jacob Cooper - Chapter 7 - Pages 101-107 - 2024 | 1993 | 2024 | 3 | M |
Jacob Cooper was three years old when he had a near-death experience while playing at a playground. Unknown to anyone, he had contracted pertussis (whooping cough), a potentially fatal condition for young children. At the top of a slide ladder, his breathing suddenly stopped completely and his body shut down. Jacob experienced what he described as a gigantic crack like thunder, feeling his brain split in two as his consciousness separated from his physical form. He surrendered to what he called the breath of eternity and crossed to the other side, experiencing euphoric sensations he compared to an endless roller coaster ride. He encountered an endless sea of youthful, childlike angels floating peacefully and sending unconditional love and healing energy. Remarkably for a three-year-old, Jacob experienced a life review that included not just his brief current life but also memories of past lives. He specifically recalled a previous lifetime where he had ended his own life, and his NDE represented an opportunity to transform that pattern through surrender rather than struggle. He was given the choice to stay or return, and after being shown visions of himself helping many people as a healer, he chose to come back. The experience profoundly shaped Jacob's life path. He approached his father immediately after, saying something significant had happened that would make sense later. He developed heightened spiritual awareness and eventually became a clinical social worker and past-life regression therapist, fulfilling the vision shown during his NDE of helping transform lives through spiritual healing. |
5 | Other | 5 | 10 | 15 | Suggestive Evidence | 0 | Suffocation from whooping cough, complete breathing cessation | Life review at age 3, past life memories, future vision of helping others | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 2 | 0 | Saw endless sea of angels | 0.00 | Low Compatibility | 9 | |||||||||
| 5054 | qualitative | book | Parr, The Girl Who Visited Heaven, Grapevine Books, Chapters 1-5, Kristle Merzlock, Pages 51-89, 2024 | The Girl Who Visited Heaven - Kristle Merzlock - Chapters 1-5 - Pages 51-89 - 2024 | 1982 | 1982-03-13 | 2024 | 7 | F |
Kristle Merzlock, age seven, drowned in a YMCA swimming pool in Pocatello, Idaho on March 13, 1982, becoming the first medically documented childhood NDE case. Pushed into the deep end during a birthday party, she was underwater for approximately 20 minutes with no vital signs. Dr. Melvin Morse resuscitated her using nasal intubation and other emergency procedures. She remained comatose for three days with massive brain swelling and was given little chance of survival. During her NDE, Kristle traveled through a tunnel with brightly colored, translucent brick walls toward a brilliant light. Her guardian angel Elizabeth appeared, helped her stand, and guided her to heaven. There she encountered deceased relatives including her recently deceased Aunt Pat and grandfather Paul, plus two young girls named Heather and Melissa who said they would soon be born. She met Jesus Christ, who held her on his lap with love, and the Heavenly Father, described as an older man with white hair and beard. Given the choice to stay or return, she chose to return for her mother after being told she must obey her parents to earn entry to heaven next time. Kristle made a miraculous full recovery within seven days, surprising all medical staff. She accurately described details of her resuscitation including the bearded Dr. Morse, her nasal intubation (unusual procedure), being moved from a big room to a smaller one for X-rays, and hearing Morse's phone consultation with Seattle Children's Hospital - all while supposedly unconscious. Her case inspired Dr. Morse to conduct the first scientific study of childhood NDEs. The experience transformed Kristle's life, eventually leading her to become a clinical social worker. She made numerous media appearances with Dr. Morse, including Oprah and Phil Donahue shows, helping establish childhood NDEs as a legitimate phenomenon. |
2 | Hospital | 10 | 10 | 35 | Moderate Evidence | 15 | Documented cardiac arrest from drowning, 20 minutes underwater, comatose 3 days | Accurate recall of nasal intubation, room changes, medical procedures while comatose | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Dr. Melvin Morse | 1983-01-01 | 8/5/2025 | 2 | 2 | Saw Dr. Morse with beard and nasal intubation | 1.00 | Dr. Morse, ICU nurses, medical team | Highly Compatible | 7 | |||||
| 5055 | qualitative | book | Parr, The Girl Who Visited Heaven, Grapevine Books, Chapter 13, Loreli Drache, Pages 127-131, 2024 | The Girl Who Visited Heaven - Loreli Drache - Chapter 13 - Pages 127-131 - 2024 | 1977 | 2024 | 7 | F |
Loreli Drache was seven years old when she drowned in a deep pond created from a flooded quarry on her family's Wisconsin farm. While on a pier gazing at the sunset reflecting on the water, she felt drawn into the water and fell in after her aunt left to check on others. She sank feet-first, screaming underwater and watching her air escape as bubbles. Upon accepting death, Loreli experienced profound peace as her consciousness separated from her body. From above, she could perceive not only her drowning body but also read the thoughts and feelings of her family members discovering her situation. She knew her brother's dilemma about swimming versus running for help, her uncle's shock and blame toward her aunt, and her aunt's desperate calculations about rescuing her despite not knowing how to swim. She found their panic humorous from her peaceful vantage point. Rising higher, Loreli could see for miles and checked on her mother's consciousness at home, finding her cooking and wondering when they would return. She then found herself in a misty, cloud-like realm with a guide presence to her left. She saw a massive archway of brilliant white light transitioning to amber, containing a being she argued with "for eons" about returning. A deep, authoritative male voice finally commanded: "You must go back. You have more to do." After rescue, Loreli didn't speak for a day and felt disconnected from her body for about a year. She developed heightened psychic sensitivity, prophetic dreams, and could sense when people were about to die (appearing waxy to her). She predicted her children's souls and genders up to a year before conception. Her mother advocated for her experiences. Loreli now manages IANDS groups and works as a Reiki master and "remembrance guide." |
2 | Other | 10 | 10 | 26 | Suggestive Evidence | 6 | Drowning in 30-foot quarry pond, rescued by family | Perceived family members' thoughts and locations accurately while OOB | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 3 | 1 | Knew family members' thoughts | 0.00 | Brother, uncle, aunt | Mixed Compatibility | 8 | ||||||||
| 5056 | qualitative | book | Parr, The Girl Who Visited Heaven, Grapevine Books, Chapter 9, Mark Anthony, Pages 112-117, 2024 | The Girl Who Visited Heaven - Mark Anthony - Chapter 9 - Pages 112-117 - 2024 | 1963 | 2024 | 4 | M |
Mark Anthony was four years old when he experienced cardiopulmonary failure and had a profound near-death experience. Born into a family of mediums with a lineage of psychic abilities, Mark had already begun seeing spirits at age three and a half. During his cardiac arrest, his electromagnetic soul left his body and journeyed into the light. In the light, Mark encountered what he describes as light beings and experienced an overwhelming presence of Infinite Love and Wisdom that transcended any human concept of God. The experience was so profound that even the word "God" felt too limiting to describe what he encountered. This divine presence emanated unconditional love and universal wisdom that fundamentally transformed his understanding of existence. Following his NDE, Mark developed his electromagnetic soul theory to explain spiritual phenomena through quantum physics. He theorizes that consciousness is eternal electromagnetic energy vibrating at high frequencies, and that NDEs occur when this electromagnetic soul transitions from lower frequency physical reality (AM radio) to higher frequency spiritual reality (FM radio) in what he calls the NDE Zone. His childhood experience, uncolored by religious indoctrination, revealed pure consciousness without cultural overlays. Mark became a renowned medium, afterlife researcher, and Oxford-educated attorney. He has written multiple books including "The Afterlife Frequency," appeared on major media platforms, and co-hosts "The Psychic and The Doc" radio show. His childhood NDE provided the foundation for his life's work bridging science and spirituality through his understanding of consciousness as electromagnetic energy. |
2 | Unknown | 10 | 5 | 15 | Suggestive Evidence | 0 | Documented cardiopulmonary failure at age 4 | Encountered light beings and infinite consciousness | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 1 | 0 | Encountered light beings and Infinite Love | 0.00 | Low Compatibility | 8 | |||||||||
| 5057 | qualitative | book | Parr, The Girl Who Visited Heaven, Grapevine Books, Chapter 11, Pegi Robinson, Pages 122-126, 2024 | The Girl Who Visited Heaven - Pegi Robinson - Chapter 11 - Pages 122-126 - 2024 | 1965 | 2024 | 5 | F |
Pegi Robinson was five years old when she drowned in a pond after her older brother John took her makeshift raft board and left her to struggle in the deep water. She desperately fought to stay above the muddy brown water, repeatedly being pulled under in the disorienting murkiness, unable to see or find direction as she was dragged deeper. During her struggle, Pegi suddenly found herself at the ceiling of her family's kitchen, looking down at her mother and sister preparing picnic items, feeling their thoughts and concentration. She was then back drowning until she "woke up" to find the water now transparent green and shiny, feeling completely fine and rested. She observed fish swimming past her body at the pond bottom, bumping into her like driftwood, and realized she was dead when the fish showed no fear. Rising above the water to treetop height, Pegi could see across Route 7 to the Ohio River and local train tracks. She visited a two-story house where elderly people at a kitchen table told her to "check the graveyards" when she asked about children to play with. She observed her mother and sister's mature conversation with envy, and felt intense anger at her brother for causing her death. After being rescued by her brother and revived, she was given divine knowledge that her family didn't love her but that "children are sent here to be loved." An angel appeared to stop her from returning to drown herself, promising she would "have a lot of love someday." This shaped her life mission - she later fostered 60 children, adopted 10, had 2 biological children, adopted her nephew, gained 2 stepdaughters, and adopted two sibling groups (5 and 4 children). She worked in children's services and became known for her gift in investigations. She now hosts the popular NDE TV YouTube podcast. |
2 | Other | 10 | 8 | 24 | Suggestive Evidence | 6 | Drowning in pond, rescued and resuscitated by brother | OBE observations of family members in house, detailed landscape viewing | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 2 | 1 | Saw mother and sister in kitchen | 0.00 | Brother John | Highly Compatible | 7 | ||||||||
| 5058 | qualitative | book | Parr, The Girl Who Visited Heaven, Grapevine Books, Chapter 16, Sharon Sananda, Pages 153-159, 2024 | The Girl Who Visited Heaven - Sharon Sananda - Chapter 16 - Pages 153-159 - 2024 | 1970 | 2024 | 9 | F |
Sharon Sananda was nine years old when she experienced a near-death experience during a violent physical attack by a relative in her grandparents' vineyard. Living with grandparents due to her parents' divorce, she was searching for agates when the abusive relative appeared. During the assault, he struck her so hard under her ribs that she immediately left her body through her head. Upon leaving her body, Sharon experienced immense peace, no longer feeling pain, fear, or terror. She found herself floating in what she described as "the void" - a space of dark but not dark, nothingness and everythingness simultaneously. She felt connected to all that is, with expanded awareness she could move anywhere with thought. She experienced a symphony of tones that comprised everyone and everything that has existed, exists, or will exist. A light approached from her right, revealing itself as Jesus Christ (Jeshua). He embraced her saying "You've suffered enough, my child. You don't need to go back." Despite this offer, Sharon chose to return because she hadn't finished what she was meant to do, not wanting to "start over again" through reincarnation. The memory was veiled until unlocked during her second NDE in 2001. Decades later, when her stepfather died, Sharon began experiencing spontaneous OBEs and developed controlled out-of-body abilities. Her second NDE in 2001 (wheel ran over her head) reunited her with Jeshua and unlocked memories of her childhood experience. She now runs Kumara Academy of Transformation, teaching psychic development, mediumship, OBE travel, and past life therapy - practices she says Jeshua taught her. |
5 | Other | 5 | 8 | 13 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Severe physical trauma from violent attack causing spirit separation | Met Jesus/Jeshua, choice to return vs reincarnate, memory verified in second NDE | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 2 | 0 | Left body through head | 0.00 | Incompatible | 8 | |||||||||
| 5059 | qualitative | book | Parr, The Girl Who Visited Heaven, Grapevine Books, Chapter 10, Tamara Caulder Richardson, Pages 118-121, 2024 | The Girl Who Visited Heaven - Tamara Caulder Richardson - Chapter 10 - Pages 118-121 - 2024 | 1978 | 2024 | 5 | F |
Tamara Caulder Richardson was five years old when she died from pneumonia complications after strep throat, with a fever of 103.9°F. She was declared dead on arrival at Rex Hospital in Raleigh, North Carolina, clinically dead for 15 minutes before resuscitation began. She spent three days in an induced coma with Jesus in heaven. During her OBE, Tamara flew 200 feet above the car checking on her crying mother, then explored the hospital at bullet speed while staff worked on her body for two hours. She visited different rooms trying to help people like an angel, encouraging a woman giving birth and encountering a living girl in a brownie uniform who could see her. After being covered with a sheet, she suddenly found herself in a beautiful meadow. In heaven, Jesus knelt beside her - glowing with light, wavy brown hair with golden highlights, olive complexion, eyes shifting between blue and green. He wrapped his robe belt around her wrist like a friendship bracelet, saying "I wrap you in my love, protection, and wisdom. Much is given, and much you'll give. Through the small things, the big things will be accomplished." He explained she must return to teach her mother about love. They sat by a wise tree with red grapes, discussed manifesting through positive thoughts, and Jesus demonstrated heaven's instant manifestation by creating a boat with fish. During three days in coma, Tamara stayed with Jesus who repeatedly convinced her to return with a mission: show people how to love, confirm his reality, and tell of his love. She returned with no brain damage despite two hours clinically dead. She's had six total NDEs and now works as the Southern Belle Medium, channeling ascended masters and teaching at her Academy of Divine Wisdom. |
2 | Hospital | 10 | 12 | 32 | Moderate Evidence | 10 | DOA from pneumonia, dead 15 minutes, resuscitated, coma 3 days | Multiple hospital observations, met Jesus, detailed heaven experience | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 4 | 1 | Flew above car observing mother | 0.00 | Doctors, nurses, priest, nun | Low Compatibility | 8 | ||||||||
| 5060 | qualitative | book | Parr, The Girl Who Visited Heaven, Grapevine Books, Chapter 12, Dr. Yvonne Kason, Pages 132-134, 2024 | The Girl Who Visited Heaven - Dr. Yvonne Kason - Chapter 12 - Pages 132-134 - 2024 | 1960 | 2024 | 5 | F |
Dr. Yvonne Kason was five years old when she had her first of five lifetime NDEs at a Swiss train station while visiting grandparents with her family. Not holding a parent's hand, she saw a station worker jump across the railway tracks and decided to imitate this playful action. As she leaned forward to jump, time suddenly stopped as if life was a movie and someone pressed pause. Her consciousness left her body and she found herself 20-25 feet above the scene, observing that a train was rapidly approaching and would hit her. From this elevated perspective, she clearly thought "Oh, I see! That train is going to hit me!" yet felt no fear, only complete calm. An adult's hand grabbed her mid-jump and pulled her back to the platform just as the train whisked past her face. The experience left lasting aftereffects. Young Yvonne became convinced she could fly, having what she now recognizes as probable OBE dreams of flying down streets and to the schoolyard. Starting kindergarten that fall, she told a friend she could fly and attempted to demonstrate by jumping off a fence, feeling confused when she fell instead of flying. She never told anyone about the experience as a child, thinking she'd done something wrong. Only as an adult NDE researcher did she recognize this as her first NDE - featuring the classic elements of time distortion, out-of-body experience, and supernatural peace during mortal danger. She went on to have four more NDEs, co-found Spiritual Awakenings International, serve as IANDS President, and become a leading NDE/STE researcher and author. |
5 | Other | 5 | 5 | 10 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Near-collision with train, saved at last second | OBE with observation of approaching train from above | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 1 | 0 | Saw approaching train from above | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 5 | |||||||||
| 5061 | qualitative | book | Smith, Scott L. Jr., Near-Death Experiences, Sophia Institute Press, Chapter 8, Fr. Cedric Pisegna, Pages 201-221, 2024 | Near-Death Experiences by Scott L. Smith Jr., Chapter 8, Pages 201-221, 2024 | 1977 | 2024 | 20 | M |
Fr. Cedric Pisegna, a 20-year-old college student who had fallen away from the Catholic Church, experienced an out-of-body experience while lying on his living room floor watching a Red Sox game in July 1977. Despite not being near death physically, he felt himself being pulled through a tunnel-like passageway against his will, experiencing a complete loss of control as he was drawn toward God. The tunnel experience was vivid and disorienting, like a wormhole or amusement park ride tunnel. He sensed it was round about him and felt powerless to resist the magnetic propulsion pulling him forward. At the end of the tunnel, he found himself bathed in brilliant light - more brilliant than looking at the sun with eyes closed. The light was alive and embraced him physically. He experienced waves of God's glory as thick horizontal lines constantly running upward through him, like waves through a flag. The glory was rhythmic, powerful, and produced pure bliss and ecstasy. Standing before God's throne, he experienced the Beatific Vision with complete happiness for the first time. He couldn't think independently but was possessed by God's peace. He distinctly remembers thinking "He loves me so much it's scary" due to the overwhelming intensity of God's love. The experience convinced him he needed to be justified and had been a priest for himself rather than for God. After returning to his body, Fr. Cedric experienced the same out-of-body journey a second time, which he believes was given to verify the truth of the first experience. These experiences led him to become a priest and dedicate his life to sharing what he learned about death and the afterlife. |
5 | Home | 5 | 10 | 15 | Suggestive Evidence | 0 | No medical crisis documented, experienced while conscious at home | Detailed descriptions of tunnel, light, and God's glory | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 3 | 0 | Tunnel or passageway experience | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 7 | |||||||||
| 5062 | qualitative | book | Smith, Scott L. Jr., Near-Death Experiences, Sophia Institute Press, Chapter 7, Fr. Jean Derobert with Padre Pio, Pages 172-188, 2024 | Near-Death Experiences by Scott L. Smith Jr., Chapter 7, Pages 172-188, 2024 | 1958 | 2024 | M |
Fr. Jean Derobert, a French priest and spiritual son of Padre Pio, was executed by firing squad along with five other soldiers by the Algerian National Liberation Front in August 1958. Shot and killed instantly, he experienced immediate disembodiment and saw his bloodied body fallen among his dead comrades. He had received a letter from Padre Pio that morning stating "Life is a constant struggle but it leads to the light." He began ascending through a tunnel where he saw many faces emerging from fog - first somber faces of sinners, then increasingly luminous faces as he ascended. He experienced his glorified body with 360-degree vision, no pain from wounds, and ability to move at the speed of thought. He visited his sleeping parents in Annecy and noted furniture had been moved, later confirmed by his mother. He communicated telepathically with Pope Pius XII in the papal apartments. Continuing his ascension, he found himself in beautiful scenery wrapped in soft bluish light with no sun, as "the Lord is their light" per Revelation. He saw thousands of people all appearing about thirty years old regardless of their death age. He became a drop of light among other drops including Saints Peter, Paul, and John. He then saw Mary in full radiance with her ineffable smile, Jesus behind her looking spectacularly beautiful, and behind them an area of light he knew was the Father. He dove headfirst into the Father experiencing total fulfillment and perfect happiness. Then briskly found himself back with his face in dirt among bloodied bodies. His clothing was riddled with bullet holes but his body was unwounded. His commander cried "A miracle!" Padre Pio later told him "You really took me for a ride this time!" implying he had accompanied Derobert on the journey. |
5 | Other | 7 | 20 | 37 | Moderate Evidence | 10 | Documented execution by firing squad, multiple witnesses to death | Verified furniture movement at parents home, communication with Pope, detailed glorified body experience | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 5 | 2 | Saw his own dead body | 1.00 | Commander Cazelle | Highly Compatible | 8 | |||||||||
| 5063 | qualitative | book | Smith, Scott L. Jr., Near-Death Experiences, Sophia Institute Press, Chapter 9, Fr. Stephen Scheier, Pages 222-257, 2024 | Near-Death Experiences by Scott L. Smith Jr., Chapter 9, Pages 222-257, 2024 | 1985 | 1985-10-18 | 2024 | M |
Fr. Stephen Scheier, a priest for twelve years, suffered a catastrophic head-on collision on October 18, 1985. His scalp was torn off the right side of his head, brain cells obliterated, and neck broken at C-2 (hangman's break). Doctors gave him only 15% chance of survival. Multiple Christian churches opened for all-night prayer vigils. A Mennonite nurse at the scene helped him pray the Hail Mary as he passed in and out of consciousness. During his unconscious state, Fr. Scheier found himself before the Judgment Seat of Jesus Christ. They went through his entire life with him saying "Yes" to every accusation - he could give no excuses when talking to Truth itself. Jesus pronounced his sentence as Hell, to which Fr. Scheier agreed it was deserved. He had been a priest for himself, not for Christ, lacking true contrition in confessions and using the sacrament as "fire insurance" without firm purpose of amendment. Then he heard the Blessed Mother's voice: "Son, will You please spare his life and his eternal soul?" Jesus replied she should let him reap what he deserved after twelve years of selfish priesthood. Mary persisted: "But Son, we can give him special graces and strengths and then see if there's fruit. If not, Your will be done." After a pause, Jesus said: "Mother, he's yours." Fr. Scheier realized this matched the Gospel parable of the fig tree being given one more year to bear fruit. He miraculously recovered, wearing a halo brace for five months. Later during Mass, the Gospel page about the fig tree became illuminated and flew at him, triggering his memory of the judgment experience. From then on he belonged completely to Mary, understanding that the Trinity cannot say no to her. His priorities shifted entirely to saving souls, living for eternity rather than earthly happiness. |
5 | Hospital | 10 | 15 | 40 | Moderate Evidence | 15 | Severe documented injuries, 15% survival chance, multiple medical records | Life review before Christ, dialogue with Jesus and Mary, Gospel page confirmation | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | C-2 neck fracture, scalped | 8/5/2025 | 2 | 2 | Judgment dialogue with Jesus and Mary | 0.00 | Emergency doctor in Eureka | Highly Compatible | 8 | |||||||
| 5064 | qualitative | book | Smith, Scott L. Jr., Near-Death Experiences, Sophia Institute Press, Chapter 1, Jonah, Pages 31-45, 2024 | Near-Death Experiences by Scott L. Smith Jr., Chapter 1, Pages 31-45, 2024 | 2024 | M |
The prophet Jonah, fleeing from God's command to preach to Nineveh, was thrown overboard during a storm and swallowed by a great fish. According to ancient sources and Christ's own interpretation, Jonah actually died and spent three days in Sheol, the abode of the dead. His prayer from "the belly of Sheol" describes his soul descending below the ocean depths to the underworld, where "the bars of the earth closed upon me forever." During his death, Jonah experienced the claustrophobic prison of Sheol. Waters closed in over him, the deep surrounded him, weeds wrapped around his head at the roots of mountains. He felt cast out from God's presence yet maintained faith, yearning for God's holy temple. This matches descriptions of souls in Purgatory who experience their greatest torment as longing for God rather than physical suffering. After three days dead, matching the ancient Near Eastern belief about the journey to the underworld, God restored Jonah to life. The fish vomited his body onto shore where God commanded him to "Arise" - the same word Christ uses when raising the dead. Jonah's resurrection became the sign Jesus referenced for His own three days in death and resurrection. The massive conversion of Nineveh followed Jonah's testimony. According to tradition, Jonah was previously the widow's son raised by Elijah, making him the only biblical figure raised from death twice. He later entered Paradise alive like Elijah. His NDE transformed him completely - he ended his prayer from Sheol with thanksgiving, paying his vows to God with the declaration "Deliverance belongs to the LORD!" |
5 | Other | 10 | 15 | 45 | Moderate Evidence | 20 | Death by drowning, three days dead before resurrection | Detailed description of Sheol, underworld geography, spiritual separation from God | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Inside great fish | 8/5/2025 | 3 | 1 | Experience of Sheol/underworld | 1.00 | People of Nineveh | Highly Compatible | 6 | |||||||||
| 5065 | qualitative | book | Smith, Scott L. Jr., Near-Death Experiences, Sophia Institute Press, Chapter 10, Kevin Wells, Pages 258-276, 2024 | Near-Death Experiences by Scott L. Smith Jr., Chapter 10, Pages 258-276, 2024 | 2007 | 2024 | M |
Kevin Wells, nephew of murdered Msgr. Thomas Wells, experienced a catastrophic brain aneurysm after asking God for "violence" to draw closer to the Sacred Heart. The hemorrhage filled his skull with blood causing excruciating pressure for a week. Multiple shunt attempts failed, and deep brain surgery to reach the arteriovenous malformation was unsuccessful. Doctors expected him to die within days. Hospital chaplain Fr. Bill detected demonic oppression in Kevin's room. He equipped Kevin's wife Krista with a consecrated Host in a pyx to hold over her husband while praying for St. Michael's intercession. During an MRI, Kevin experienced choking on vomit while unable to move or call for help, understanding Christ's silent suffering on the Cross surrounded by angels who would have saved Him if asked. Fr. Jim Stack ("Stackman"), Msgr. Wells's best friend, arrived to give Last Rites. He had recently started a healing ministry after being commanded by the Holy Spirit on Tepeyac Hill. When Fr. Stack asked the comatose Kevin what saint he wanted for intercession, Kevin unexpectedly responded "Bring my uncle down. I need Tommy now" - his first words since failed surgery, which he doesn't remember saying. As Fr. Stack called on Msgr. Wells and Maryland saints, witnesses saw "benevolent fire" fill the room with lights everywhere. Fr. Stack felt the whole heavenly court surround the bed with overwhelming warmth. His assistant Mary Pat Donoghue experienced powerful pleasant pulsing through her body. Kevin felt sustained warmth through chest and abdomen. Two friends later reported Kevin raised his arm pointing to the corner saying "Look, it's the Lady of Guadalupe." The next angiogram showed the AVM had completely vanished. All trapped blood and fluids disappeared. The healing was medically inexplicable. |
5 | Hospital | 12 | 12 | 42 | Moderate Evidence | 18 | Documented aneurysm, failed surgery, medical records of miraculous healing | Multiple witnesses saw lights and felt supernatural presence, AVM vanished | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | Brain surgery performed | Neurosurgeon | 8/5/2025 | 3 | 3 | Benevolent fire and lights in room | 1.00 | Fr. Jim Stack | Highly Compatible | 7 | |||||||
| 5066 | qualitative | book | Mumford, Nigel W. D. Dying to Live: How Near Death Experiences Transform Our Faith. Virginia Beach, VA: Koehlerbooks, 2016. Chapter 1, Pages 34-38 | Dying to Live: How Near Death Experiences Transform Our Faith - Nigel Mumford - Chapter 1 - Pages 34-38 - 2016 | 1975 | 2016 | 22 | M |
In 1975, while serving as a 22-year-old Royal Marine in Malta, Nigel Mumford experienced a near-death event during a scuba diving accident at the Blue Grotto. After descending to 75 feet with minimal training, his mask filled with water, triggering panic. He shot to the surface without decompressing, then began sinking due to his weight belt. Unable to reach shore, he inhaled seawater and lost consciousness, with a Royal Navy dive team pulling his lifeless body from the water and performing resuscitation. Upon drowning, Mumford's panic instantly transformed into profound peace, which he described as "the peace that passes all understanding." He experienced a panoramic life review manifesting as chronological snapshots streaming rapidly from right to left. Following this, he was enveloped in a vivid yellow light forming a horizontal tunnel just wide enough for his shoulders, extending over the horizon toward what he perceived as heaven. Within this luminous tunnel, he felt overwhelming calm and euphoric joy, with absolute certainty that all was well and he was journeying to the afterlife, free from all pain and worry. The primary veridical element of Mumford's experience was the distinctive yellow tunnel, which he kept secret for years, believing no one would understand. Years later, he saw a television program about NDEs depicting an identical yellow tunnel described by another drowning victim, providing external validation of his experience. While not a classical veridical observation of physical events, this shared archetypal element suggests a common phenomenological pattern in drowning NDEs. Mumford's return to consciousness was abrupt, finding himself vomiting seawater in a car. The experience profoundly impacted his life, initially causing disappointment and anger at being revived, but ultimately planting a seed of faith that grew over years, leading to his eventual calling as an Episcopal priest and healing minister. |
5 | Other | 3 | 2 | 12 | Weak Evidence | 7 | Other life-threatening condition (drowning) with no medical monitoring or documentation at time of event. No sensory barriers documented. Only retrospective medical confirmation by Navy rescue team. | General observation of yellow tunnel only, without specific verifiable details. Not a typical veridical perception of physical events. | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 1 | 1 | The subject saw a yellow tunnel, a phenomenon he later saw depicted on a TV show about NDEs. | 1.00 | Unnamed members of a Royal Navy dive team | Highly Compatible | 7 | ||||||||
| 5067 | qualitative | book | Mumford, Nigel W. D. Dying to Live: How Near Death Experiences Transform Our Faith. Virginia Beach, VA: Koehlerbooks, 2016. Chapters 4-7, Pages 45-62 | Dying to Live: How Near Death Experiences Transform Our Faith - Nigel Mumford - Chapters 4-7 - Pages 45-62 - 2016 | 2009 | 2016 | 56 | M |
In autumn 2009, Nigel Mumford contracted H1N1 swine flu, leading to respiratory arrest and ICU admission. Doctors placed him in a chemically induced coma with ventilator support and paralyzing medications for 19 days. His condition deteriorated to total organ failure, sepsis, and collapsed lung, with doctors telling his wife on October 23 they had done all they could. During this critical period, he experienced being "out of my body, traveling—mostly to heaven" through five vivid visions more real than dreams. His visions began with a single blade of grass expanding to reveal a glass house where he drank "living water" from a golden chalice. He then ascended into space witnessing the "Book of Life"—a massive luminous book containing stars representing souls. His most arduous vision placed him crawling through the "valley of the shadow of death," repeatedly encouraged by silent visions of Jesus Christ on the Cross whose compassionate eyes urged him past Hell's dark pillars toward Heaven's brilliant white gates. In the fourth vision, he waited disappointedly at an empty table in heaven's "briefing room" for the Lord who never appeared. His final vision showed an aerial view of his Father's house—a serene landscape of Victorian homes and gardens connected by railway. The primary veridical element occurred during preparation for tracheotomy while comatose. He perceived this as a terrifying "green killing table" funeral scheduled for 10 a.m., sensing it was 9:30. Years later when writing, he asked his wife the procedure's scheduled time—she confirmed 10 a.m., validating his temporal perception despite deep coma and demonstrating some awareness level however distorted through fear and medication. After waking partially paralyzed from the 19-day coma, his recovery was long and marked by depression. However, the visions provided unshakeable conviction in the afterlife's reality, completely removing his fear of death and transforming his faith from intellectual assent to absolute experiential certainty, becoming cornerstone to his healing ministry. |
4 | Hospital | 18 | 10 | 39 | Moderate Evidence | 11 | Coma/unresponsive state with chemical induction and paralyzing medications. Two sensory barriers documented (coma + paralyzing meds). Medical professional summary available from doctors. | Few specific details - mainly time perception of tracheotomy. Auditory/temporal perception while unconscious demonstrated. | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 8/5/2025 | 1 | 2 | While in a coma, the subject had a terrifying perception of being taken to a "killing table" for a procedure he sensed was at 10 a.m. | 1.00 | Unnamed doctors | Highly Compatible | 8 | ||||||||
| 5068 | qualitative | book | 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 | Imagine Heaven - Vicki - Chapter 2 - Pages 24-28 - 2015 | 2015 | 22 | F |
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. |
5 | Hospital | 7 | 37 | 60 | Strong Evidence | 16 | Van crash with basal skull fracture and broken back/neck. Life-threatening injuries treated in hospital setting. Score: 5 for other life-threatening + 2 for implied sensory barriers during unconscious state. | Extraordinary case of congenitally blind person having detailed visual perceptions. Multiple specific verifiable details including wedding band with orange blossoms, doctors' conversation about eardrum damage, visual appearance of deceased friends later confirmed by housemother. Blind sight (15) + specific sequential details (15) + auditory perception while unconscious (7). | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1 | 8/5/2025 | 3 | 1 | Heard doctors discussing potential eardrum damage | 1.00 | Housemother | Highly Compatible | 8 | ||||||||
| 5069 | qualitative | book | Burke, John. Imagine Heaven: Near-Death Experiences, God's Promises, and the Exhilarating Future That Awaits You. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, Chapter 4, Dr. Mary Neal, Pages 41-42, 2015 | Imagine Heaven - Dr. Mary Neal - Chapter 4 - Pages 41-42 - 2015 | 2015 | F |
Dr. Mary Neal, an orthopedic spine surgeon, was white-water kayaking in Chile when her kayak became lodged between boulders after going over a waterfall. She was trapped completely submerged under ten feet of water for fourteen minutes, experiencing broken bones and torn ligaments from the water pressure. Despite always fearing drowning, she felt no panic or air hunger during the ordeal. She surrendered the outcome to God's will and was immediately and physically held by Christ who reassured her that everything would be fine. During her underwater experience, she felt more alive than ever before. As Jesus held her, He took her through a comprehensive review of her life. After fourteen minutes underwater, her body broke free from the kayak and tumbled through the rapids. At this point, she felt her soul release from her "heavy outer layer" and rise above the river. She was joyously greeted by a welcoming committee of beings in robes who were "exploding with pure love." She knew with absolute certainty that she had known and loved these beings for as long as she had existed. The beings hugged and danced with her, and the feeling of love was palpable and exponentially more intense than any earthly love. She and her companions began gliding along a path toward her eternal home. Looking back, she glimpsed the riverbank scene where her physical body had been recovered. She saw her body as "the shell of a comfortable old friend" and felt warm compassion for it. She observed her friends Tom and his sons looking sad and vulnerable, and heard them begging her to take a breath. Not wanting her friends to be sad, she asked her heavenly companions to wait while she returned to her body to take a breath for them. This observation of the rescue scene from outside her body, including the specific emotional states and verbal pleas of her friends, represents a veridical element of her experience that occurred while she was clinically dead underwater. |
5 | Other | 5 | 10 | 18 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Drowning incident with 14 minutes underwater. Clear life-threatening situation with likely clinical death. Score: 5 for other life-threatening condition. | Mixed visual and auditory observations of rescue scene. Saw friends looking sad and heard them calling for her to breathe while out of body. Visual perception (5) + Auditory elements (5). | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1 | 8/5/2025 | 1 | 0 | Observed friends on riverbank while out of body | 1.00 | Highly Compatible | 7 | ||||||||||
| 5070 | qualitative | book | Burke, John. Imagine Heaven: Near-Death Experiences, God's Promises, and the Exhilarating Future That Awaits You. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, Chapters 5 & 14, Crystal McVea, Pages 52-54 & 144-147 & 158-159, 2015 | Imagine Heaven - Crystal McVea - Chapters 5 & 14 - Pages 52-54, 144-147, 158-159 - 2015 | 2015 | 33 | F |
Crystal McVea, age thirty-three, was hospitalized for pancreatitis when complications caused her to code. During a nine-minute span when "Code Blue" was called, she left her body and found herself in Heaven with God. She experienced no tunnel but instead awoke directly in the divine presence. Her first realization was that she remained herself - both the "me" who had just died and the essential "me" that had existed since creation. All doubts, fears, and shame that had defined her earthly identity evaporated, replaced by complete self-understanding as she met her true self for the first time. She was instantly aware of two beings she knew were her guardian angels. Standing before God, despite having planned to question Him about her life's suffering, she was overwhelmed by His true nature which was pure love. Instead of asking "why," she fell to her knees in worship crying out "Why didn't I do more for You?" All her questions were answered without being asked; in God's presence, she understood His plan as perfect. She was immersed in feelings of purity, perfection, and peace, "like being bathed in love," knowing she was truly home. During the experience, God showed her a vision of herself as a beautiful three-year-old girl playing joyfully and scooping up light in an Easter basket. As she watched this child through God's eyes, her spirit swelled with love. This divine perspective revealed the truth of her innocence and worth, setting her free from lies she had believed throughout her life. The transformation was profound - seeing herself as God saw her brought complete healing from past trauma and abuse. The experience occurred in a monitored hospital setting during a documented cardiac arrest with Code Blue protocol, providing medical context for the nine-minute duration. Though no specific veridical observations were reported, the profound spiritual encounter and transformation represent a powerful near-death experience centered on divine love and redemption. |
1 | Hospital | 12 | 0 | 12 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Cardiac arrest in hospital with Code Blue called, indicating monitoring equipment present. Nine-minute documented duration. Score: 10 for monitored cardiac arrest + 2 for hospital setting with implied barriers. | No specific veridical observations reported. Experience focused on spiritual encounter rather than observable phenomena. | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 0 | 0 | Highly Compatible | 7 | ||||||||||||
| 5071 | qualitative | book | Burke, John. Imagine Heaven: Near-Death Experiences, God's Promises, and the Exhilarating Future That Awaits You. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, Chapter 8, Captain Dale Black, Pages 76-78, 2015 | Imagine Heaven - Captain Dale Black - Chapter 8 - Pages 76-78 - 2015 | 2015 | 19 | M |
Dale Black, a nineteen-year-old pilot, was the sole survivor when his plane disintegrated after smashing into a stone monument at 135 miles per hour. His last memory was of the crash, then suddenly he found himself suspended in midair, hovering over the wreckage of his body. He observed his physical form below with clothes torn to shreds and soaked in blood. He then sped through a narrow, dark pathway delineated by light, accompanied by two masculine-looking angelic escorts in seamless white garments. His peripheral vision was enhanced, allowing him to see their faces and even behind himself simultaneously. He approached a magnificent golden city hearing majestic and enchanting music. He instantly knew the place was holy and felt a strong sense of belonging, as if it was made for him. The city was bathed in palpable, opaque white light more intense than the sun, containing every imaginable color, all seeming alive and dancing. This light emanated from a focal point within the city and shone through things rather than on them. He saw countless millions of angels and people swaying to music and worshiping God. Suspended hundreds of feet above ground, he moved effortlessly along a narrow road toward an entrance in the massive city wall. Below was vibrant, pure green grass with each blade slightly transparent and emitting light from within. The landscape included rolling hills with colorful wildflowers and majestic mountains in the distance. He smelled gentle, sweet fragrances and could distinguish individual aromas of grass, flowers, and trees. He heard rushing water like rivers cascading over waterfalls. Between the city center and walls were groupings of brightly colored, unique homes. The city wall stretched endlessly, permeated by powerful light containing rainbow colors that adjusted to his movement. A perfectly clear river with a bluish-white hue flowed from the city center toward the wall, with light shining from within the water itself. |
5 | Other | 5 | 5 | 11 | Weak Evidence | 1 | Catastrophic plane crash at 135 mph into stone monument. Sole survivor of crash that disintegrated aircraft. Score: 5 for other life-threatening trauma. | Single observation of seeing his own body and wreckage from above. Described torn, blood-soaked clothing. Visual perception in immediate vicinity: 5 points. | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 1 | 0 | Saw wreckage of his own body after crash | 1.00 | Highly Compatible | 6 | ||||||||||
| 5072 | qualitative | book | Burke, John. Imagine Heaven: Near-Death Experiences, God's Promises, and the Exhilarating Future That Awaits You. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, Chapters 6 & 21, Don Piper, Pages 64-65 & 220-221, 2015 | Imagine Heaven - Don Piper - Chapters 6 & 21 - Pages 64-65, 220-221 - 2015 | 2015 | M |
Don Piper experienced a catastrophic head-on collision with an 18-wheeler and was pronounced dead at the scene for ninety minutes. Following the crash, he found himself standing in heaven, enveloped by a brilliant light beyond earthly comprehension. In front of a brilliant, ornate gate, a large crowd rushed toward him - his "celestial welcoming committee" who were smiling, shouting, and praising God as they waited for him. He instantly knew all of them were people he had known who had died during his lifetime. The first person he recognized was his grandfather, Joe Kulbeth, who looked robust and strong as he embraced him tightly. The crowd surrounded him with hugs and handshakes, and he had never felt more loved. He saw his childhood friend Mike Wood, who had been influential in his becoming a Christian and had died in a car wreck at nineteen. Seeing Mike again, smiling brightly, wiped away all of Don's previous pain and grief over his friend's death. Among the welcoming committee were many others including Barry Wilson, a high school classmate who had drowned, and two influential teachers. The crowd consisted of people of all ages who had influenced his life. Though many hadn't known each other on earth, they all seemed to know each other now in heaven. As he approached the iridescent gate, which seemed made of pearl with a pearlescent quality like beautiful light, the music he had been hearing grew more vivid and intense. His welcoming committee, who had been in front of him, moved beside him, ready to walk with him through the gate. Just as he reached the gate with his senses overwhelmed by the experience, his awareness of heaven ended. The ninety-minute duration of clinical death and the detailed encounters with multiple identified deceased individuals provide significant context for this experience. |
5 | Other | 7 | 0 | 8 | Weak Evidence | 1 | Head-on collision with 18-wheeler, pronounced dead for 90 minutes at scene. Extended duration of clinical death. Score: 5 for fatal accident + 2 for exceptional duration. | No veridical observations reported. Experience consisted of spiritual encounters without verifiable perceptions. | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 0 | 0 | Highly Compatible | 4 | |||||||||||||
| 5073 | qualitative | book | Burke, John. Imagine Heaven: Near-Death Experiences, God's Promises, and the Exhilarating Future That Awaits You. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, Chapters 6 & 7, Jeff Olsen, Pages 62-63 & 75, 2015 | Imagine Heaven - Jeff Olsen - Chapters 6 & 7 - Pages 62-63, 75 - 2015 | 2015 | M |
Jeff Olsen experienced a horrific rollover car accident where his SUV rolled seven or eight times on the freeway. Following the crash, he felt himself slip out of his body and was immediately encircled with bright-white light energized with pure, unconditional love. He felt calm and free of pain. He then felt a familiar touch and opened his eyes to see his wife Tamara next to him. She was tangible and alive, though crying and upset. He realized he was in a protective bubble and this experience was "far more real, far more tangible, and far more alive than anything I had ever known." Tamara insisted he couldn't stay and had to go back. He wanted to remain with her and wondered where their sons Spencer and Griffin were. He pulled Tamara close, feeling her wet tears, smelling her hair with senses tenfold what he had experienced before, and kissed her. Though he felt he had a choice, something deep within knew he had to return to Spencer. After telling Tamara he loved her but had to go, which she acknowledged she understood, he found himself back in the crashed SUV hearing Spencer crying. He then learned Tamara and baby Griffin had died in the accident. Months later during a low point in recovery, Jeff had another near-death experience. He found himself in a beautiful, vast place where he had not five but fifty senses. Walking on two healthy legs down a long hallway, he found a baby crib at the end containing his son Griffin, alive and sleeping peacefully. He swept Griffin into his arms, feeling his warmth, breath, and the smell of his hair. A powerful loving being moved up behind him, engulfing him in light and love. He realized that instead of having his wife and son ripped away, he was being given the chance to hand them over to God in peace and gratitude. Understanding the divine order of everything, he hugged Griffin one last time and willingly laid him back in the crib, at peace knowing Griffin was alive in a place more real than earth. |
5 | Other | 5 | 0 | 6 | Weak Evidence | 1 | Severe rollover accident with SUV rolling 7-8 times. Fatal injuries to wife and child indicate severity. Score: 5 for other life-threatening trauma. | No veridical observations reported. Experiences consisted of spiritual encounters with deceased family members. | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 0 | 0 | Highly Compatible | 8 | |||||||||||||
| 5074 | qualitative | book | Burke, John. Imagine Heaven: Near-Death Experiences, God's Promises, and the Exhilarating Future That Awaits You. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, Chapters 7/9/13/14, Colton Burpo, Pages 68-69/94/138/148, 2015 | Imagine Heaven - Colton Burpo - Chapters 7, 9, 13, 14 - Pages 68-69, 94, 138, 148 - 2015 | 2015 | 4 | M |
Four-year-old Colton Burpo had a "brush with death" during a medical crisis in the hospital. Though the exact medical condition isn't specified in this text, he claimed to have left his body and visited heaven. Months later, he began revealing extraordinary details to his family. He told his father Todd that he had met Todd's deceased grandfather "Pop" in heaven. When shown a picture of Pop as an elderly man, Colton didn't recognize him, stating "nobody's old in heaven...and nobody wears glasses." However, when shown a picture of Pop at age twenty-nine, Colton immediately recognized him. Most remarkably, Colton revealed knowledge of a sister his parents had never told him about. He said, "You had a baby die in your tummy, didn't you?" He explained that a girl who looked like his living sister Cassie but with dark hair had run up and hugged him. She told him she had died in their mother's tummy and couldn't wait for her parents to get to heaven. Colton knew the baby didn't have a name because his parents hadn't named her. This revelation shocked his parents as they had never disclosed the miscarriage to him. During his out-of-body experience, Colton claimed he watched the doctor working on him from "up in the air." He also saw his father locked in another room shouting at God and his mother in the lobby on her cell phone - details that were later confirmed. He described sitting in Jesus's lap, saying Jesus had brown hair, a beard, and "so pretty" blue eyes. He noticed "markers" on Jesus's hands and feet, which his father understood as crucifixion wounds. Colton stated it never gets dark in heaven because "God and Jesus light up heaven." His ability to describe specific details about deceased family members he'd never met or known about, combined with accurate observations of his parents' locations during his crisis, provide significant veridical elements to his experience. |
6 | Hospital | 4 | 18 | 35 | Moderate Evidence | 13 | Medical crisis described as "brush with death" but specific condition not detailed in this text. Hospital setting confirmed. Score: 2 for unknown condition + 2 for hospital. | Remarkable veridical elements: knowledge of miscarried sister never disclosed to him (10 points), plus observations of father in separate room and mother in lobby (8 points for multiple specific details). | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 3 | 2 | Knew about parents' miscarried baby never told to him | 1.00 | Todd and Sonja Burpo | Highly Compatible | 6 | |||||||||
| 5075 | qualitative | book | Bush, Nancy Evans. Dancing Past the Dark: Distressing Near-Death Experiences. Chapter 3, Rachel, Pages 49-51, 2012 | Dancing Past the Dark - Rachel - Chapter 3 - Pages 49-51 - 2012 | 1975 | 1975-02-01 | 2012 | F | Rachel, a Jewish woman, experienced a profound NDE during a head-on collision in February 1975 on icy roads. She was unconscious with her head trapped between the windshield, dash, and collapsed roof. While unconscious, she found herself in a circle of light observing the accident scene from above, seeing the dead driver in the other car and watching a woman take her children to safety. She encountered a figure she identified as Jesus Christ despite her Jewish faith, who took her hand and led her around a well, showing her both blissful and hellish realms. The hellish side contained blackened, sweaty people moaning in pain and chained to their spots. At the well, she saw a vision of three children calling for her - her two boys and a daughter she had not yet had. Eight years later she gave birth to that daughter. She verified two key observations: knowing the other driver was dead before being told, and seeing the woman who took her children to another car. The experience profoundly affected her, leading to her eventual divorce and the certain knowledge that she must raise her children as shown in the vision. Despite her Jewish faith, she could not deny the reality of encountering Jesus during this transformative experience. | 5 | Other | 7 | 23 | 43 | Moderate Evidence | 13 | Head-on collision with severe head trauma and unconsciousness. Other life-threatening condition (2 points). No documented sensory barriers (0 points). Contemporary account exists but no medical records reviewed (5 points). | Multiple specific veridical observations including knowledge of other driver's death before being told (10 points), visual perception while unconscious (5 points), and precognitive knowledge of future daughter (8 points). | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 4 | 2 | Saw the driver of the other car dead | 1.00 | Police and ambulance men | Highly Compatible | 8 | ||||||||
| 5076 | qualitative | book | Bush, Nancy Evans. Dancing Past the Dark: Distressing Near-Death Experiences. Chapter 3, Unnamed man, Pages 48-49, 2012 | Dancing Past the Dark - Unnamed man - Chapter 3 - Pages 48-49 - 2012 | 2012 | 48 | M | A 48-year-old man attempted suicide by hanging himself from a utility shed in his backyard. His feet hit a broken lawn chair which prevented his neck from breaking, but he strangled in the rope. His heart stopped and breathing ceased, confirmed by his wife who was a nurse. During this clinical death, he experienced an out-of-body state where he saw his physical body hanging in the rope. He was surrounded by invisible demons that chattered like blackbirds, creating intense terror as they seemed to have eternity to drag him to hell. He described it as the worst kind of hell - trapped between two worlds, wandering lost and confused for eternity. Desperate to return to his body, he ran to his house and passed through the door without opening it. Unable to make his wife hear his cries, he entered her body and experienced shared consciousness, seeing and hearing through her senses. Through this connection, he influenced her to say "Oh, my God!" and take action. She grabbed a knife, ran outside, and cut him down. The emergency squad confirmed his heart had stopped and he had no breath. This hellish NDE with demonic torment and the unusual element of consciousness merging with another person represents a profoundly distressing near-death experience. | 2 | Home | 5 | 13 | 24 | Suggestive Evidence | 6 | Cardiac arrest from hanging confirmed by nurse wife. Cardiac arrest without monitoring (5 points). No documented barriers (0 points). No medical records mentioned (0 points). | Saw own body hanging (5 points). Unique shared consciousness experience with wife leading to rescue action (8 points). | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 2 | 1 | Saw his own body hanging in the rope | 1.00 | His wife (a nurse) | Mixed Compatibility | 6 | |||||||||
| 5077 | qualitative | book | Bush, Nancy Evans. Dancing Past the Dark: Distressing Near-Death Experiences. Appendix 2, Curt Jurgens, Pages 272-273, 2012 | Dancing Past the Dark - Curt Jurgens - Appendix 2 - Pages 272-273 - 2012 | 2012 | M | Curt Jurgens experienced a clinical death episode during heart surgery with Dr. Michael DeBakey. While looking at the glass cupola over the operating room, it suddenly turned glowing red and he saw twisted, grinning faces of the damned staring down at him. A transparent dome seemed to sink over him while enormous drops of fiery rain fell around him, growing into menacing flames. He felt indescribable despair, believing he would be cast into this sea of flames for eternity. The hellish vision was interrupted by a bright, shining light that conquered the flames - a vision of his wife Simone. A dark figure wearing a black veil approached, which he recognized as Death in womanly form, with a lipless face bearing a dreadful smile. The phantom of his wife came to rescue him from hell, and Death departed powerlessly against Simone's radiant life force. She led him back by the hand through the fearful realm of shadows toward a great light that grew so bright he had to close his eyes. He then experienced severe chest pain and returned to consciousness, finding his wife sitting on his bed in a white nurse's uniform. This intensely distressing hellish NDE during cardiac surgery featured vivid imagery of damnation and salvation through love. | 3 | Hospital | 7 | 0 | 7 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Heart surgery with clinical death episode under deep anesthesia (7 points). No specific monitoring mentioned (0 points). Contemporary account exists (0 points). | No veridical observations reported (0 points). | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 8/5/2025 | 0 | 0 | Highly Compatible | 4 | |||||||||||||
| 5078 | qualitative | book | Bush, Nancy Evans. Dancing Past the Dark: Distressing Near-Death Experiences. Appendix 2, Elise, Pages 269-270, 2012 | Dancing Past the Dark - Elise - Appendix 2 - Pages 269-270 - 2012 | 2012 | 36 | F | Elise, age 36, experienced a near-death episode following serious hemorrhaging after a hysterectomy. While attempting to get out of her hospital bed, weak and with a soaking wet nightgown, she collapsed. She found herself in a dark tunnel-like area with a light at the end, feeling as if she was being sucked into it at incredible speed like through a giant vacuum cleaner hose. The experience began with terror - she felt a tremendous cold wind against her body, tried to scream but no sound came out, and knew she was dying. She attempted to pray but could not think of any prayer. Despite trying to stop or turn around, she had no control over the situation as the pinpoint of light grew larger. Then suddenly, she was overcome by complete peace. The terror transformed into a feeling of ultimate safety, weightlessness, and profound love. She felt at one with all, experiencing great joy and peace of mind and body. She sensed a presence saying "You're safe now; don't be afraid; this peace will help you." She then returned to her body, though she questioned where she had been during the experience. The transformation from terror to peace left a lasting impact, with her stating that anyone who felt such peace would never want it to leave them. | 5 | Hospital | 2 | 0 | 2 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Post-operative hemorrhage is life-threatening (2 points). No monitoring or barriers documented (0 points). No medical confirmation mentioned (0 points). | No veridical observations reported (0 points). | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 0 | 0 | Highly Compatible | 4 | ||||||||||||
| 5079 | qualitative | book | Bush, Nancy Evans. Dancing Past the Dark: Distressing Near-Death Experiences. Chapter 3, Gary, Pages 43-44, 2012 | Dancing Past the Dark - Gary - Chapter 3 - Pages 43-44 - 2012 | 2012 | M | Gary, a young artist, lost control of his car on a snowy winter evening, hit his head on the windshield and lost consciousness. His car ended up submerged in a brook. While unconscious, he experienced leaving his body and observing from 100-200 feet above and to the south of the accident scene. He saw the ambulance arriving and people trying to extract him from the car to take him to the hospital. He felt the warmth, kindness, and compassion emanating from the rescuers. He also sensed a very powerful source of all kindness, but being afraid of it, he rejected it saying "No." At that moment, he left the planet, traveling beyond the solar system and galaxy into a void beyond anything physical. Initially calm, the experience became unbearable and horrific as hours seemed to pass with absolutely no sensation - no pain, but also no hot, cold, light, taste, or smell - only the feeling of traveling at extreme speed through nothingness. The complete sensory deprivation became torture. He panicked, struggled, and prayed desperately to return. He then communicated with his deceased sister, and at that moment returned to his body, which had been moved to the hospital. This distressing NDE featured a terrifying void experience of complete isolation and sensory deprivation after rejecting a divine presence. | 5 | Other | 2 | 5 | 7 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Car accident with head trauma and unconsciousness (2 points). No monitoring or barriers documented (0 points). No medical records mentioned (0 points). | Visual observation of accident scene from above (5 points). General observations only, no specific verified details (0 points). | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/5/2025 | 1 | 0 | Saw ambulance and rescue efforts from above | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 6 | |||||||||||
| 5080 | qualitative | book | Bush, Nancy Evans. Dancing Past the Dark: Distressing Near-Death Experiences. Appendix 2, Fleur, Pages 270-271, 2012 | Dancing Past the Dark - Fleur - Appendix 2 - Pages 270-271 - 2012 | 2012 | 27 | F | Fleur, age 27, experienced an NDE during surgery for repair of extensive uterine lacerations immediately post-partum. She suddenly became aware of being sucked up through total darkness at incredible speed, as if through a giant vacuum cleaner hose. The darkness was punctuated by colored lights as she was pulled toward a pinpoint of light at the center. Though not exactly fearful, she felt no control over the situation and desperately tried to stop, backpedal, or turn around to no avail. She was determined not to stay and was quite terrified as the light grew larger and exploded around her. She found herself surrounded by beings who acknowledged her presence and seemed amused at her cranky demands to be returned, saying "Put me back, damn it, put me back!" Despite her initial resistance, the beings totally accepted her and didn't mind her demanding attitude. Gradually her agitation smoothed and she felt peaceful and calm. She began accepting the experience and engaged in a question-and-answer session with the beings, where instead of verbal replies, they would show her the answers to her questions. This initially distressing experience transformed into one of acceptance and learning through visual communication with accepting, patient beings. | 3 | Hospital | 7 | 0 | 7 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Surgery under general anesthesia for uterine lacerations (7 points). No specific monitoring mentioned (0 points). No medical records review mentioned (0 points). | No veridical observations reported (0 points). | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 8/6/2025 | 0 | 0 | Highly Compatible | 5 | ||||||||||||
| 5081 | qualitative | book | 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 1, Mary, Pages 23-24 | Imagine the God of Heaven - Mary - Chapter 1 - Pages 23-24 - 2023 | 2023 | F | Mary suffered a severe hemorrhage during pregnancy and was rushed to a London emergency room in critical condition, drenched with blood from the navel down. After hearing a "pop" and losing consciousness, she found herself floating near the ceiling, observing the medical team working on her body below. She watched a nurse in a blue smock inform doctors she had lost consciousness. From her elevated vantage point, she noticed a red label on the top side of a ceiling fan blade - a detail impossible to see from ground level. Her consciousness then traveled through a black churning tunnel toward a brilliant light, accompanied by her deceased grandfather's comforting presence. She emerged into an overwhelming radiant white light that embodied unconditional love, which she recognized as God despite having given up her Catholic faith. In this divine presence, she underwent a comprehensive life review where she re-experienced every moment and felt the emotional impact of her actions on others, all while supported by God's love. God showed her that her baby boy would survive and needed her, prompting her return. After revival, she persistently shared her experience with medical staff. Her detailed recollection of the nurse's words and the hidden red sticker convinced a skeptical nurse to verify her claim. Using a tall ladder, the nurse and an orderly confirmed the red sticker exactly as Mary had described, providing powerful verification of her out-of-body observations. | 5 | Hospital | 12 | 27 | 62 | Strong Evidence | 23 | Life-threatening hemorrhage with loss of consciousness in emergency setting. Clear medical crisis documented. | Hidden red sticker on ceiling fan blade impossible to see from ground level, plus accurate observation of nurse's words while unconscious. Multiple specific verified details. | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 2 | 2 | Heard nurse in blue smock speak to doctors while unconscious | 1.00 | A nurse | Highly Compatible | 9 | ||||||||||
| 5082 | qualitative | book | 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. Chapters 2, 7, Dr. Rajiv Parti, Pages 32, 45, 128-131 | Imagine the God of Heaven - Dr. Rajiv Parti - Chapters 2, 7 - Pages 32, 45, 128-131 - 2023 | 2010 | 2010-12-26 | 2023 | 53 | M | Dr. Rajiv Parti, a chief anesthesiologist suffering from cancer and pain medication addiction, underwent emergency surgery at UCLA Medical Center on December 26, 2010, for a severe infection. Under deep general anesthesia, he experienced a profound NDE that began with an out-of-body perspective where he watched the surgeon operating and heard the anesthesiologist tell a crude joke about the smell after his intestines were opened. His consciousness then traveled instantaneously to New Delhi, India, where he observed his mother wearing a green sari and sweater and his sister in blue jeans and a red sweater in their evening lounge. Subsequently, two demonic creatures dragged him toward a fiery realm he recognized as Naraka (hell), where he heard wailing souls and was told "You have lived a very loveless life." After praying for a second chance, archangels Michael and Raphael rescued him and guided him to a beautiful meadow and ultimately to a Being of Light described as "one thousand suns." In this divine presence, he underwent a painful but transformative life review and received the choice to return to heal his soul. The Being identified itself as "the Light of all souls." Later, in a vision following a friend's death, the Being revealed himself as Jesus. Dr. Parti verified his observations by confronting the anesthesiologist about the joke (who blushed in confirmation) and calling his family in India to confirm their exact clothing and activities. This experience transformed him from a materialistic skeptic into a spiritual believer who left his lucrative medical career to share his story. | 3 | Hospital | 22 | 25 | 68 | Exceptional Evidence | 21 | Emergency surgery under deep general anesthesia at major medical center. As an anesthesiologist himself, he understood the medical context. Clear medical crisis with monitoring. | Heard joke while under deep anesthesia and saw family in India with specific clothing details verified. Distant observation across continents with multiple verified specifics. | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 8/6/2025 | 2 | 2 | Heard anesthesiologist tell crude joke during surgery | 1.00 | The anesthesiologist | Moderately Compatible | 9 | |||||||
| 5083 | qualitative | book | 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. Chapters 3, 8, Heidi Barr, Pages 53-56, 150-153 | Imagine the God of Heaven - Heidi Barr - Chapters 3, 8 - Pages 53-56, 150-153 - 2023 | 2023 | 16 | F | Sixteen-year-old Heidi Barr, raised in a Jewish atheist household, suffered catastrophic trauma when her 700-pound horse reared and flipped backward, crushing her chest. She immediately found herself floating 30-40 feet above the scene, observing her lifeless body being tossed "like a rag doll." From this elevated perspective, she witnessed specific reactions: her little sister screaming and covering her eyes, her middle sister pressing her face against a car window, and remarkably, she could see events inside the barn "as if the roof had somehow vanished," including the runaway horse and rider entering. A golden light appeared and she instantly recognized the accompanying figure as Jesus/Yeshua, despite his name being forbidden in her home. They shared joyful laughter before Jesus presented her entire life in a three-dimensional review from conception onward, confirming his presence at her bedside throughout childhood as she had always sensed. Their journey continued at immense speed past galaxies, culminating in a playful experience of "surfing on a wave of light" that she described as "the most fun experience in the history of the world." The experience reached its theological apex in a direct encounter with the Trinity: she perceived God the Father as an immense presence larger than the universe, understood her mystical union with Jesus ("I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you"), and was taken into infinite white light where she sat on the Father's lap feeling "infinitely safe, infinitely loved." After being shown heaven's beauty, Jesus promised to never leave her, and she returned with what she later identified as the Holy Spirit's presence, motivating her lifelong spiritual quest. | 5 | Other | 10 | 18 | 36 | Moderate Evidence | 8 | Catastrophic trauma from 700-pound horse crushing chest. Immediate clinical death or near-death state. Clear life-threatening event. | Multiple specific observations of sisters' reactions and ability to see inside barn through roof. Observations presented as factual with specific details. | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 3 | 0 | Observed little sister's specific reaction | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 9 | ||||||||||
| 5084 | qualitative | book | 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 4, Dr. Ron Smothermon, Pages 71-74 | Imagine the God of Heaven - Dr. Ron Smothermon - Chapter 4 - Pages 71-74 - 2023 | 1984 | 1984-10-01 | 2023 | M | Dr. Ron Smothermon, a psychiatrist and neurologist, was brutally attacked in his home in October 1984 by a psychotic houseguest who stabbed him thirteen times in the chest, neck, and back with a ten-inch knife. As the attacker drew back for a fourteenth fatal blow to his heart, time stopped and a hallway of solid light appeared. The light then exploded into a being Dr. Smothermon instantly knew was God - a "silent, atomic bomb blast of white light" and "tsunami of infinite, unconditional love" that transformed him into perfect peace and ineffable ecstasy. In that timeless moment, God's nine primary qualities were imprinted on his consciousness: infinite love, knowledge, power, authority, humor, kindness, joy, purity, and humility. Immersed in this overwhelming divine love, he was asked telepathically, "Will you come now or later?" Remarkably, his immediate concern was not self-preservation but worry for how murder would affect his attacker Amin's life, demonstrating the transformative power of God's love to override even survival instinct. After also considering his three-year-old son, he chose "Later." Instantly, time resumed with a "Clink, clink" as the ten-inch steel knife blade was "cleanly sliced into two pieces," the heat forcing Amin to drop it. Police subdued Amin and doctors later expressed amazement that a neck wound had somehow missed every vital artery, vein, and nerve. The broken knife served as physical evidence of divine intervention at the precise moment of his spiritual decision, providing tangible verification of the supernatural event. | 5 | Home | 10 | 15 | 35 | Moderate Evidence | 10 | Thirteen stab wounds to chest, neck, and back. At moment of imminent death from final blow. Clear life-threatening trauma. | Supernatural breaking of steel knife at moment of choosing to return. Physical artifact of divine intervention. | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 1 | 1 | Ten-inch steel knife blade broke at moment of choosing to return | 1.00 | Hospital doctors | Highly Compatible | 8 | ||||||||
| 5085 | qualitative | book | 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 12, Jim Woodford, Pages 222-228 | Imagine the God of Heaven - Jim Woodford - Chapter 12 - Pages 222-228 - 2023 | 2023 | M | Jim Woodford, a former airline pilot suffering from Guillain-Barré syndrome and excruciating pain, attempted suicide by overdosing on pain medication in his truck. After saying "Jesus forgive me," he collapsed and died, with medical records later documenting "Eleven hours with no sign of brain activity." He awoke feeling twenty years old again outside his truck, horrified to see his own dead body slumped over the steering wheel. After experiencing absolute darkness, he ascended into a beautiful sunless realm with indescribable colors. His curiosity led him to a deep crevasse containing a fiery pit with a horrifying 50-foot-tall burning creature. As it advanced toward him, his desperate cry for Jesus summoned three beams of light that repelled the beast, followed by three magnificent angels (10, 13, and 15 feet tall) with flowing robes and violet eyes communicating "absolute love and protection." His guardian angel explained the beautiful music came from flowers singing in happiness at his arrival. Most remarkably, he saw six white contrails streaking across the sky, which his angel identified as "the prayers of your family for your soul, as we speak" - later verified when he learned exactly six family members had gathered to pray for his return. The angels gave him an aerial tour of the celestial city with translucent golden streets, buildings "hewn from blocks of light," and diverse inhabitants joyfully reuniting, all oriented toward the central throne of God. He was told to return specifically because of his family's prayers. His transformation from agnostic to devoted follower of Jesus after eleven hours of documented brain death stands as powerful evidence. | 4 | Other | 15 | 20 | 53 | Strong Evidence | 18 | Eleven hours with documented no brain activity per medical records. Extended clinical death far beyond typical revival window. | Saw six streaks of light identified as prayers, verified that exactly six family members were praying at that time. | written_account | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 1 | 1 | Saw six streaks of light that were prayers of six family members | 1.00 | Wife Lorraine, brother-in-law David, sister-in-law Shelley, another sister | Highly Compatible | 8 | ||||||||||
| 5086 | qualitative | book | 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 11, Penny Wittbrodt, Pages 202-206 | Imagine the God of Heaven - Penny Wittbrodt - Chapter 11 - Pages 202-206 - 2023 | 2023 | F | Penny Wittbrodt, a critical care nurse, went into anaphylactic shock from a severe allergic reaction at a rural Kentucky hospital. A resident rushed her to the ER just as she stopped breathing, precipitating her NDE. From an out-of-body perspective, she watched the medical team intubate her before her consciousness traveled at "the speed of thought" to her sister's car miles away. During heavy rain, she observed her sister parked at a gas station, noting her "ridiculous" mismatched outfit and reading the exact Facebook message her sister was typing - a desperate plea for prayers because Penny was dying. These mundane details were later confirmed. Her journey continued to the "Creation Room" where she met her deceased grandmother before entering the presence of God - a powerful Light and Energy she recognized as "Father, Son, Spirit all in one." God communicated simply "I AM" and instead of a traditional life review, taught her about the energetic power of thoughts, explaining how negative thoughts harm both self and others, emphasizing forgiveness's importance. Most remarkably, God showed her a precognitive vision three years in the future: at her grandson Cole's soccer game, her son would say "Mom, I'm going to be the dad to him that I deserved to have." She returned completely healed of emotional wounds. The Facebook details were verified with her sister, and exactly three years later, at Cole's soccer game, her son spoke those precise words, providing extraordinary confirmation of both real-time observations and prophetic vision. | 5 | Hospital | 12 | 28 | 63 | Strong Evidence | 23 | Anaphylactic shock with respiratory arrest requiring emergency intubation. Critical care nurse aware of medical severity. | Distant observation of sister with specific details verified, plus precognitive vision fulfilled exactly three years later. | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 2 | 2 | Observed sister's car, location, clothing, and Facebook message | 1.00 | Her sister | Highly Compatible | 9 | ||||||||||
| 5087 | qualitative | book | 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 13, Dr. Mark McDonough, Pages 243-246 | Imagine the God of Heaven - Dr. Mark McDonough - Chapter 13 - Pages 243-246 - 2023 | 1976 | 1976-08-03 | 2023 | 16 | M | Sixteen-year-old Mark McDonough helped his three younger brothers escape a house fire before being overcome by heat and smoke, suffering burns over 65% of his body. In the hospital, physiologically unstable and on a ventilator, he endured ten days of unbearable agony before his NDE occurred. He left his body and found himself in a place of "great love, comfort, and peace," surrounded by soft golden-white shimmering light and an infinite field of beautiful colors. All earthly suffering became insignificant - "a million miles away." In this realm of omniscience, any question received an instant, joyful answer, revealing that "No suffering is ever in vain. All pain has its purpose and is part of the plan." He sensed angels and other people, and crucially felt the distinct presence of his mother and youngest brother Toby who had died in the fire, along with his deceased grandfather. Their loving presence reassured him they were okay, though he hadn't been told of their deaths to protect him in his fragile state. He saw a square tunnel ascending toward light but sensed a boundary he couldn't cross. The experience concluded with an "incredible infusion of hope and purpose" and knowledge of a "good and perfect plan" for his life. This spiritual fortitude enabled him to endure recovery and eventually become a plastic surgeon specializing in burn victims, fulfilling the purpose revealed in his NDE. His father later confirmed his mother and brother's deaths, validating the knowledge he'd received during his experience. | 5 | Hospital | 12 | 15 | 37 | Moderate Evidence | 10 | Burns over 65% of body, physiologically unstable, on ventilator for 10 days. Extreme medical crisis. | Knew mother and brother were deceased though not told. Felt their specific presence with grandfather. | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 1 | 1 | Knew mother and brother were deceased without being told | 1.00 | His father | Highly Compatible | 8 | |||||||
| 5088 | qualitative | book | 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 | Imagine the God of Heaven - Debbie - Chapter 2 - Pages 42-44 - 2023 | 2023 | 48 | F | 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. | 4 | Home | 12 | 30 | 60 | Strong Evidence | 18 | Fell unconscious feeling she was dying. Congenitally blind from birth with no visual reference. | Congenitally blind person accurately described visual details impossible to know, plus prophecies fulfilled. | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Congenitally blind from birth | Dr. Kenneth Ring and Sharon Cooper | 8/6/2025 | 3 | 2 | Blind woman visually perceived and described mother | 1.00 | Her mother | Highly Compatible | 8 | |||||||
| 5089 | qualitative | book | Carter, Chris. Science and the Near-Death Experience: How Consciousness Survives Death. Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions, 2010. Chapter 7, p. 113. Case: A. S. Wiltse | Science and the Near-Death Experience - A. S. Wiltse - Chapter 7, p. 113 - 2010 | 1889 | 2010 | M |
Dr. A. S. Wiltse, a physician, contracted typhoid fever in 1889 and entered a profound coma lasting four hours with no pulse or perceptible heartbeat. A physician at his bedside tested his responsiveness by jabbing a needle into his body, which evoked no response, confirming his death-like state. The case gained credibility through investigation by Frederic Myers and Edmund Gurney of the British Society for Psychical Research, who obtained sworn testimony about the events. During his coma, Wiltse experienced leaving his body, describing himself as appearing "like a jellyfish in color and form" with sensations of floating up and down and laterally "like a soap bubble attached to the end of a pipe" until breaking free from his body. He reported falling lightly on the floor, then slowly rising and expanding into the full stature of a man, appearing translucent with a bluish cast. He described passing through one of two ladies standing at his bedside, feeling no more resistance than if she had been fog, before passing through the door and into the street. The veridical aspect of his experience included his accurate perception of two ladies standing at his bedside and the physical layout of the room while he was completely unresponsive. His attempt to make contact with one lady's arm, though unsuccessful physically, demonstrated his awareness of their exact positions during his out-of-body state. After experiencing another world where he encountered a barrier and communicated with an unknown presence, Wiltse had to decide whether his earthly task was finished. Upon deciding it was not, he suddenly returned to his body, his eyes opening spontaneously as he exclaimed in astonishment, "What in the world has happened to me? Must I die again?" |
4 | Home | 12 | 18 | 45 | Moderate Evidence | 15 | Four-hour coma with no pulse or heartbeat, confirmed unresponsive to needle jab by physician. Extended duration of clinical death-like state. | Clear out-of-body perception with specific details about room occupants and layout. Translucent form perception and passage through solid objects. | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Complete unresponsiveness to painful stimuli | Frederic Myers and Edmund Gurney (SPR) | 8/6/2025 | 1 | 1 | Perceived his body, room layout, and people present while in coma | 1.00 | Frederic Myers and Edmund Gurney (SPR) | Highly Compatible | 6 | |||||||
| 5090 | qualitative | book | Carter, Chris. Science and the Near-Death Experience: How Consciousness Survives Death. Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions, 2010. Chapter 14, pp. 219-220. Case: Al Sullivan | Science and the Near-Death Experience - Al Sullivan - Chapter 14, pp. 219-220 - 2010 | 1995 | 2010 | 55 | M |
Al Sullivan, a 55-year-old truck driver, underwent emergency triple bypass surgery at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut in 1995. During the final phase of the operation while his chest was being closed, Sullivan experienced a cardiac arrest. His anesthesiologist, Dr. Anthony LaSala, confirmed that Sullivan was in a deep coma with no recordable blood pressure during the arrest. His eyes were taped shut as standard surgical procedure, and he was under deep general anesthesia. During his cardiac arrest, Sullivan reported an extraordinary out-of-body experience where he could see his surgeon, Dr. Hiroyoshi Takata, who appeared perplexed and seemed to be "flapping his arms as if trying to fly." This unusual observation puzzled Sullivan at the time. He then noticed his deceased brother-in-law who had died almost two years before among three figures present. Sullivan described seeing "the most brilliant yellow light coming from what appeared to be a very well lit tunnel" with a golden yellow hue that, despite being the brightest he had ever seen, caused no discomfort to his eyes. From this light emerged a brown cloaked figure that he recognized with delight as his mother, who had died when he was seven years old. The most remarkable veridical observation was Sullivan's description of the surgeon's arm movements. When Sullivan later recounted seeing Dr. Takata "flapping his arms," Dr. LaSala confirmed witnessing this exact behavior. Because Dr. Takata had already scrubbed and re-entered the sterile field, he was pointing with his elbows to avoid contamination - a unique habit of his. Researcher Bruce Greyson interviewed both doctors in 1997, with Dr. Takata confirming this was his regular practice and Dr. LaSala confirming he had never seen another surgeon use this specific mannerism. Sullivan's case provides exceptional evidence for veridical perception during clinical death, with his unusual observation independently confirmed by multiple medical professionals who verified both the medical circumstances and the specific, unique surgical behavior observed. |
3 | Hospital | 22 | 23 | 70 | Exceptional Evidence | 25 | Cardiac arrest during surgery under deep general anesthesia with eyes taped shut. No recordable blood pressure, confirmed by anesthesiologist. | Highly specific and unique observation of surgeon's elbow-pointing habit. Observation impossible through normal means due to anesthesia and taped eyes. | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | Bruce Greyson | 1,997.00 | 8/6/2025 | 1 | 2 | Saw surgeon making peculiar flapping motion with arms/elbows | 1.00 | Dr. Anthony LaSala (anesthesiologist) | Highly Compatible | 5 | ||||||
| 5091 | qualitative | book | 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 | Science and the Near-Death Experience - Swedish Blind Woman - Chapter 15, pp. 230-231 - 2010 | 2010 | F |
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. |
2 | Home | 10 | 27 | 55 | Strong Evidence | 18 | Documented cardiac arrest requiring CPR, successful resuscitation at home before hospital transport. | Blind woman (10 years) had impossible visual perception of hidden objects behind screen. Extraordinary evidence of sight during NDE. | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Blindness for 10 years - could only distinguish light/dark | Kenneth Ring and Sharon Cooper | 8/6/2025 | 1 | 1 | Blind woman saw unwashed dishes in sink behind screen | 1.00 | Woman's husband | Highly Compatible | 3 | ||||||||
| 5092 | qualitative | book | Carter, Chris. Science and the Near-Death Experience: How Consciousness Survives Death. Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions, 2010. Chapter 15, pp. 231-233. Case: Nancy | Science and the Near-Death Experience - Nancy - Chapter 15, pp. 231-233 - 2010 | 1991 | 1991-09-01 | 2010 | F |
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. |
3 | Hospital | 24 | 27 | 73 | Exceptional Evidence | 22 | Cardiac arrest during surgery after severed vena cava, brain swelling, 8-hour surgical emergency with extensive medical documentation. | Person blind from birth had detailed visual perception of clothing. Ambu bag and attendants would block any residual vision even if present. | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | Ambu bag on head, blind from birth | Kenneth Ring and Sharon Cooper | 8/6/2025 | 2 | 2 | Blind woman saw Diane's specific clothing | 1.00 | Leon and Diane | Highly Compatible | 5 | ||||||
| 5093 | qualitative | book | Carter, Chris. Science and the Near-Death Experience: How Consciousness Survives Death. Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions, 2010. Chapter 13, p. 209. Case: Pat | Science and the Near-Death Experience - Pat - Chapter 13, p. 209 - 2010 | 2010 | 7 | M |
Seven-year-old Pat was fishing with a friend from a bridge when he fell approximately ten feet, striking his head on a rock in the pond below. He remained underwater for five to ten minutes before a police officer rescued him. When pulled from the water, Pat's heart had stopped beating and he was not breathing. He was transported by ambulance to a local hospital where he was successfully resuscitated, then flown by helicopter to a larger medical facility. He remained in a coma for two days and was discharged from the hospital eight days after the accident. In a series of interviews with researcher Serdahely, Pat described his experience after hitting his head. He found himself in a beautiful place with "lots of flowers" and a "bright light that didn't hurt my eyes." In this otherworldly realm, he encountered two deceased relatives: his grandfather who had died about a year earlier, and his nineteen-year-old sister who had died three years before in an automobile accident. Pat reported that his sister told him the place was wonderful but that he had to go back. His grandfather agreed with this assessment. While Pat's experience includes classic NDE elements of encountering deceased relatives in a beautiful realm of light and flowers, there were no specific veridical observations that could be independently verified beyond the subjective experience itself. The police officer who rescued Pat confirmed the circumstances of the accident, including the fall, the extended time underwater, and Pat's clinical state when rescued. Pat's case, though lacking independently verifiable observations, provides a compelling account of a child's near-death experience during drowning, with clear memories of an otherworldly realm and deceased family members despite being clinically dead for several minutes. |
5 | Hospital | 7 | 0 | 13 | Weak Evidence | 6 | Drowning for 5-10 minutes with cardiac arrest and cessation of breathing. Two-day coma following resuscitation. | No veridical observations reported. Experience consisted of subjective perceptions only. | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Serdahely | 8/6/2025 | 0 | 1 | Police officer | Highly Compatible | 4 | ||||||||||
| 5094 | qualitative | book | Carter, Chris. Science and the Near-Death Experience: How Consciousness Survives Death. Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions, 2010. Chapter 13, p. 210. Case: Ben Bray | Science and the Near-Death Experience - Ben Bray - Chapter 13, p. 210 - 2010 | 2010 | 6 | M |
Six-year-old Ben Bray required a heart transplant for an inherited heart defect that had already claimed the life of his older brother. During his medical crisis and coma, Ben had a profound near-death experience that was initially reported in the tabloid newspaper The Globe with the headline "I Went to Heaven and Talked to God... Boy, 6, snaps out of coma and bares startling proof." While the tabloid sensationalized the story, researcher Dr. Serdahely contacted Ben's mother directly to verify the account. During his experience, Ben described journeying to a beautiful, light and happy place with angels in white robes and a "big, bright, yellow light far ahead, down a long, long, white room." In this realm, he encountered his deceased brother Matthew and his two deceased grandfathers. Remarkably, Ben described one grandfather as having black hair and the other as having brown hair. His mother was stunned by this detail because Ben had only ever seen his grandfathers - whether in real life or in photographs - with grey hair. The accuracy of identifying their youthful hair colors and correctly specifying which grandfather had which color was particularly striking. The veridical element of correctly identifying his grandfathers' hair colors from their youth, which he had never seen, provides an intriguing evidential aspect to the experience. Ben's mother confirmed this specific detail as completely accurate when Dr. Serdahely contacted her for verification. She acknowledged that while the tabloid had exaggerated many parts of the story, the core details of her son's experience, particularly the accurate description of the grandfathers' youthful appearance, were true. This case demonstrates how even young children can have profound near-death experiences with evidential components that suggest access to information they could not have known through normal means, supporting the reality of consciousness during clinical crisis. |
4 | Hospital | 7 | 10 | 25 | Suggestive Evidence | 8 | Coma during heart transplant crisis for inherited defect. Life-threatening condition requiring transplant. | Correctly identified grandfathers' youthful hair colors never seen before. Specific and accurate details unknown to child. | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Dr. Serdahely | 8/6/2025 | 1 | 1 | Correctly identified grandfathers' youthful hair colors he had never seen | 1.00 | Ben's mother | Highly Compatible | 4 | ||||||||
| 5095 | qualitative | book | Carter, Chris. Science and the Near-Death Experience: How Consciousness Survives Death. Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions, 2010. Chapter 7, pp. 124-125. Case: Englishwoman | Science and the Near-Death Experience - Englishwoman - Chapter 7, pp. 124-125 - 2010 | 2010 | F |
An Englishwoman, twelve weeks pregnant, was hospitalized due to a threatened miscarriage. Shortly after being placed on a saline drip, she experienced a severe medical crisis, losing all signs of blood pressure and pulse. The medical team immediately responded to her life-threatening condition, working frantically to stabilize her as she appeared to be dying. During this crisis, she had a profound out-of-body experience, finding herself in the top left-hand corner of the room against the ceiling, looking down with remarkable detachment at all the people fussing around her body. She realized she must be dying but felt oddly unconcerned. She then experienced traveling through a long, dark tunnel at tremendous speed toward a bright light at the end. The light grew brighter as she approached and eventually enveloped her in what she described as a beautiful, bright, gentle light that was not frightening but beautiful. She found herself in an extraordinary garden with "myriads of flowers, the colors of which were magnificent and quite indescribable," with a stream running through it and a beautiful arched bridge. In this realm, she encountered her deceased mother and grandmother, who appeared young, beautiful, and "radiant with happiness." They came toward her with outstretched hands, smiling, and she went to meet them in what she described as a wonderful reunion. Though no words were spoken, she knew they were pleased to see her and that she had been expected. She also saw other deceased people she had known. The experience ended when her mother became detached from the group, shook her head, and waved her hand in a gesture like a windscreen wiper. At that moment, she heard the doctor say "She's coming round" and found herself back in her hospital bed. Her first words to the doctor were "Why did you bring me back?" This case demonstrates classic NDE elements including out-of-body perception, tunnel experience, encounters with deceased relatives, and a profound otherworldly realm, occurring during a documented medical crisis. |
5 | Hospital | 7 | 5 | 12 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Lost all blood pressure and pulse during threatened miscarriage. Life-threatening medical crisis. | Out-of-body observation from ceiling corner. No verification attempted or reported. | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 1 | 0 | Viewed scene from ceiling corner during medical crisis | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 6 | |||||||||||
| 5096 | qualitative | book | Carter, Chris. Science and the Near-Death Experience: How Consciousness Survives Death. Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions, 2010. Chapter 7, p. 122. Case: Woman with hemorrhage | Science and the Near-Death Experience - Woman with hemorrhage - Chapter 7, p. 122 - 2010 | 2010 | F |
This case involves a woman who was hospitalized and recovering from a hemorrhage when she had a near-death experience. The medical details of her condition are minimal, with no specific information provided about the severity of the hemorrhage, vital signs, or level of consciousness during the experience. The woman recalled traveling through a tunnel that she described as "very, very dark" and "very, very black." When asked if the tunnel felt vast, she confirmed it was "very, very" vast. The tunnel started at a narrow point and became progressively wider as she moved through it. Despite the complete darkness, she reported feeling no fear because she somehow knew that something good was waiting for her at the other end. She described feeling very pleasant during the experience, with no fear attached to it at all. She felt very light, as if she was floating through the tunnel. This brief account contains only the tunnel experience without any other NDE elements such as encountering beings, life review, or out-of-body observations. No veridical observations were reported that could be independently verified, and no corroborating witnesses are mentioned. The experience appears to have been entirely subjective. While this case lacks the evidential elements found in stronger NDE accounts, it demonstrates that even minimal near-death experiences can involve the classic tunnel phenomenon with its characteristic features of darkness, movement, and paradoxical peace despite the darkness. |
5 | Hospital | 2 | 0 | 2 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Hospitalized for hemorrhage. No specific medical details provided about severity or vital signs. | No veridical observations reported. Entirely subjective tunnel experience. | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 0 | 0 | Highly Compatible | 0 | |||||||||||||
| 5097 | qualitative | book | Osis, Karlis, and Erlendur Haraldsson. At the Hour of Death: A New Look at Evidence for Life After Death. Revised ed. White Crow Books, 2012. Chapter 3, Doris, pp. 38-39 | At the Hour of Death - Doris - Chapter 3 - Pages 38-39 - 2012 | 1924 | 1924-01-12 | 2012 | F |
Doris experienced life-threatening complications during childbirth on January 12, 1924, in a hospital setting with Lady Barrett as her attending physician. Despite successfully delivering her baby, Doris was dying from the complications. The experience was witnessed firsthand by Lady Barrett, who noted Doris's deteriorating condition. During her near-death state, Doris suddenly looked toward one part of the room with a radiant smile, exclaiming "Oh, lovely, lovely" and describing "lovely brightness-wonderful beings." She became intensely absorbed in the vision, which Lady Barrett described as conveying a powerful sense of reality. Doris then joyfully recognized her deceased father, saying "Why, it's Father! Oh, he's so glad I'm coming; he is so glad." The vision was so compelling that after seeing her newborn, she declared she couldn't stay, saying "if you could see what I do, you would know I can't stay." The most significant veridical element occurred when Doris, with a puzzled expression, announced "He has Vida with him," referring to her sister. This observation was extraordinary because Vida had died three weeks earlier, but this information had been deliberately withheld from Doris due to her precarious health. Doris could not have known through normal means that her sister was deceased, making this a powerful piece of veridical evidence that was directly witnessed by Lady Barrett at the bedside. Following this vision, Doris expressed her final wishes for her husband and baby before peacefully transitioning to death. The experience so profoundly impacted Sir William Barrett that he undertook the first systematic study of deathbed visions, publishing his findings in 1926. This case remains significant for its well-documented veridical element of perceiving a recently deceased relative whose death was unknown to the experiencer. |
5 | Hospital | 14 | 25 | 53 | Strong Evidence | 14 | Life-threatening childbirth complications witnessed by physician (7 pts), conscious patient with no sensory barriers (1 pt), contemporary medical documentation by attending physician (6 pts) | Highly specific veridical observation of deceased sister whose death was unknown (15 pts), knowledge of unknown death type perception (10 pts) | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 1 | 1 | Saw her recently deceased sister Vida whose death had been kept secret from her | 1.00 | Lady Barrett, M.D. (physician specializing in obstetrical surgery) | Highly Compatible | 5 | ||||||||
| 5098 | qualitative | book | Osis, Karlis, and Erlendur Haraldsson. At the Hour of Death: A New Look at Evidence for Life After Death. Revised ed. White Crow Books, 2012. Chapter 12, Indian woman with coronary occlusion, p. 188 | At the Hour of Death - Indian woman with coronary occlusion - Chapter 12 - Page 188 - 2012 | 2012 | 50 | F |
A woman in her fifties experienced a severe coronary occlusion that brought her to the brink of death. Her physician was convinced she would not survive the night, stating "I had expected her to expire that night." The critical nature of her cardiac condition suggested imminent death, though the specific medical setting is not detailed in the account. During her near-death state, she reported a vivid visionary journey with her deceased parents. She stated that her father and mother appeared to her with the clear intention of taking her "far away." The experience had a distinct narrative structure, as she described the three of them "going along a hill" together in what appeared to be a journey to the afterlife. This otherworldly journey was abruptly interrupted when her parents "suddenly told her to go back," issuing a direct command for her to return to life. Following their instruction, she "turned back and left them," demonstrating her obedience to their directive. This experience contained no veridical observations that could be independently verified. The account focuses entirely on the subjective spiritual journey with deceased relatives and the message to return to earthly life. There were no reported perceptions of the physical environment or events occurring around her body that could be corroborated by witnesses. The most remarkable aspect of this case was the dramatic medical recovery that followed. Approximately six to eight hours after the experience, her condition unexpectedly improved to the astonishment of her physician. This sudden reversal from an apparently terminal state to recovery occurred shortly after she was "sent back" by her parents, suggesting the profound impact of the near-death experience on her will to live and possibly her physiological state. |
2 | 7 | 0 | 18 | Suggestive Evidence | 11 | Documented cardiac arrest from coronary occlusion (7 pts), no monitoring equipment mentioned, no sensory barriers documented | No veridical observations reported (0 pts) | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 0 | 1 | The patient's doctor | Highly Compatible | 5 | ||||||||||||
| 5099 | qualitative | book | Osis, Karlis, and Erlendur Haraldsson. At the Hour of Death: A New Look at Evidence for Life After Death. Revised ed. White Crow Books, 2012. Chapter 12, Roman Catholic woman with pneumonia, p. 188 | At the Hour of Death - Roman Catholic woman with pneumonia - Chapter 12 - Page 188 - 2012 | 2012 | 30 | F |
A Roman Catholic woman in her thirties was critically ill with pneumonia, experiencing a life-threatening medical crisis that led her to believe she was dying. At the height of her illness, while gazing at a picture of the Blessed Mother, she experienced a profound spiritual encounter that would transform her perspective on death. The medical setting is not specified, though the presence of a religious picture suggests either a home or hospital room where personal items were permitted. The core of her near-death experience was a miraculous vision in which the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to animate from the picture she was contemplating. The woman reported that Mary "had come out of the picture" and spoke directly to her with a deeply personal and reassuring message: "Don't be afraid. I don't need you yet. I will come back later." This communication was not merely visual but included clear verbal instruction that her time of death had not arrived. The woman described the vision as "so beautiful to see," indicating the profound aesthetic and emotional impact of the encounter. This experience contained no veridical observations of the physical world that could be verified by external witnesses. The encounter was entirely supernatural and subjective, consisting of the animated religious figure and the divine message received. No perceptions of medical procedures, conversations, or events in the physical environment were reported that could provide evidential support. The immediate aftermath brought a dramatic shift in the woman's emotional and spiritual state. Initially believing she was dying, the explicit message from Mary that it was not yet her time brought profound relief. The experience transformed her fear of death into acceptance and peace. A significant contextual detail is that she had a new baby to care for, providing earthly purpose aligned with Mary's message to remain in life. The vision left her with lasting comfort and eliminated her fear of death. |
5 | 5 | 0 | 6 | Weak Evidence | 1 | Life-threatening pneumonia (5 pts), conscious patient, no monitoring or barriers documented | No veridical observations reported (0 pts) | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 0 | 0 | Moderately Compatible | 6 | |||||||||||||
| 5100 | qualitative | book | Osis, Karlis, and Erlendur Haraldsson. At the Hour of Death: A New Look at Evidence for Life After Death. Revised ed. White Crow Books, 2012. Chapter 12, Indian patient taken by messengers, pp. 191-192, 221-222 | At the Hour of Death - Indian patient taken by messengers - Chapter 12 - Pages 191-192, 221-222 - 2012 | 2012 | M |
An Indian man experienced an apparent death state, described as having "seemed to die" before unexpectedly regaining consciousness. The medical cause and setting are not specified, but the event was perceived by observers as a genuine transition into death followed by an unexpected return to life. This type of experience, involving administrative error in the afterlife, represents a common pattern in Indian near-death accounts. The man reported being escorted from his body by "messengers in white clothing" who transported him to a "beautiful place" in the afterlife realm. There he encountered a central authority figure described as "a man in white, with a long beard, sitting with a big book in front of him" who served as a celestial administrator. Upon consulting his records, this being declared that an error had occurred - the messengers had brought the wrong person. The patient was given the name and address of the correct individual who should have been taken, then was "sent back" to earthly life. The most significant veridical aspect comes from parallel cases described in the same account. A young Hindu girl who had a similar "wrong person" experience reported being tied with ropes to a stretcher by the messengers. Upon her return to consciousness, the text states that "signs of tying with ropes could be seen on her legs," suggesting physical manifestation of the otherworldly experience. Another man who was "pushed down" from the other world reportedly had bruises on his body upon awakening. These physical marks, if verified, would constitute extraordinary evidence of the reality of these experiences. The aftermath for these patients involved returning to life with detailed memories of a structured, bureaucratic afterlife featuring record-keeping and administrative procedures. The experiences left them convinced they had visited a real realm with clear rules and authorities. For the young girl, the return was reluctant as she found the afterlife "so beautiful," indicating the profound positive impact of the experience despite its unusual administrative narrative. |
4 | 8 | 12 | 22 | Suggestive Evidence | 2 | Unresponsive state described as "seemed to die" (8 pts), no monitoring documented | Physical marks/stigmata reported in parallel case (12 pts) - rope marks on legs and bruises providing potential physical evidence | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 1 | 0 | Physical marks (rope marks on legs, bruises) appearing after NDE in parallel cases | 1.00 | Mixed Compatibility | 8 | ||||||||||||
| 5101 | qualitative | book | Osis, Karlis, and Erlendur Haraldsson. At the Hour of Death: A New Look at Evidence for Life After Death. Revised ed. White Crow Books, 2012. Chapter 13, 69-year-old stroke patient, p. 208 | At the Hour of Death - 69-year-old stroke patient - Chapter 13 - Page 208 - 2012 | 2012 | 69 | M |
A 69-year-old patient suffered a severe stroke that left them partially paralyzed and in a deeply depressed state. The neurological damage from the stroke created a life-threatening situation, with the patient experiencing significant physical pain and emotional suffering. The combination of paralysis and depression characterized their condition immediately before the near-death experience, which occurred shortly before they entered a final coma and died. The experience began with a sudden, dramatic transformation visible to observers - the patient's "face lit up, pain gone, smiling," a remarkable change from their previous state of suffering. The patient exclaimed "How beautiful," perceiving something beyond the observers' sight. They then provided a concise but profound description of their vision: "No body, no world, flowers, light and my Mary [deceased wife]." This statement encapsulated multiple classic NDE elements - the out-of-body state ("no body"), transcendence of physical reality ("no world"), perception of a beautiful afterlife environment ("flowers, light"), and reunion with a deceased loved one ("my Mary"). This experience contained no veridical observations that could be verified. The entire vision was of a transcendent, non-physical realm with no reported perceptions of the immediate environment or medical procedures. The experience was purely subjective, though its profound effect on the patient was objectively observable through their dramatic change in demeanor. The immediate aftermath was a complete transformation from suffering to peace. The patient became "released and peaceful," with all signs of pain and depression vanishing. This state of tranquility was maintained as they entered a coma and died shortly thereafter. The experience served as a bridge from a painful dying process to a peaceful death, witnessed by an observer who documented the remarkable change in the patient's state from agony to joy in their final conscious moments. |
4 | 7 | 0 | 10 | Weak Evidence | 3 | Stroke with paralysis leading to coma (7 pts), no monitoring equipment mentioned | No veridical observations reported (0 pts) | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 0 | 1 | Unnamed observer | Highly Compatible | 6 | ||||||||||||
| 5102 | qualitative | book | Osis, Karlis, and Erlendur Haraldsson. At the Hour of Death: A New Look at Evidence for Life After Death. Revised ed. White Crow Books, 2012. Chapter 13, 38-year-old Indian housewife, p. 209 | At the Hour of Death - 38-year-old Indian housewife - Chapter 13 - Page 209 - 2012 | 2012 | 38 | F |
A 38-year-old Indian housewife experienced a near-death event from an unspecified medical condition that brought her close to death before she recovered. Significantly, she was described as a "nonbeliever" who did not believe in an afterlife prior to her experience. This skeptical worldview makes her subsequent visionary journey particularly noteworthy, as it could not be attributed to pre-existing religious expectations or wishful thinking about life after death. During her NDE, she reported a classic out-of-body experience in which she found herself "up in the sky" in an ethereal realm that "looked like clouds." The experience was kinesthetic and interactive rather than merely observational - she perceived herself as actively "walking on clouds" through this celestial landscape. The environment was populated with remarkable architecture: she "saw many castles there" that were bathed in "bright light" and described as "very beautiful." She was deeply "impressed with their beauty," indicating the profound aesthetic and emotional impact of what she witnessed. This experience contained no veridical observations that could be independently verified. The entire vision was of a transcendent, heavenly realm with no reported perceptions of her physical body, medical procedures, or earthly environment. The experience was entirely subjective, focused on the otherworldly journey rather than any evidential observations of the physical world. The most significant aftermath was a complete transformation in her beliefs and attitude toward death. This former nonbeliever "became quiet" and developed a "real acceptance of death" following her experience. The shift from skepticism to peaceful acceptance represents a profound psychological and spiritual transformation. Her newfound tranquility regarding mortality, emerging from direct personal experience rather than religious teaching, demonstrates the powerful impact of the NDE in overcoming her previous disbelief in an afterlife. |
6 | 4 | 0 | 5 | Weak Evidence | 1 | Unknown medical condition that was life-threatening (4 pts), no monitoring or medical details provided | No veridical observations reported (0 pts) | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 0 | 0 | Highly Compatible | 6 | |||||||||||||
| 5103 | qualitative | book | Puckett, Jim. Hell is for Real, Too: One Man's True Near Death Experience. Chapter 1. Jim Puckett. Pages 3-6. Copyright Not Provided | Hell is for Real, Too. Jim Puckett. Chapter 1. Pages 3-6. Copyright Not Provided | 2010 | 2010-01-16 | 42 | M | Jim Puckett, 42, suffered severe burns from a gasoline explosion while lighting an outdoor fireplace, resulting in second and third-degree burns over 65% of his body. During Medivac helicopter transport to Doctor's Hospital in Augusta, GA, he clinically died when his heart stopped beating and lungs stopped breathing. He found himself submerged up to his chin in dark, murky, cold water at nighttime, trapped with countless hostile people inside a giant submerged fence. The environment emanated profound evil, with mean and agitated beings whose faces grew increasingly menacing. Unable to escape, he experienced complete helplessness, despair, and terror more intense than any previous fear, believing he was doomed to remain there for eternity. Questions raced through his mind about why he was there and how to escape. In this ultimate despair, he turned to prayer as his only hope, bowing his head and fervently asking God for another chance, promising with complete sincerity to become a better Christian, husband, and father. After this desperate plea, the experience ended and he eventually awoke from a two-month coma. He underwent seventeen surgeries including skin grafts and lung cleansings. No veridical observations of the physical world were reported; the entire experience occurred in what he identified as a hellish otherworldly realm. A neighbor paramedic later confirmed the severity of his condition, stating he never expected Jim to survive the helicopter ride. The experience profoundly transformed him, giving him a renewed sense of purpose to share his story and become the better person he had promised to be. | 2 | Ambulance | 17 | 0 | 28 | Suggestive Evidence | 11 | Documented cardiac arrest without EEG (10 pts), sensory incapacitation from cardiac arrest (4 pts), contemporary medical documentation likely exists with paramedic witness (3 pts) | No veridical observations of physical world reported - entire experience in otherworldly realm | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 0 | 1 | David (neighbor and lifelong paramedic) | Highly Compatible | 5 | ||||||||||
| 5104 | qualitative | book | Hill, Roy L. Jesus and the Near-Death Experience: Testimonies of the Ascended Christ. White Crow Books, Chapter 6, Robyn, Pages 155-156, 2017 | Jesus and the Near-Death Experience, Robyn, Chapter 6, Pages 155-156, 2017 | 2017 | F |
The medical context for Robyn's near-death experience was extreme physical trauma during a life-threatening assault at her home. Her husband had beaten her to the point of submission and was intending to kill her by setting her on fire with gasoline. The trigger for the experience was not a typical medical crisis like cardiac arrest but rather the imminent danger of a violent death, coupled with her desperate prayer for deliverance. It was in this moment of mortal peril, facing certain death, that her consciousness detached from her physical body. Robyn's core experience was a sudden out-of-body-experience where she found herself on the ceiling, observing her own assault. In this state, she witnessed Jesus standing behind her husband. An instantaneous and profound spiritual transformation occurred as she was filled with the Holy Spirit, which eradicated all her fear and replaced it with an incredible sense of peace. This infusion of divine energy completely altered her perception; she no longer saw her husband as a monster but as a frightened and hurt child. Empowered by this new understanding and a feeling of unconditional love, she forgave him from her vantage point on the ceiling. Her consciousness then returned to her body, and filled with a newfound peace and fearlessness, she stood up and faced her attacker with compassion, causing him to become confused and back away, allowing her to escape. The primary veridical observation during Robyn's experience was the visual perception of the scene from an out-of-body perspective. She saw her physical self being assaulted and her husband holding a can of gasoline, all from a vantage point near the ceiling of the room. The most significant observation was seeing the figure of Jesus standing behind her husband. While the presence of a spiritual being cannot be externally verified, her accurate perception of the physical events of the assault from a location separate from her body constitutes a veridical claim. The aftermath of Robyn's NDE was a profound, life-altering change centered on the power of forgiveness. She later taught her three sons to forgive their father, enabling them to communicate with him from a place of peace after his release from prison. |
5 | Home | 7 | 8 | 18 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Life-threatening assault with imminent danger of death, no medical monitoring | Visual perception from ceiling vantage point during assault | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 1 | 1 | She observed the physical assault on her own body from a vantage point on the ceiling | 0.00 | Robyn | Highly Compatible | 7 | ||||||||||
| 5105 | qualitative | book | Hill, Roy L. Jesus and the Near-Death Experience: Testimonies of the Ascended Christ. White Crow Books, Chapter 3, Sarah (NDERF #2523), Pages 147-148, 2017 | Jesus and the Near-Death Experience, Sarah (NDERF #2523), Chapter 3, Pages 147-148, 2017 | 2017 | 14 | F |
The precise medical context for the near-death experience of Sarah, a fourteen-year-old girl, is not provided in the source material. The text establishes a background of severe familial abuse and neglect, which had instilled in her a deep sense of being defective and worthless. While this profound psychological trauma is described, the specific physiological event or medical crisis that triggered her NDE, such as an accident or illness, is not mentioned. The narrative focuses entirely on the content of her transcendent experience and its powerful, healing dialogue with Jesus. Sarah's core experience was an intensely personal and therapeutic encounter with Jesus, who assumed the role of the ideal father she had never known. The entire NDE unfolded as a loving, corrective dialogue that systematically dismantled the negative self-concept she had developed from years of abuse. When Sarah expressed her feelings of worthlessness, wishing she were special and loved by God like biblical figures, Jesus met each expression of doubt with a simple, powerful affirmation: "You are," and "He does!". The encounter was physically affectionate; they ran to each other, embraced, and she felt herself melted into Him as they gazed lovingly at one another. When she felt lost about her purpose on Earth, Jesus gave her a simple, joyful mission: "Love and have fun". He consistently countered her feelings of being unloved and disliked with direct assurances of love, holding her hands and telling her, "I love you!". No veridical observations of the physical world are mentioned in the account of Sarah's NDE. The experience was wholly transcendent and internal, taking place in a non-physical realm of consciousness where she interacted directly with Jesus. Her narrative is focused on the emotional and spiritual content of their conversation and the profound healing it provided. The aftermath of Sarah's NDE was a complete redefinition of her reality and self-worth. Through His consistent and loving validation, Jesus corrected the destructive lies she had internalized from her family. She returned from the experience with a new, divinely-imparted understanding of her value as a beloved child of God and a simple, clear mission for her life. |
6 | Unknown | 2 | 0 | 5 | Weak Evidence | 3 | No medical context provided, only background of abuse | No veridical observations reported | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 0 | 1 | Sarah (NDERF #2523) | Highly Compatible | 7 | |||||||||||
| 5106 | qualitative | book | Hill, Roy L. Jesus and the Near-Death Experience: Testimonies of the Ascended Christ. White Crow Books, Chapter 10, Sharon Milliman, Pages 249-253, 2017 | Jesus and the Near-Death Experience, Sharon Milliman, Chapter 10, Pages 249-253, 2017 | 2017 | F |
The medical context for Sharon Milliman's near-death experience was a sudden, life-threatening electrocution that occurred at her home. A lightning strike caused a nearby electrical transformer to explode, sending a powerful energy surge through her house and into her body as she stood on the steps, resulting in her death. This non-clinical setting lacked any form of medical intervention or monitoring. The event was instantaneous, propelling her consciousness directly from a normal state into the post-mortem environment without any preceding illness, injury, or medical procedure like surgery or anesthesia. Her core experience began with her soul floating above her body inside her home, which appeared altered in a burnt-gold light with unfamiliar furnishings and the sound of a 1930s radio show despite a power outage. She was then transported to a beautiful, fragrant garden under a shining orb she knew was the Light of God. After a non-judgmental life review, she was greeted by her two brothers, who had died as infants but now appeared as healthy young adults. God then appeared, resembling her father, and engaged her in a profound dialogue about the necessity of interconnectedness, demonstrating this by revealing the universe as a cosmic rainbow of infinite possibilities and by showing her the divine life force within a giant oak tree. The lesson culminated in her recognizing God in everyone, including herself. Before returning, angels showed her visions of future world turmoil. A significant veridical aspect of Sharon's NDE was auditory. While out of her body, she distinctly heard a 1930s radio talk show playing inside her house. This observation was perplexing and anomalous because the lightning strike that caused her death had also blown the neighborhood transformer, resulting in a widespread power outage. Therefore, no radio or any other electrical appliance in her home should have been functioning. The aftermath of Sharon's NDE was a profound and lasting transformation, deeply integrating the experience's lessons into her life. She fully embraced the understanding of divine unity, recognizing that God is not a separate entity but is intrinsically part of all creation, including herself and every other person. |
5 | Home | 7 | 10 | 20 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Clear life-threatening electrocution event, instantaneous death | Auditory perception of 1930s radio during verified power outage - anomalous observation | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 1 | 1 | Sharon heard a 1930s radio talk show playing in her house after a power outage had occurred | 0.00 | Sharon Milliman | Low Compatibility | 9 | ||||||||||
| 5107 | qualitative | book | Hill, Roy L. Jesus and the Near-Death Experience: Testimonies of the Ascended Christ. White Crow Books, Chapter 8, Stanley S. (NDERF #2718), Pages 194-195, 2017 | Jesus and the Near-Death Experience, Stanley S. (NDERF #2718), Chapter 8, Pages 194-195, 2017 | 2017 | M |
The specific medical trigger for Stanley S.'s near-death experience is not detailed in the provided text. The account begins with him already in the afterlife, ascending a staircase in a church-like structure, with no mention of an accident, illness, or clinical death event. Given that the source is the Near-Death Experience Research Foundation (NDERF), it is presumed that his experience met the necessary criteria of occurring during a life-threatening crisis, but the specific clinical details are not available in this particular excerpt. The context is therefore limited to the spiritual and thematic elements of the NDE itself, rather than the physical circumstances that precipitated it. Stanley's core experience was profoundly theological, structured around the Catholic sacrament of confession, which was familiar to him from his upbringing. He found himself ascending a staircase with others into a confessional, preparing to list his sins. When he knelt and began to speak, a hand extended from the screen, which he knew to be the hand of Jesus Christ. Upon taking the hand, he was enveloped in a world of unconditional love and received a direct impartation of divine knowledge. The central revelation was that sin, as taught by earthly religions, does not exist in God's eyes; rather, all life events are purely for the purpose of learning. This powerful insight redefined his understanding of morality, judgment, and spirituality, leading him to the ultimate conclusion that the true church resides within each individual's heart and soul. There were no veridical observations of the physical world detailed in this account. Stanley's experience was entirely internal and spiritual, focused on a direct interaction with a divine being and the reception of transcendent knowledge. The narrative does not include any out-of-body perceptions of his physical surroundings, medical procedures, or conversations among other people that could be later verified. The aftermath of Stanley's NDE was a complete deconstruction and rebuilding of his theological framework. He returned with the firm conviction that religious legalism and the human concept of sin are misguided constructs that obscure a deeper truth. |
6 | Unknown | 2 | 0 | 5 | Weak Evidence | 3 | No medical context provided | No veridical observations present | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 0 | 1 | Stanley S. (NDERF #2718) | Incompatible | 7 | ||||||||||||
| 5108 | qualitative | book | Hill, Roy L. Jesus and the Near-Death Experience: Testimonies of the Ascended Christ. White Crow Books, Chapter 5, The Golden Threads Woman, Page 121, 2017 | Jesus and the Near-Death Experience, The Golden Threads Woman, Chapter 5, Page 121, 2017 | 2017 | F |
The specific medical circumstances that led to this near-death experience are not provided in the excerpt. The narrative begins with the subject already in a transcendent state, being consumed by a spiritual fire, without any preceding description of an illness, accident, or clinical death event. Since the account is sourced from NDERF, it is presumed to have occurred in a legitimate near-death context, but the text focuses solely on the rich, metaphorical content of the spiritual encounter itself. The lack of a described medical trigger places the emphasis entirely on the philosophical and theological revelations she received. The core of this NDE was a powerful, paradoxical experience of being consumed by a fire that was simultaneously terrifying and blissful. After surrendering to this refining fire, the experiencer asked about the nature of humanity and judgment. In response, a divine being revealed to her the fundamental structure of her existence as golden threads, interwoven. The key understanding was one of profound interconnection; her personal threads were not her own but extended throughout the universe, weaving all of humanity together into a single, divine tapestry of God. She was then shown that God intentionally leaves empty spaces within this weave, and that the purpose of life is to fill these spaces with either light or with darkness through the exercise of free will. The experience concluded with the knowledge that God can instantly perceive how this free will has been used. This narrative does not contain any veridical observations of the physical world. The entire account is an internal, metaphysical journey described through powerful symbolic imagery. The experience of the fire, the vision of the golden threads, and the understanding of the empty spaces all occurred within a non-physical realm of consciousness. The aftermath of this NDE was a profound shift in understanding about the nature of existence, free will, and divine judgment. The experiencer returned with a new model of the universe where every individual is an integral and interconnected part of God's fabric. |
6 | Unknown | 2 | 0 | 5 | Weak Evidence | 3 | No medical context provided | No veridical observations present | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 0 | 1 | Unnamed | Mixed Compatibility | 8 | ||||||||||||
| 5109 | qualitative | book | Hill, Roy L. Jesus and the Near-Death Experience: Testimonies of the Ascended Christ. White Crow Books, Chapter 9, Trevor (NDERF #2479), Page 235, 2017 | Jesus and the Near-Death Experience, Trevor (NDERF #2479), Chapter 9, Page 235, 2017 | 2017 | M |
The medical context for Trevor's near-death experience is not specified in the provided text. He mentions that paranormal stuff had led him into a spiritual battle, which might suggest a non-traditional trigger for the NDE. However, as the account is identified as an NDERF case, it is assumed to have occurred during a period of clinical death or imminent mortal danger, even though the specific details of the illness or accident are not included in the excerpt. The narrative focuses exclusively on the content of his distressing afterlife encounter and his subsequent deliverance. Trevor's core experience was a descent into a hellish realm. He found himself in a dark place surrounded by dark shadowy human figures who were in a state of torment, screaming and grabbing at him. He perceived this place to be hell or purgatory. Looking up, he saw a hole revealing a blue sky, a stark contrast to his bleak surroundings. Feeling completely isolated and unknown to all creation, his faith became his only recourse. In a moment of ultimate crisis, he called out the name of Jesus Christ. This act of faith triggered an instantaneous deliverance; he was immediately rescued from the tormenting realm and transported back into his physical body. There were no veridical observations of the physical world reported in Trevor's account. His experience was entirely contained within a distressing, non-physical realm of consciousness. He did not describe an out-of-body experience where he observed his own body or his physical surroundings. The narrative is focused on the subjective experience of the hellish environment and his subsequent rescue through a spiritual appeal. The clear aftermath of Trevor's NDE was a profound reinforcement of his Christian faith. He interpreted his terrifying journey to a place of torment and his subsequent rescue as a direct consequence of his belief in Jesus Christ. The experience did not lead him to a new, universalist spirituality, but rather solidified his existing religious convictions. |
6 | Unknown | 2 | 0 | 5 | Weak Evidence | 3 | No medical context provided, mentions paranormal context | No veridical observations present | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 0 | 1 | Trevor (NDERF #2479) | Highly Compatible | 6 | ||||||||||||
| 5110 | qualitative | book | Kübler-Ross, Elisabeth. On Children and Death: How Children and Their Parents Can and Do Cope with Death. New York: Scribner, 1983. Chapter 13. Despondent Man in Santa Barbara. Pages 189-191. Copyright 1983 | On Children and Death. Despondent Man in Santa Barbara. Chapter 13. Pages 189-191. Copyright 1983 | 1983 | M |
The medical context of this near-death experience involved a man who had been living as a self-described "bum" following the tragic death of his wife and children in a house fire. While lying drunk at the edge of a forest, he was run over by a large truck, experiencing the paradox of trying to escape despite his suicidal state. The life-threatening trauma of being crushed by the vehicle triggered his profound out-of-body experience. The core experience began immediately after impact when he became aware of drifting out of his body without any pain or anxiety. He floated away and approached a brilliant light, from which his deceased family emerged - his wife and children appearing as happy, healthy, and smiling as he remembered them. Communication was telepathic rather than verbal, as he noted "They did not speak, but I was able to understand everything." The central message conveyed was one of reassurance about their wellbeing. They appeared without any scars or burn marks from the fire that had killed them, showing him they were all right and together. This encounter led to a profound realization that he had been trying to destroy his life based on the false belief that he had truly lost his family. The primary veridical observation was his visual perception of his deceased wife and children in perfect health, specifically noting they had "no scars, no burn marks" from the fire that had taken their lives. While this observation cannot be independently corroborated in the physical world, it served as irrefutable personal evidence about the state of his family in the afterlife. This direct observation of their wholeness and peace fundamentally altered his perception of death and gave him certainty that his family had survived death as a cohesive, joyful unit. Upon making a conscious commitment to return and share what he had learned, he came back to his existence willing to continue as a "bum" with a new mission. The lasting effect was his complete transformation from suicidal despair to becoming a messenger of hope, teaching others that "death is not a tragic, horrible end but a beautiful new beginning." |
5 | Other | 12 | 20 | 40 | Moderate Evidence | 8 | Life-threatening trauma clearly documented (run over by truck). No medical monitoring but clear near-death event. | Specific observation of deceased family without burn injuries. Telepathic communication. Observation of otherworldly realm. | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 1 | 1 | Saw deceased wife and children in perfect health without burn injuries | 1.00 | The despondent man himself | Highly Compatible | 8 | ||||||||||
| 5111 | qualitative | book | Kübler-Ross, Elisabeth. On Children and Death: How Children and Their Parents Can and Do Cope with Death. New York: Scribner, 1983. Chapter 13. Dorothy. Pages 191-192. Copyright 1983 | On Children and Death. Dorothy. Chapter 13. Pages 191-192. Copyright 1983 | 1983 | F |
The medical context for Dorothy's near-death experience was a severe life-threatening crisis during a Cesarean section in a hospital operating room. While under general anesthesia for this major surgical procedure, she suffered a full cardiac arrest - a catastrophic medical emergency where the heart stops beating, leading to clinical death. This event would have been immediately recognized by the surgical team, with resuscitation efforts commencing instantly. The highly clinical setting meant she was unconscious with her physical senses completely shut down by anesthesia, having no normal means of perceiving her environment. The core experience began with an instantaneous transition into a tangible, hyper-real spiritual dimension. Dorothy emphatically stated "It was not a dream, it was for real. I saw Jesus." The central feature was her personal encounter with Jesus Christ, characterized by dialogue and revelation. She explained "He let me ask him things, and he revealed to me things I had to know," suggesting intimate personal instruction where she received special knowledge directly from Jesus. Following this exchange, she was told "I had to go back." Her return to her physical body was immediate - she found herself back on the operating table, initially unable to open her eyes or move. Despite this paralysis, her senses were active, allowing her to feel the surgeon applying tape to her bandage. Dorothy's veridical observation occurred while she was clinically dead and under general anesthesia. Although unable to open her eyes, she distinctly heard "Someone was saying the Lord's Prayer to me." This auditory perception is significant because it occurred when she should have been completely insensible due to both the anesthesia and cardiac arrest. The experience was verified when the prayer concluded with "amen," which coincided precisely with her ability to open her eyes and regain consciousness. This synchronization of an external audible event with her return validated that she had genuinely perceived events in the operating room from a state of clinical death. Upon returning to her hospital room, she immediately told her husband and mother "that I had just talked to Jesus." However, the specific knowledge Jesus revealed was erased from her conscious memory, which she compared to Paul's experience in 2 Corinthians 12 of hearing "inexpressible things." Despite losing the specific details, the emotional and spiritual impact remained "as vivid and convincing as when it occurred," fundamentally shaping her understanding of life and the afterlife. |
1 | Hospital | 22 | 18 | 48 | Moderate Evidence | 8 | Documented cardiac arrest during surgery with implied monitoring. General anesthesia provides sensory barrier. Hospital setting with surgical team present. | Auditory perception of Lord's Prayer while clinically dead and under anesthesia. Timing of awakening synchronized with "amen." Direct encounter with Jesus with revelations received. | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 8/6/2025 | 1 | 1 | Heard Lord's Prayer being recited while clinically dead under anesthesia | 1.00 | Dorothy | Highly Compatible | 7 | ||||||||||
| 5112 | qualitative | book | Greyson, Bruce. After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences Reveal about Life and Beyond. New York: St. Martin's Essentials, 2021. Introduction, Holly, pp. 6-13, 18. | After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences. Holly. Introduction. pp. 6-13, 18. 2021 | 1971 | 2021 | F | Holly, a first-year university student, was brought to the emergency room after an overdose of Elavil that left her unconscious and unresponsive. While her body lay comatose in an exam room with a sitter watching her, her consciousness traveled down the hospital corridor to observe Dr. Bruce Greyson interviewing her roommate Susan in the family lounge. From this out-of-body perspective, she witnessed the entire conversation, including Susan's nervous pacing and Dr. Greyson adjusting a fan. Most remarkably, she observed a red spaghetti sauce stain on Dr. Greyson's striped tie, which he had deliberately concealed under his buttoned lab coat. The next morning, when Holly regained consciousness in the ICU, she confronted Dr. Greyson with these impossible observations, accurately recounting every detail of his private conversation with Susan and specifically mentioning the hidden stain on his tie. Dr. Greyson, the sole witness who could verify these claims, was stunned as he knew no one else had seen the stain he had carefully hidden. This veridical observation of specific, concealed details while Holly was documented as unconscious in a different room became the catalyst for Dr. Greyson's fifty-year career researching near-death experiences. | 4 | Hospital | 12 | 27 | 59 | Strong Evidence | 20 | Documented comatose state with cardiac monitoring, contemporary medical documentation by treating physician | Multiple specific sequential details including hidden spaghetti stain, conversation content, and physical actions observed from distant location | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 2 | 1 | Holly knew the precise content and physical details of a private conversation in a different room | 1.00 | Dr. Bruce Greyson | Highly Compatible | 3 | |||||||||
| 5113 | qualitative | book | Greyson, Bruce. After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences Reveal about Life and Beyond. New York: St. Martin's Essentials, 2021. Chapter 1, Henry, pp. 19-22. | After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences. Henry. Chapter 1. pp. 19-22. 2021 | 1971 | 2021 | M | Henry, a farmer in his forties suffering from severe depression after his mother's death, attempted suicide at a cemetery by shooting himself under the chin with a .22-caliber rifle. The bullet tore through the right side of his face but miraculously missed his brain. At the instant he pulled the trigger, the cemetery vanished and he found himself in a lush meadow of wildflowers where he was met by his deceased parents with open arms. His mother initially welcomed him joyfully, saying "Here comes Henry," but then her expression changed to concern and she gently rebuked him: "Oh, Henry, now look what you've done!" This brief encounter was the entirety of his otherworldly experience before he abruptly returned to his body in the cemetery, feeling the warm blood beneath his head. The experience had a profound therapeutic effect, completely eliminating his suicidal ideation and depression. He stated he was now happy knowing where his mother was and became eager to reassure other patients about the value and sanctity of life. | 5 | Other | 8 | 5 | 16 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Life-threatening gunshot wound to face, massive trauma and blood loss | Internal experience with deceased relatives, no veridical observations of physical world | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 0 | 0 | Moderately Compatible | 5 | ||||||||||||
| 5114 | qualitative | book | Greyson, Bruce. After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences Reveal about Life and Beyond. New York: St. Martin's Essentials, 2021. Chapter 2, Bill Hernlund, pp. 32-34. | After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences. Bill Hernlund. Chapter 2. pp. 32-34. 2021 | 1970 | 1970-04-04 | 2021 | 23 | M | Bill Hernlund, a 23-year-old Air Force crash-rescue firefighter, was blown backward by an airplane explosion that slammed him against his truck, causing severe head and chest trauma. He lost consciousness and was later triaged as deceased by arriving medics. His experience began with floating above the scene where he observed two colleagues, Dan and Jim, dragging a body while wearing aluminized suits with hoods that should have made identification impossible, yet he somehow knew who they were. He realized the body was his own when he felt no pain and deduced he was the only one in that position. After entering a dark tunnel with spiraling blue-green lights, he was drawn at incredible speed toward a Being of Light who radiated unconditional love and initiated a comprehensive life review through non-verbal questions about how he felt about his life and how he treated others. Every event from childhood to the crash flashed before him, and though he felt shame for some actions, the Being quickly forgave all his errors. The Being told him his work was not done and he must return. He instantly found himself back in his body with all the pain returned. When he later told his doctor he had died, he was scheduled for psychological evaluations, teaching him to keep quiet about the experience for nearly two decades. | 5 | Other | 10 | 15 | 30 | Moderate Evidence | 5 | Severe explosion trauma with apparent clinical death, triaged as deceased, newspaper documentation of event | Identified colleagues through aluminized suits, saw body being dragged, comprehensive life review | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 2 | 0 | Knew identities of firefighters Dan and Jim despite vision-obscuring suits | 0.00 | Moderately Compatible | 9 | ||||||||
| 5115 | qualitative | book | Greyson, Bruce. After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences Reveal about Life and Beyond. New York: St. Martin's Essentials, 2021. Chapters 3 & 16, Tom Sawyer, pp. 43-46, 195-196. | After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences. Tom Sawyer. Chapters 3 & 16. pp. 43-46, 195-196. 2021 | 2021 | 33 | M | Tom Sawyer, a 33-year-old highway department supervisor, was crushed when his four-thousand-pound pickup truck fell on his chest after a jack gave way. He experienced everything in extreme slow motion as the truck frame squeezed all air from his lungs. After his final three heartbeats and a period of blankness, he underwent a total life review with impossible detail and multiple perspectives. He relived an incident from age eight when he deliberately mowed over his aunt's wildflowers, experiencing not only his own thoughts and the exact air temperature, but viewing the scene from hundreds of feet above as if through a camera. Most profoundly, he simultaneously experienced events from multiple viewpoints: his eight-year-old malicious self, his thirty-three-year-old perspective with accumulated wisdom, and as his Aunt Gay feeling her disappointment and humiliation when she discovered the destroyed flowers. He also experienced a divine perspective with unconditional love "only God's eyes, or the eyes of Jesus Christ" could provide, feeling no judgment despite the devastation he caused. In another recalled incident where he punched a man in a bar, he experienced being the victim, feeling the fist hit his face and his teeth going through his lip. The life review taught him that one judges oneself by fully experiencing the impact of all actions on others. | 5 | Home | 7 | 8 | 18 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Crushed by 4000-pound truck, experienced last three heartbeats before losing consciousness | Detailed life review with multi-perspective experience but no veridical observations of physical world | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 0 | 0 | Highly Compatible | 5 | ||||||||||||
| 5116 | qualitative | book | Greyson, Bruce. After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences Reveal about Life and Beyond. New York: St. Martin's Essentials, 2021. Chapter 6, Al Sullivan, pp. 72-76. | After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences. Al Sullivan. Chapter 6. pp. 72-76. 2021 | 2021 | 56 | M | Al Sullivan, a 56-year-old truck driver, underwent emergency quadruple coronary bypass surgery after a main artery became blocked during evaluation. While under deep general anesthesia with eyes taped shut, he found himself floating above the operating table observing his open chest cavity. He saw his surgeon exhibiting bizarre behavior that appeared to be "flapping his arms as if trying to fly," and observed two other surgeons working on his leg, which puzzled him. During the experience, he was met by his mother who had died nearly fifty years earlier when he was seven. She drifted down to place the surgeon's hand on his heart while Al saw the surgeon make a sweeping motion as if dismissing an insect. He also received troubling knowledge that a neighbor's child had cancer. After surgery, Al confronted his surgeon about the arm-flapping, prompting an angry defensive reaction. Dr. Greyson later interviewed the surgeon who confirmed this unusual habit developed during training in Japan - he would hold sterile hands to his chest and use his elbows to point and gesture to avoid contamination, which from above would appear exactly like flapping. This verification is exceptionally strong as the observation was made while fully anesthetized with eyes taped, completely ruling out conventional sensory explanation. | 3 | Hospital | 22 | 25 | 69 | Exceptional Evidence | 22 | Emergency cardiac surgery under deep general anesthesia with eyes taped shut, multiple monitoring | Highly specific unusual observation of surgeon's unique arm-flapping technique verified by surgeon himself | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 8/6/2025 | 3 | 1 | Saw surgeon flapping arms as if trying to fly | 1.00 | Japanese American cardiac surgeon | Highly Compatible | 6 | |||||||||
| 5117 | qualitative | book | Greyson, Bruce. After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences Reveal about Life and Beyond. New York: St. Martin's Essentials, 2021. Chapter 6, Colleen, pp. 77-78. | After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences. Colleen. Chapter 6. pp. 77-78. 2021 | 2021 | 22 | F | Colleen, a 22-year-old woman, experienced severe postpartum hemorrhage after giving birth, leading to massive blood loss and loss of consciousness. Her gynecologist believed she was "in fact dead." From a vantage point near the ceiling, she observed her own "cadaverously pale, blood-soaked body" on the operating table and watched the medical team rushing to save her. She witnessed a tremendous heated argument between her gynecologist who insisted it was "useless" and "much too late" because she was dead, and an anesthetist who screamed "She's just a kid. We've got to do something!" The anesthetist literally forced the reluctant gynecologist to join the resuscitation efforts. Colleen was shocked to hear coarse swear words exchanged between the two doctors. Days later in the ICU, when the anesthetist entered her room, she immediately recognized him and thanked him for saving her life. When he asked why she was thanking him, she recounted the entire scene including the argument and specific coarse language used. Though initially incredulous, after hearing all details he was not overly astonished and validated her experience by sharing that he had encountered other patients with similar NDEs. This corroboration from a central participant makes her account strong evidence for veridical perception during NDEs. | 5 | Hospital | 12 | 20 | 49 | Moderate Evidence | 17 | Severe postpartum hemorrhage with gynecologist declaring patient dead, loss of consciousness | Detailed observation of specific argument between doctors including exact phrases and coarse language | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 1 | 1 | Witnessed heated argument between gynecologist and anesthetist | 1.00 | Anesthetist | Highly Compatible | 4 | |||||||||
| 5118 | qualitative | book | Greyson, Bruce. After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences Reveal about Life and Beyond. New York: St. Martin's Essentials, 2021. Chapter 12, Jack Bybee, pp. 142-144. | After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences. Jack Bybee. Chapter 12. pp. 142-144. 2021 | 2021 | 26 | M | Jack Bybee, a 26-year-old man hospitalized in South Africa with severe pneumonia, fell into a coma. Upon floating out of his body, he was met by Nurse Anita, who had been exceptionally kind to him and had recently taken time off feeling unwell. In this spiritual encounter, Anita revealed she had died in a car accident, explaining her boyfriend had given her a red MGB sports car for her birthday, and in her excitement she had raced down the highway into "Suicide Corner" and crashed into a concrete telephone pole. Jack was astounded as he had no way of knowing these facts while comatose. After recovering, he asked other nurses about Anita but they remained quiet, only saying she no longer worked there. Unknown to Jack, the head nurse had forbidden staff from telling him about Anita's death to protect his fragile condition. Only after discharge did his parents confirm that Nurse Anita had "been killed exactly as she had told me." This case is a classic "Peak in Darien" experience where someone learns of an unknown death during their NDE. The controlled hospital environment where staff were explicitly instructed not to tell him strengthens the claim that he couldn't have learned this through normal means. | 4 | Hospital | 10 | 22 | 47 | Moderate Evidence | 15 | Documented coma from severe pneumonia in hospital setting | Learned specific details of nurse's death including red MGB birthday gift and Suicide Corner crash location | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/6/2025 | 1 | 1 | Learned of Nurse Anita's death and specific circumstances while in coma | 1.00 | Parents | Highly Compatible | 5 | |||||||||
| 5119 | qualitative | book | Greyson, Bruce. After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences Reveal about Life and Beyond. New York: St. Martin's Essentials, 2021. Chapter 3, Barbara Harris Whitfield, pp. 47-49. | After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences. Barbara Harris Whitfield. Chapter 3. pp. 47-49. 2021 | 2021 | 32 | F | Barbara Harris Whitfield, age 32, suffered respiratory complications while immobilized in a circle bed following back surgery. Leaving her body, she saw herself crying in the bed and simultaneously saw her one-year-old self also crying. An loving Energy enveloped her and initiated a panoramic life review consisting of thousands of scenes in bubbles flowing at breakneck speed. The transformative aspect was experiencing events from multiple viewpoints - not only re-feeling her own emotions but fully experiencing the feelings of everyone involved. She became her drug-addicted mother, feeling her mother's childhood pain and helplessness that led to the abuse. She felt her brother's rage and understood how the cycle of trauma was passed through generations. She saw how she had sacrificed her identity to care for her mother, repeating her mother's pattern. Most critically, she realized she was on the verge of perpetuating the same cycle with her own children. The ultimate revelation was that her only major life mistake was never learning to love herself. This multi-perspectival life review provided profound therapeutic insight, allowing her to understand her abusers as wounded people caught in cycles of pain, facilitating forgiveness and breaking the generational pattern of abuse. | 5 | Hospital | 8 | 8 | 19 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Respiratory failure while immobilized post-surgery in circle bed | Multi-perspectival life review with profound empathic insights but no veridical physical observations | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Circle bed immobilization | 8/6/2025 | 0 | 0 | Highly Compatible | 6 | |||||||||||
| 5120 | qualitative | book | Atwater, P. M. H., The New Children and Near-Death Experiences, Bear & Company, Chapter 3, Cecil L. Hamilton, Pages 64-66, 2003 | The New Children and Near-Death Experiences, Cecil L. Hamilton, Chapter 3, Pages 64-66, 2003 | 2003 | 11 | M |
Eleven-year-old Cecil attempted to save his drowning brother in a river, but both boys went under multiple times. As Cecil could no longer stay afloat, he heard a strange ringing sound and felt peaceful as his spirit left his body and entered a black void. He moved toward a distant pinpoint of light, accelerating as if on top of a train, then stepped into a realm where everything emitted its own light with colors more vivid than earthly ones. He observed cities connected by roads and three men who projected themselves across a river to greet him, one of whom he recognized as Lynn Bibb, a relative who had died weeks before Cecil was born. These beings were a welcoming committee to escort him to the first city, which represented an eternal progression system from city to city. A brilliant light source filled with love, which Cecil called God, communicated telepathically with him, showing him the nature of death through visions of car accident victims - some spirits emerged while others who didn't believe remained trapped in their bodies. God explained that hell is not a place but a state of lacking wisdom and refusing to progress, and confirmed there is no Devil. Cecil was taught that "right is helping and being kind" while "wrong is not only hurting someone but not helping when you can." Cecil recognized Lynn Bibb despite never having seen him before, as this relative had died before Cecil's birth. The being showed Cecil universal truths and reasons for everything before allowing him to return to help his widowed mother with four children. Upon return, Cecil woke facedown in river mud, was mysteriously lifted to the surface, expelled large amounts of water, and discovered his brother had died in the incident. |
5 | Other | 12 | 10 | 22 | Suggestive Evidence | 0 | Clear drowning incident with both brothers going under multiple times until unable to stay afloat. Life-threatening drowning event documented. | Knowledge of deceased relative Lynn Bibb who died before subject was born - represents knowledge of unknown death. Specific identification without prior exposure. | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/7/2025 | 1 | 0 | Recognized deceased relative Lynn Bibb who died before his birth | 0.00 | Low Compatibility | 8 | ||||||||||
| 5121 | qualitative | book | Atwater, P. M. H., The New Children and Near-Death Experiences, Bear & Company, Chapter 3, Clara Lane, Pages 63-64, 2003 | The New Children and Near-Death Experiences, Clara Lane, Chapter 3, Pages 63-64, 2003 | 2003 | 10 | F |
Ten-year-old Clara was rushed to the hospital with extreme pain in her lower right side, likely appendicitis. While fighting the ether mask during surgery, she suddenly fell down a dark hole with loud buzzing, ringing, and metal scraping sounds. She then found herself up by the ceiling looking down on her body, feeling spread out over the room like vapor or a cloud. From this perspective, she observed the medical team working on her. Clara witnessed the doctor having a square green machine wheeled into the operating room by a nurse, which was then used during her surgery. She watched multiple nurses present and the specific procedures being performed. After leaving the operating area, she found herself in a room with large heavy doors, where an unseen guide led her through a tunnel-like space. She heard sounds like a city-sized playground full of laughing children, which calmed her. Another being determined she had to return as they weren't ready for her yet. She was led to a large building where she encountered a figure she believes was Jesus Christ, dressed in a white floor-length robe with a gold band, sandals, shoulder-length dark brown hair, olive skin, and eyes "like liquid love." They communicated telepathically, and he showed her visions of her future life purpose through something like a TV screen, telling her she would forget her mission upon waking but that "nothing can happen before its time." Upon revival, Clara told the doctor about the square green machine she had observed, leaving him speechless and unable to respond to her accurate description of equipment used during her surgery. |
3 | Hospital | 17 | 10 | 37 | Moderate Evidence | 10 | Deep general anesthesia with ether during emergency surgery. Hospital setting with surgical team present. Clear medical crisis requiring emergency intervention. | Specific observation of square green machine wheeled into room and used during surgery. Visual perception of surgical procedures while under deep anesthesia. | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 8/7/2025 | 1 | 1 | Saw square green machine wheeled into operating room | 1.00 | The doctor | Moderately Compatible | 8 | |||||||||
| 5122 | qualitative | book | Atwater, P. M. H., The New Children and Near-Death Experiences, Bear & Company, Chapter 4, Denise Mendenhall, Pages 97-101, 2003 | The New Children and Near-Death Experiences, Denise Mendenhall, Chapter 4, Pages 97-101, 2003 | 1999 | 1999-11-05 | 2003 | 10 | F |
Ten-year-old Denise experienced dramatic personality changes and excessive water consumption in summer 1999. On November 5, she became unresponsive with eyes rolled back and was rushed to the hospital. Doctors diagnosed her with diabetic coma and discovered she had suffered a major stroke at the base of her brain, destroying over two-thirds of the left side. With organs shutting down, doctors gave her less than 24 hours to live, stating that if she survived, she would be a "vegetable" and considered harvesting her organs. During her three-day coma, Denise spent the entire time with Jesus Christ. She later described in vivid detail His birth, life, suffering in Gethsemane, and crucifixion, including specific colors, smells, and sounds that her father stated a ten-year-old could not possibly know. She witnessed biblical events firsthand and gained profound spiritual knowledge about God's unconditional love, the importance of gratitude, and the reality of both guardian angels and dark spirits. After three days, she suddenly woke saying she was hungry, defying all medical predictions. Her recovery required relearning everything including talking and walking, but she progressed miraculously fast, leaving doctors unable to explain her survival and recovery. Following the NDE, she developed remarkable abilities including seeing auras around people, perceiving spirits of the deceased, and maintaining daily interactions with Jesus Christ. She can accurately read people's hearts and spiritual states, and when sleeping can "fly" to witness past events, having observed "all of the Bible." The medical documentation confirmed the severity of her condition with the stroke, organ failure, and dire prognosis, making her complete recovery and the spiritual knowledge she gained during the three-day coma particularly remarkable and inexplicable to medical professionals. |
4 | Hospital | 22 | 5 | 33 | Moderate Evidence | 6 | Documented diabetic coma with major stroke destroying 2/3 of left brain. Multiple organ failure. Given less than 24 hours to live. Three-day coma duration clearly documented. | General spiritual observations of being with Jesus but no specific veridical perceptions of earthly events during the coma itself that could be verified. | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/7/2025 | 0 | 1 | Doug Mendenhall (father) | Low Compatibility | 7 | |||||||||
| 5123 | qualitative | book | Atwater, P. M. H., The New Children and Near-Death Experiences, Bear & Company, Chapter 1, Laura, Page 29, 2003 | The New Children and Near-Death Experiences, Laura, Chapter 1, Page 29, 2003 | 2003 | 3.5 | F |
Three-and-a-half-year-old Laura suffered fatal trauma from severe child abuse by her intoxicated father. At the peak of unbearable pain, she cried out to God and felt herself torn from life. Angels in multicolored robes immediately lifted her up, carrying her higher into the sky until they reached a realm where formless space gave way to cloud-like masses where other angels floated. They placed her at the feet of a radiating female angel whose love was more powerful than all others, who asked Laura to tell her story. Before Laura could fully respond, God appeared as a massive column of golden light with a suggestion of human form inside. She was engulfed in all-powerful, all-nourishing divine love, feeling as if in a warm healing bath of light. In those infinite moments, she acquired knowledge that would allow her to complete her earthly life. This encounter with the divine presence provided complete healing and protection, though no verbal conversation occurred. A remarkable battle then ensued between the angels in heaven and doctors on earth for Laura's life. Each time doctors performed chest compressions, her spirit was pulled back into her body momentarily, only to be pulled out again by angels holding her feet. This tug-of-war continued with Laura experiencing the dual sensations of earthly resuscitation efforts and heavenly beings trying to keep her. Finally, after one last compression, she heard an angel say "They're stronger than we are," and she was pulled back into her body, sat up, screamed, and lost consciousness. Laura survived but was left with a persistent feeling of incompleteness, sensing she had unfinished business in the spiritual realm, keeping her perpetually half in the other world while living her earthly life. |
5 | Other | 7 | 8 | 15 | Suggestive Evidence | 0 | Life-threatening trauma from severe abuse. Cardiac arrest implied by chest compressions. Resuscitation efforts documented. | Perceived chest compressions and resuscitation efforts while out of body. Auditory perception of medical intervention. | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/7/2025 | 1 | 0 | Perceived doctors' resuscitation efforts while with angels | 0.00 | Moderately Compatible | 8 | ||||||||||
| 5124 | qualitative | book | Atwater, P. M. H., The New Children and Near-Death Experiences, Bear & Company, Chapter 4, Lynn, Pages 92-96, 2003 | The New Children and Near-Death Experiences, Lynn, Chapter 4, Pages 92-96, 2003 | 2003 | 13 | F |
Thirteen-year-old Lynn underwent heart surgery when complications arose, indicated by a surgeon saying "Uh-oh, we have a problem here." She immediately left her body and floated near the ceiling, observing her chest opened wide with internal organs appearing pearl gray rather than red. She noticed a Black doctor and an Asian doctor on the surgical team, though she had met only white doctors the day before. From her elevated perspective, she witnessed the surgical procedures in detail. Lynn then floated to the waiting room where she observed her typically stoic father kneeling at her mother's feet, head buried in her lap, sobbing while her mother stroked his head and whispered comfort. After ensuring her parents would be fine, she was pulled through a dark tunnel with brilliant colored lightning flashes. At the tunnel's end, she was greeted by her two deceased dogs, Mimi and Sam, who glowed with inner light and jumped on her with dry tongues. She saw endless glowing people and multiple connected cities representing eternal progression. She encountered God as a brilliant light source who told her to return, that she had work to do. Her deceased maternal grandparents emerged to walk her back. Most remarkably, a tall blonde man in U.S. Navy dress uniform stepped forward, identifying himself as Uncle Franklin with a specific message for Dorothy about the baby being with him and his enduring love. Lynn then met Christ as a distinct beam of light who corrected her theology teacher's claim that her heart condition was a cross to bear, explaining it was instead a challenge for growth and compassion. Upon recovery, Lynn verified her observations: Dr. Davidson confirmed a Black doctor was called in last-minute when a team member became ill. When she relayed Franklin's message to Aunt Dorothy, her aunt revealed the family secret - Franklin was her WWII husband who died in Italy's invasion, causing Dorothy to miscarry their baby, exactly matching the message Lynn received from someone she had never known existed. |
3 | Hospital | 17 | 22 | 55 | Strong Evidence | 16 | Surgery under general anesthesia with surgical emergency ("problem here"). Heart surgery with chest opened. Clear medical crisis during procedure. | Multiple specific veridical observations: Black/Asian doctors not on original team, father crying in waiting room, detailed message from unknown deceased Uncle Franklin with baby. | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 8/7/2025 | 3 | 2 | Saw Black and Asian doctors on surgical team | 1.00 | Dr. Davidson | Moderately Compatible | 8 | |||||||||
| 5125 | qualitative | book | Atwater, P. M. H., The New Children and Near-Death Experiences, Bear & Company, Chapter 3, Robert C. Warth, Pages 67-68, 2003 | The New Children and Near-Death Experiences, Robert C. Warth, Chapter 3, Pages 67-68, 2003 | 2003 | 5 | M |
Five-year-old Robert underwent a tonsillectomy at a local doctor's office. Immediately after the ether mask was placed over his face, he found himself above the domed operating light looking down at his body below. From this elevated perspective, he discovered a layer of dust on top of the light fixture that would not have been visible from below. He experienced 360-degree vision without needing to move or turn. From his out-of-body position, Robert witnessed a medical emergency unfold. His mouth was pried open and he was covered up to his neck as the medical team flew into a frenzy. The nurse urgently yelled "Doctor!" and the physician swung around commanding "Stand back!" The scene horrified young Robert as he watched what appeared to be a life-threatening crisis during what should have been a routine procedure. The experience ended with him waking up in bed, unable to speak and feeling miserable. Two weeks later at his follow-up appointment, Robert described everything he had witnessed to the doctor, including the dust on the light and the emergency response. The doctor dismissed his account to Robert's mother, winking and attributing it to ether-induced dreams and hallucinations, claiming children often tell such stories. However, Robert interpreted the doctor's extreme eagerness to get him out of the office as confirmation that a serious medical emergency had indeed occurred. The experience had lasting effects on Robert's spiritual development, leading to challenging questions about church dogma that eventually resulted in him being removed from Sunday school for asking questions his teacher could not or would not answer about religious teachings. |
3 | Other | 14 | 10 | 31 | Moderate Evidence | 7 | Tonsillectomy under ether anesthesia. Medical emergency evident from team's frenzied response. Life-threatening event during surgery. | Specific observation of dust on light fixture from above. Witnessed and heard medical emergency response with specific dialogue. | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 8/7/2025 | 1 | 1 | Saw dust on operating light and witnessed medical emergency | 1.00 | The doctor | Highly Compatible | 5 | |||||||||
| 5126 | qualitative | book | Atwater, P. M. H., The New Children and Near-Death Experiences, Bear & Company, Chapter 1, Tonecia Maxine McMillan, Page 28, 2003 | The New Children and Near-Death Experiences, Tonecia Maxine McMillan, Chapter 1, Page 28, 2003 | 2003 | 11 | F |
Eleven-year-old Tonecia was on an inner tube at a Delaware beach when she ventured too far from shore. Her grandmother, who had raised her, motioned for her to return. Misjudging the water depth, she stepped out of the inner tube and immediately began drowning. She left her body and could see herself in the water below while observing the scene from above. From her out-of-body perspective, Tonecia witnessed multiple events simultaneously. She saw her grandmother trying to reach her in the water, and remarkably, she observed her brother cut his left foot during the chaos of her drowning incident. She then transitioned to a beautiful, peaceful meadow-like realm filled with brilliant colors unlike anything on earth - yellows and greens of incomparable beauty. She felt deeply loved and at peace in this picturesque otherworldly environment. Tonecia was rescued by two white men who appeared on the segregated "black beach," pulled her to shore, and then mysteriously disappeared before anyone could identify or thank them. Their sudden appearance and disappearance added a mysterious element to her rescue. On the way to the hospital, when Tonecia asked her brother about his injured foot, she was met with complete silence - he could not process or accept that she had witnessed his accident while she was drowning and out of her body. The experience transformed Tonecia from a mean, self-centered, and egotistical person into someone peaceful and caring who wanted to help others. This profound personality change led her to become a nurse, devoting her entire life to caring for others' needs. |
5 | Other | 7 | 10 | 23 | Suggestive Evidence | 6 | Clear drowning incident requiring rescue. Life-threatening submersion in ocean water. | Specific observation of brother cutting his left foot during the incident, witnessed while out of body. | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/7/2025 | 1 | 1 | Saw brother cut his left foot during drowning incident | 1.00 | Her brother | Highly Compatible | 6 | |||||||||
| 5127 | qualitative | book | Miller, J. Steve. Is Christianity Compatible With Deathbed and Near-Death Experiences? Wisdom Creek Press, 2023. Introduction, p. 23 | Is Christianity Compatible - Minister at Former Church - Introduction - p23 - 2023 | 2023 | M |
The subject, a minister on the author's pastoral staff, experienced a near-death event while hospitalized and seemingly unconscious from severe sepsis infection. This life-threatening systemic infection created a state of unresponsiveness where normal consciousness should have been impossible. While his body lay critically ill, his consciousness experienced a profound otherworldly journey that would permanently transform his understanding of reality. During the experience, the minister found himself outside his physical body, fully conscious and aware. He engaged in direct conversation with "a couple of heavenly beings" about whether he should continue living or transition to the afterlife. This was not a passive observation but an active deliberation about his own mortality. The beings ultimately decided he should return to his earthly life. The out-of-body state provided him with expanded awareness beyond his physical limitations. Upon returning to his body, the minister experienced a remarkable veridical element. Though still physically unable to move or speak, he could clearly hear his family members discussing his prognosis and whether he would survive. He desperately wanted to reassure them that he would indeed live, but remained locked in a state of conscious paralysis. This auditory perception while seemingly unconscious provides evidence of awareness beyond normal physiological function. The minister's absolute certainty about the experience's reality serves as powerful testimonial evidence. When interviewed privately by the author, he was questioned repeatedly about the nature of the experience. He consistently affirmed it was not dreamlike but entirely real. To emphasize his conviction, he leaned across the table, locked eyes with the interviewer, and stated with intensity: "It was real—as real as me sitting across from you and talking to you now. Nothing could ever convince me otherwise." The experience left him with unshakeable faith in the afterlife's reality. |
4 | Hospital | 12 | 13 | 29 | Suggestive Evidence | 4 | Sepsis causing unconsciousness (5 pts), implied sensory barriers from unconscious state (2 pts), medical setting with staff present (5 pts) | Auditory perception while unconscious (8 pts), specific conversation content about his survival (5 pts) | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Sepsis-induced unconsciousness | 8/7/2025 | 1 | 0 | Heard family discussing his prognosis while unable to communicate | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 5 | ||||||||||
| 5128 | qualitative | book | Miller, J. Steve. Is Christianity Compatible With Deathbed and Near-Death Experiences? Wisdom Creek Press, 2023. Chapter 2, pp. 44-45 | Is Christianity Compatible - Dr. Aufderheide Patient - Ch2 - pp44-45 - 2023 | 1980 | 2023 | M |
This remarkable case from 1980 involved a male patient under the care of young Dr. Tom Aufderheide, who faced a dire medical crisis with repeated cardiac arrests. The patient's brain was described as "extremely compromised, if not totally shut down" due to lack of blood flow during the arrests. During these periods of clinical death, normal sensory perception and cognitive function would have been physiologically impossible. Yet the patient experienced a vivid out-of-body journey with extraordinary veridical perceptions that would profoundly impact his treating physician. The core experience was a classic out-of-body state where the patient's consciousness detached from his physical form and observed events with remarkable clarity. From this external vantage point, he witnessed the entire resuscitation effort during that "harrowing night." Most remarkably, his perception extended beyond mere visual observation to include paranormal elements that defied conventional explanation. The experience was coherent and detailed rather than fragmented or dreamlike. The most compelling veridical aspect was the patient's acquisition of information impossible to obtain through normal means. He accurately reported "conversations outside of the room," demonstrating perception beyond his immediate physical location. Even more extraordinary, he knew "the doctor's specific thoughts" - correctly identifying that Dr. Aufderheide "had been feeling sorry for himself, because the supervising physician failed to accompany him on his first night." This telepathic knowledge of private thoughts provided Dr. Aufderheide with undeniable evidence of the experience's authenticity. The patient's attempts to share his experience met harsh rejection from religious and medical authorities. His minister dismissed him saying "That's not in the Bible" and slammed the door. A psychiatrist called it "ridiculous" and hung up. Despite this invalidation, the veridical evidence - particularly the accurate knowledge of Dr. Aufderheide's private thoughts - stood as powerful testimony to the reality of consciousness existing independent of brain function. |
2 | Hospital | 23 | 27 | 64 | Strong Evidence | 14 | Repeated cardiac arrest (10 pts), brain extremely compromised creating sensory barriers (7 pts), medical professional direct involvement (6 pts) | Knowledge of doctor's private thoughts is exceptional (12 pts), multiple specific sequential details including conversations outside room (15 pts) | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Brain extremely compromised/shut down | 8/7/2025 | 2 | 1 | Heard conversations outside his hospital room | 1.00 | Dr. Tom Aufderheide | Highly Compatible | 6 | ||||||||
| 5129 | qualitative | book | Morse, Melvin. Closer to the Light. Villard, 1990. Cited in Miller, J. Steve. Is Christianity Compatible, 2023. Chapter 6, p. 159 | Closer to the Light - Katie - Ch6 - p159 - 1990/2023 | 1990 | 9 | F |
Nine-year-old Katie experienced a profound near-death event when she drowned in a swimming pool. This life-threatening emergency would have caused immediate unconsciousness and cessation of normal brain function due to oxygen deprivation. During this critical period when she hovered between life and death, her young consciousness embarked on a remarkable spiritual journey that would provide her with a theologically sophisticated understanding of the afterlife far beyond her years. The core of Katie's experience was a guided journey to meet divine figures, facilitated by a guardian angel named Elizabeth. This was not a solitary or frightening experience but rather an orderly, relational encounter. Elizabeth escorted her directly to "the Heavenly Father and Jesus," where she engaged in personal dialogue with these divine beings. The Heavenly Father initiated conversation by asking if she wanted to return home, to which Katie responded emotionally, crying and expressing her desire to stay with Him. Jesus then posed a more poignant question about whether she wanted to see her mother again. This question anchored her to earthly relationships, and her simple affirmative answer triggered her immediate return to physical consciousness. While this account lacks traditional veridical observations of the physical world, its theological coherence is remarkable for a nine-year-old child. The clear differentiation between three distinct spiritual entities - a guardian angel, God the Father, and Jesus - demonstrates sophisticated understanding unlikely to arise from random neural firing. The narrative's emotional depth, sequential structure, and theological accuracy argue against dismissal as mere hallucination. The experience provided Katie with profound personal testimony of a loving afterlife populated by caring spiritual beings. Her journey offered comfort and meaning, leaving her with knowledge of a personal God who engaged her in gentle dialogue about her own destiny. The account, documented by physician Melvin Morse in his study of pediatric NDEs, adds evidence that these experiences occur across age groups with consistent theological themes. |
5 | Other | 10 | 3 | 20 | Suggestive Evidence | 7 | Drowning is life-threatening (5 pts), complete unconsciousness from drowning (2 pts), documented in medical study (3 pts) | No physical observations (0 pts), but remarkable theological coherence for age provides some evidential value (3 pts) | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Drowning-induced unconsciousness | 8/7/2025 | 0 | 0 | Highly Compatible | 4 | |||||||||||
| 5130 | qualitative | book | Sabom, Michael. Light & Death. Zondervan, 1998. Cited in Miller, J. Steve. Is Christianity Compatible, 2023. Chapter 6, pp. 160-161 | Light & Death - Darrell - Ch6 - pp160-161 - 1998/2023 | 1998 | M |
This unique shared near-death experience documented by cardiologist Dr. Michael Sabom occurred while Darrell underwent open-heart surgery under deep general anesthesia. In this state of medically induced unconsciousness, all awareness and sensory perception should have been completely suppressed. His wife maintained vigil at his bedside throughout the procedure. The juxtaposition of one person clinically unconscious and another fully awake both experiencing the same spiritual event simultaneously creates exceptional evidential value through independent corroboration. The core experience was a mutual perception of Jesus Christ's presence in the hospital room. Darrell's wife first sensed an "unusual spiritual presence" that progressed into a clear vision where she saw "the Lord Jesus Christ" place His hand over their clasped hands. She not only saw but physically "felt His warm hand" - a tactile sensation accompanying the vision. Simultaneously, Darrell, while fully anesthetized and undergoing major cardiac surgery, experienced his own parallel awareness of Jesus's presence in the exact same location. This shared, interactive vision provided profound comfort during the medical crisis. The veridical nature emerges through independent corroboration between two witnesses. After surgery when Darrell awakened, his wife asked, "Did you know that Jesus was here?" Without hesitation he replied, "Yeah." To verify specificity, she asked where Jesus had been, and Darrell "patted the bed right there where [Jesus] was" - indicating the precise location his wife had perceived. This independent confirmation from two people, one medically unconscious, provides strong evidence of an objective spiritual occurrence rather than subjective hallucination. The shared nature of this experience, noted by Dr. Sabom as providing "two eyewitnesses," demonstrates that spiritual realities can occasionally become perceivable not just to the person near death but also to loved ones present. For both Darrell and his wife, the experience provided a miraculous shared touchstone of divine presence during intense medical crisis, solidifying their faith through mutual validation. |
3 | Hospital | 26 | 13 | 52 | Strong Evidence | 13 | Open-heart surgery (10 pts), deep anesthesia with multiple barriers (10 pts), medical documentation likely (6 pts) | Shared experience validation (8 pts), specific location independently identified (5 pts) | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 8/7/2025 | 0 | 1 | Darrell and his wife | Highly Compatible | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 5131 | qualitative | book | Miller, J. Steve. Is Christianity Compatible With Deathbed and Near-Death Experiences? Wisdom Creek Press, 2023. Chapter 15, p. 278 | Is Christianity Compatible - Man Van der G - Ch15 - p278 - 2023 | 2023 | M |
This powerful near-death experience occurred while an unnamed man lay in a deep coma, completely unresponsive and cut off from all normal means of communication with the outside world. His physical condition rendered him incapable of knowing about current events, including the health status or deaths of acquaintances. Within this state of profound unconsciousness, he experienced a lucid journey to the threshold of the afterlife where he received information he could not have possibly obtained through conventional means. The core experience involved traveling to a boundary separating earthly from eternal realms, described as "a kind of iron fence." Waiting on the other side was a specific, recognizable individual: "Mr. Van der G., the father of my parents' best friend." This was not a generic spirit or unknown being, but someone known from life who acted as a gatekeeper. Mr. Van der G. delivered a clear message that the man could not cross the barrier and "had to go back because my time hadn't come yet." This interaction at a definitive border with instructions to return represents a classic near-death experience element. The most evidentially significant aspect is the veridical information acquired. The crucial observation was seeing and interacting with Mr. Van der G. in the afterlife. Upon waking and recounting the vision to his parents, they provided startling verification: "Mr. Van der G. had died and been buried during my coma." The man's own conclusion underscores the paranormal nature: "I couldn't have known that he was dead." This "peak in Darien" case, where an NDEr meets someone they didn't know had died, provides strong evidence for consciousness survival. The experience provided irrefutable proof, at least for the man and his family, of an afterlife where deceased individuals continue existing and can communicate with those approaching death. A hallucination would likely draw from existing knowledge rather than containing accurate information about an unknown recent death. This NDE gave him profound, undeniable evidence of life after death, verified by external facts learned only after awakening. |
4 | Hospital | 12 | 20 | 42 | Moderate Evidence | 10 | Coma state (5 pts), complete unconsciousness (4 pts), hospital setting implied (3 pts) | Knowledge of unknown death is highly significant (10 pts), very specific identification of deceased person (10 pts) | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Comatose state | 8/7/2025 | 1 | 1 | Saw and spoke with person who had died during his coma | 1.00 | The subject's parents | Highly Compatible | 5 | |||||||||
| 5132 | qualitative | book | Miller, J. Steve. Is Christianity Compatible With Deathbed and Near-Death Experiences? Wisdom Creek Press, 2023. Conclusion, p. 334 | Is Christianity Compatible - Paul - Conclusion - p334 - 2023 | 2023 | M |
Paul, a nurse practitioner and friend of the author, experienced a profound near-death encounter during recovery from surgery for severe sepsis caused by appendicitis. While unconscious and on a ventilator in the hospital, his cognitive functions should have been severely impaired by both illness and post-operative state. Yet during this time of complete physical helplessness, he had a vivid multi-sensory encounter with Jesus Christ that he would describe as more real than physical reality itself. The core experience was a direct, personal visitation from Jesus. Paul reported: "I saw Jesus, there in the room with me. I saw Him as plain as day." This was not a distant vision but an intimate, interactive encounter involving both visual and tactile sensations. Jesus "put his hand on my forehead to comfort me," an act Paul emotionally connected to how his mother comforted him in childhood. He insisted on the physical reality: "I actually felt Jesus' hand on my forehead." This touch brought overwhelming "pure calmness, amazing comfort." Jesus also communicated verbal reassurance that "everything was going to be okay." Paul emphasized his absolute certainty of the being's identity: "I absolutely knew it was Jesus," distinguishing this from mere interpretation of a spiritual entity. While lacking traditional veridical observations of the physical world, Paul's immediate actions upon regaining consciousness provide powerful validation of the experience's profound impact. Still on the ventilator and unable to speak, he urgently motioned to his wife for pen and paper, writing simply: "I saw Him." This immediate documentation before he could even speak demonstrates the experience's clarity and importance. The evidential value lies in the unwavering conviction of a medically trained professional who could distinguish this from any known physiological or psychological phenomenon. Years later, Paul remained absolutely convinced of its authenticity. He described it as "tangible" and "the realest thing I've ever seen or experienced, too authentic an experience to not be real." This profound certainty from a credible medical professional transforms personal testimony into powerful evidence for spiritual encounters. The experience provided life-altering affirmation of faith through divine comfort during extreme physical distress. |
4 | Hospital | 20 | 10 | 43 | Moderate Evidence | 13 | Sepsis with surgery and unconsciousness (7 pts), on ventilator creating barrier (7 pts), hospital with medical documentation (6 pts) | Tactile sensation claimed (5 pts), specific interactive details with Jesus (5 pts) | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | On ventilator | 8/7/2025 | 0 | 1 | Paul's wife (also a nurse) | Highly Compatible | 4 | |||||||||||
| 5133 | qualitative | book | Pim van Lommel, Consciousness Beyond Life, HarperCollins, Chapter 10, Monique Hennequin, Pages not specified, 2010 | Consciousness Beyond Life, Monique Hennequin, Chapter 10, 2010 | 1991 | 2010 | 31 | F |
Monique Hennequin, age 31, underwent a cesarean section that led to severe complications including intestinal perforation and peritonitis. Several hours after delivering a healthy baby boy, she developed severe abdominal cramps that worsened despite pain medication. Her condition deteriorated rapidly, requiring another abdominal operation. She developed multi-organ failure with kidney dysfunction, plummeting potassium levels, and potentially fatal cardiac arrhythmia, requiring artificial respiration. After days in critical condition with doctors informing her family she was unlikely to survive, Monique suffered a cardiac arrest. During this event, she experienced leaving her body and observing the ICU from an external perspective. She saw two nurses rush from an adjacent room to attend to her body after hearing the flatline alarm. She experienced a comprehensive life review where she relived events from her past with complete understanding of how her actions affected others. She felt everything as though going back in time, experiencing not only her own emotions but also the pain, anger, and sadness of people affected by her words and actions. During her experience, she perceived herself ascending through a spectrum of light and encountered what she described as an infinite river of brilliance composed of conscious particles. She recognized elements of deceased individuals including her younger brother who had died before she was born. She experienced a moment of eternal omniscience and complete oneness with universal consciousness. Later, in desperation to return to this peaceful state, she bit through her breathing tube, precipitating another crisis and a second NDE where she encountered her deceased father in a darker dimension. Upon recovery, Monique found herself profoundly transformed. She struggled to express the ineffable nature of her experience and spent years searching for information about consciousness, physics, and spirituality. Her experience convinced her that consciousness is eternal and that death is merely a transition. She reported that the experience taught her about the interconnectedness of all things and the importance of love, honesty, and taking responsibility for one's thoughts and actions. |
2 | Hospital | 15 | 15 | 31 | Moderate Evidence | 1 | Documented cardiac arrest in ICU setting but no mention of EEG monitoring. Patient was on ventilator with multi-organ failure. | Multiple specific observations including seeing nurses respond from adjacent room and detailed consciousness experiences during cardiac arrest. | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 8/7/2025 | 2 | 0 | Saw nurses respond to cardiac arrest alarm | 0.00 | Mixed Compatibility | 9 | |||||||||
| 5134 | qualitative | book | Pim van Lommel, Consciousness Beyond Life, HarperOne, Chapter 1, E.M., Pages 17-22, 2010 | Consciousness Beyond Life, E.M., Chapter 1, Pages 17-22, 2010 | 1978 | 1978-09-23 | 2010 | F |
On September 23, 1978, E.M. was nine months pregnant when she experienced serious complications during childbirth. The midwife and medical team became urgently quiet as the contractions stopped. During the delivery, she experienced severe blood loss that went initially unnoticed by the nursing staff who were focused on the birth of the child. During this medical crisis, E.M. suddenly found herself looking down at a woman lying on a bed with her legs in supports. She observed the nurses and doctors panicking, saw large amounts of blood on the bed and floor, and witnessed hands pressing hard on the woman's belly. She watched the woman giving birth to a child who was immediately taken to another room. Then she was pulled through a dark tunnel at enormous speed, experiencing an overwhelming feeling of peace and bliss. She felt intensely satisfied, happy, calm, and peaceful while hearing wonderful music. E.M. saw beautiful colors and gorgeous flowers in all colors of the rainbow in a large meadow. At the far end was a beautiful, clear, warm light. She saw a figure in a light garment waiting for her with an outstretched hand. It felt like a warm and loving welcome. Hand in hand, they moved toward the beautiful warm light. Then the figure let go of her hand and turned around, and she felt something pulling her back. She was awakened by voices of female ER doctors who had resuscitated her. Upon return, she learned that her child had not survived. The experience transformed her completely, though she struggled for years to integrate it, keeping silent about what happened until finding literature about NDEs much later. |
5 | Hospital | 7 | 10 | 17 | Suggestive Evidence | 0 | Life-threatening blood loss during delivery, loss of consciousness documented | Out-of-body observation of medical procedures and room from above | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/7/2025 | 2 | 0 | Observed medical procedures from above | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 7 | |||||||||
| 5135 | qualitative | book | Pim van Lommel, Consciousness Beyond Life, HarperOne, Introduction, Unnamed Patient, Pages 1-2, 2010 | Consciousness Beyond Life, Unnamed Patient 1969, Introduction, Pages 1-2, 2010 | 1969 | 2010 | M |
In 1969, a patient suffered a myocardial infarction and subsequent cardiac arrest at a coronary care unit. The alarm suddenly went off as the electrocardiogram flatlined, showing complete cessation of cardiac activity. The man had become unresponsive, and two nurses quickly began resuscitation procedures. One nurse started CPR while another administered oxygen through a mask. A third nurse brought the resuscitation trolley containing the defibrillator. The patient received an electric shock to the chest with the defibrillator after gel was applied to the paddles. The first shock had no effect, and heart massage with artificial respiration was resumed. Additional medication was injected into the IV drip. A second defibrillation was then administered, which successfully reestablished cardiac rhythm. After more than a minute, following approximately four minutes of unconsciousness, the patient regained consciousness. To everyone's surprise, the patient was extremely disappointed upon revival. He spoke of experiencing a tunnel, seeing colors, witnessing a light, observing a beautiful landscape, and hearing music. He became very emotional about the experience. The medical staff, including Dr. van Lommel who was in cardiology training, had never encountered a patient who could remember the period of cardiac arrest. This case represents one of the earliest documented instances in a modern medical setting where a patient reported conscious experiences during a period of clinical death with flatlined EEG, at a time when the term "near-death experience" did not yet exist. |
1 | Hospital | 15 | 5 | 23 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Documented cardiac arrest with flatline on ECG monitor in CCU setting | Patient reported tunnel, colors, light, landscape, and music | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/7/2025 | 1 | 1 | Tunnel, colors, light, landscape, music | 0.00 | Dr. van Lommel | Highly Compatible | 5 | |||||||||
| 5136 | qualitative | book | Pim van Lommel, Consciousness Beyond Life, HarperOne, Chapter 2, Vicki, Pages 31-34, 2010 | Consciousness Beyond Life, Vicki, Chapter 2, Pages 31-34, 2010 | 1973 | 2010 | 22 | F |
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. |
5 | Hospital | 5 | 27 | 38 | Moderate Evidence | 6 | Life-threatening injuries from car accident including skull fracture and coma | Blind from birth person had detailed visual perceptions including car wreck, hospital room, and deceased individuals | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Blind from birth | 8/7/2025 | 3 | 1 | Saw smashed car from above despite being blind | 1.00 | Self-report | Highly Compatible | 7 | |||||||
| 5137 | qualitative | book | Pim van Lommel, Consciousness Beyond Life, HarperOne, Chapter 2, Surgery Patient, Pages 26-27, 2010 | Consciousness Beyond Life, Surgery Patient, Chapter 2, Pages 26-27, 2010 | 2010 | M |
A patient undergoing surgery experienced complications that led to cardiac arrest lasting four and a half minutes. During this critical period when his heart had stopped, the patient suddenly became aware of hovering over the foot of the operating table, watching the activity below around the body of a human being. He soon realized this was his own body being worked on by the medical team. From his position above the operating lamp, which he could see through, the patient heard everything that was said in the operating room. He specifically remembered them shouting "Hurry up, you bloody bastard" during the frantic resuscitation efforts. Even more remarkably, he reported not just hearing their spoken words, but being able to read the minds of everybody in the room. He seemed to have access to their thoughts during this period. The medical team worked intensely to restore his heartbeat, which took four and a half minutes - dangerously close to the threshold where brain damage typically occurs from oxygen deprivation. The doctor expressed his belief that the patient was dead during the resuscitation. Later, when the patient recovered, the doctor confirmed saying this and was astonished to learn that the patient had heard it. The patient also told them they should mind their language during surgery. This case demonstrates conscious awareness with both auditory and apparent telepathic perception during a period of cardiac arrest under general anesthesia, when no brain function should have been possible. The patient's ability to accurately report specific statements made during his resuscitation was later confirmed by the medical staff. |
3 | Hospital | 12 | 8 | 30 | Moderate Evidence | 10 | Cardiac arrest during surgery lasting 4.5 minutes under general anesthesia | Heard specific statements and claimed to read minds during cardiac arrest | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 8/7/2025 | 2 | 1 | Heard specific statement during resuscitation | 1.00 | Surgeon | Highly Compatible | 5 | ||||||||||
| 5138 | qualitative | book | Pim van Lommel, Consciousness Beyond Life, HarperOne, Chapter 2, Carl Jung, Pages 27-28, 2010 | Consciousness Beyond Life, Carl Jung, Chapter 2, Pages 27-28, 2010 | 1944 | 2010 | 69 | M |
In 1944, the renowned psychologist Carl G. Jung suffered a heart attack that triggered a profound out-of-body experience. During this medical crisis, Jung found himself high up in space, observing Earth from an extraordinary vantage point. His description of what he saw is remarkable because it accurately corresponds with images from space that would only become available through satellite photography some forty years later. From his elevated position, Jung saw the globe of Earth bathed in a gloriously blue light. He could see the deep blue sea and the continents clearly. Below his feet lay Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), and in the distance ahead he could see the subcontinent of India. His field of vision included the Earth's global shape with outlines that shone with a silvery gleam through the wonderful blue light. He observed many places where the globe seemed colored or spotted dark green like oxidized silver. Jung described seeing far to the left a broad expanse of the reddish-yellow desert of Arabia, appearing as though the silver of the earth had assumed a reddish-gold hue. He could see the Red Sea, and far back, as if in the upper left of a map, he could just make out a bit of the Mediterranean. He also saw the snow-covered Himalayas, though in that direction it was foggy or cloudy. He noted that he did not look to the right at all and knew he was on the point of departing from the earth. Later Jung discovered that to have such an extensive view, one would have to be approximately a thousand miles high in space. He described the sight of Earth from this height as the most glorious thing he had ever seen. This experience occurred decades before humans had traveled to space or obtained photographic images of Earth from orbit. |
2 | Hospital | 10 | 5 | 15 | Suggestive Evidence | 0 | Documented heart attack in 1944, likely cardiac arrest | Accurate description of Earth from space 40 years before satellite images | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/7/2025 | 1 | 0 | Saw Earth from space before satellite images existed | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 5 | |||||||||
| 5139 | qualitative | book | Pim van Lommel, Consciousness Beyond Life, HarperOne, Chapter 2, Brain-Dead Woman, Pages 28-29, 2010 | Consciousness Beyond Life, Brain-Dead Woman, Chapter 2, Pages 28-29, 2010 | 2010 | F |
A woman was in a deep coma and about to be taken off the ventilator because she had been declared brain-dead by her treating neurologist. She showed no measurable brain activity on monitoring equipment. Despite being thought to be in a deep coma without any apparent brain activity, she was somehow aware of conversations happening around her. While medical staff believed she was completely unconscious, her specialist and husband were having a critical conversation by her bedside. The specialist predicted that his patient would be a "vegetable" for the rest of her life and asked the husband to consider taking her off the life support equipment that was keeping her alive. The husband remained hopeful of a recovery, so she was kept on the ventilator despite the grim prognosis. Several months later, against all medical expectations, the woman woke up from her coma. To everyone's astonishment, it emerged that she had been able to hear throughout most of her coma. She had overheard the entire conversation between her doctor and husband about passive euthanasia. She described how awful this experience had been, trying desperately to shout that she was still there, that she wanted to live and be with her husband and children, while they were discussing her possible demise. This case challenges fundamental assumptions about consciousness during brain death. Despite having no measurable brain activity and being declared brain-dead, the patient maintained awareness and could later accurately recall specific conversations that occurred during her coma, demonstrating that consciousness can persist even when brain function appears completely absent. |
4 | Hospital | 10 | 8 | 24 | Suggestive Evidence | 6 | Declared brain-dead with no measurable brain activity, deep coma | Accurately recalled specific conversation about ending life support while brain-dead | written_account | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/7/2025 | 1 | 1 | Heard conversation about ending life support while brain-dead | 1.00 | Husband and doctor | Highly Compatible | 2 | ||||||||||
| 5140 | qualitative | book | Pim van Lommel, Consciousness Beyond Life, HarperOne, Chapter 2, Color-Blind Person, Page 30, 2010 | Consciousness Beyond Life, Color-Blind Person, Chapter 2, Page 30, 2010 | 2010 | Unknown |
A person who was color-blind experienced a near-death experience during an unspecified medical crisis. This individual had lived their entire life with a specific visual limitation - they could distinguish only the primary colors, while all pastel shades appeared the same to them. This condition had defined their visual experience throughout their life, creating a world where subtle color variations were completely absent from their perception. During their near-death experience, something extraordinary occurred. The person suddenly saw the most dazzling colors, which was all the more surprising given their lifelong color blindness. They could suddenly perceive all kinds of different shades that had been invisible to them their entire life. The experience was overwhelming because they were seeing colors they had never been able to perceive before. The person reported seeing various pastel shades distinctly for the first time, though they could not name them due to lacking the necessary experience and vocabulary for colors they had never seen. This visual transformation during the NDE was particularly meaningful because it demonstrated perception beyond their physical visual limitations. This case is significant because it shows enhanced sensory perception during an NDE that exceeded the person's normal physical capabilities. Like the blind person who could see during their NDE, this color-blind individual experienced visual perception that transcended their bodily limitations, suggesting that consciousness during an NDE may not be constrained by physical sensory deficits. |
6 | Unknown | 2 | 5 | 7 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Medical context not specified, but NDE occurred | Color-blind person saw full spectrum of colors including pastels never seen before | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Color-blindness | 8/7/2025 | 1 | 0 | Saw colors despite being color-blind | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 1 | ||||||||||
| 5141 | qualitative | book | Pim van Lommel, Consciousness Beyond Life, HarperOne, Chapter 4, Meningitis Child, Pages 67-68, 2010 | Consciousness Beyond Life, Meningitis Child, Chapter 4, Pages 67-68, 2010 | 2010 | 5 | Unknown |
At the age of five, a child contracted meningitis and fell into a coma. During this life-threatening illness, the child "died" and experienced drifting in a safe and black void where there was no fear and no pain. The child felt completely at home in this place, experiencing a profound sense of peace and safety despite the serious medical condition. During this experience, the child saw a little girl of about ten years old who seemed to recognize them. The two children hugged, and then the girl revealed remarkable information. She told the five-year-old, "I'm your sister. I died a month after I was born. I was named after your grandmother. Our parents called me Rietje for short." The sister kissed the child, who felt her warmth and love, then told them "You must go now." In a flash, the child was back in their body, opening their eyes to see the happy and relieved faces of their parents. When the child told them about the experience, the parents initially dismissed it as a dream. The child made a drawing of their "angel sister" who had welcomed them and repeated everything she had told them. The parents were so shocked that they panicked, got up and left the room. After a while, the parents returned and confirmed that they had indeed lost a daughter called Rietje who had died of poisoning about a year before this child was born. They had made a deliberate decision not to tell their living children about Rietje until they were old enough to understand the meaning of life and death. This case provides strong veridical evidence as the child had knowledge of a deceased sibling they could not have known about through normal means. |
5 | Hospital | 5 | 10 | 18 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Life-threatening meningitis causing coma in young child | Child met deceased sister unknown to them, parents confirmed details | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/7/2025 | 1 | 1 | Met unknown deceased sister named Rietje | 1.00 | Both parents | Highly Compatible | 6 | |||||||||
| 5142 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying. Hachette Books. Chapter 9. Ana Cecilia. Pages not specified. 2024 | Lucid Dying - Ana Cecilia - Chapter 9 - 2024 | 2024 | F |
Ana Cecilia, a young mother, experienced a life-threatening infection that required intensive care treatment. While on a ventilator, her breathing tube became blocked, cutting off her air supply. The medical team struggled to restore her breathing, and she lost consciousness as her condition deteriorated rapidly. Her heart stopped, marking the beginning of her near-death experience. During her cardiac arrest, Ana Cecilia experienced a profound separation from her physical body. She described feeling totally liberated as she observed herself in a hospital gown from above, watching the doctors frantically working to resuscitate her. She saw the medical team moving busily from place to place, appearing smaller and more distant as she floated alone. The relief she felt was enormous, and she surrendered control of the situation, letting go completely. Ana Cecilia observed specific details of her resuscitation from her out-of-body perspective. She could see the doctors around her body attempting various procedures. She was aware of the urgency and intensity of their efforts. She noted the hospital gown she was wearing and the positioning of the medical staff. Her observations were clear and detailed despite being clinically dead at the time. Following this experience, Ana Cecilia described embarking on what she called the most wonderful journey. The experience transformed her perspective on life and death, leaving her with a profound sense of peace about mortality. |
5 | Hospital | 7 | 12 | 25 | Suggestive Evidence | 6 | Life-threatening infection with ventilator failure leading to cardiac arrest documented | Clear OBE with specific observations of resuscitation efforts | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Ventilator tube blocked | 8/7/2025 | 2 | 1 | Saw herself in hospital gown from above | 0.00 | Ana Cecilia | Highly Compatible | 5 | |||||||||
| 5143 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying. Hachette Books. Chapter 9. Arshan. Pages not specified. 2024 | Lucid Dying - Arshan - Chapter 9 - 2024 | 1996 | 2024 | M |
In 1996, Arshan from Ghonbad-e Kavus in northeastern Iran was struck by a car after crossing a street intersection. He heard a loud car horn followed by a crashing sound before suddenly finding himself floating in a dark space outside his body. Looking down, he saw a body lying in the middle of the street next to a car, taking time to recognize it as his own. He felt no attachment to it and thought he must have died, yet experienced no sadness. During his out-of-body experience, Arshan observed events from several feet in the air as people rushed toward his body from every direction. Though he could not hear their voices clearly, he comprehended what they were saying and knew their thoughts and intentions. In the ambulance, he watched the emergency team inject something into his body without success. He felt simultaneously detached from yet somehow still inside his body, experiencing no pain or discomfort while floating higher each second. Arshan described taking on a transparent, non-physical form similar to a human shape. He felt like pure energy, experiencing enhanced eyesight and a pleasant warmth. He could not smell, taste, or feel physical sensations. He observed specific medical procedures including the injection attempts by paramedics. His ability to understand people's thoughts and upcoming statements demonstrated a form of enhanced perception. The experience left Arshan feeling immersed in peace and silence, fundamentally changing his understanding of consciousness and death. He maintained his normal thought processes and mind throughout the experience. |
5 | Ambulance | 5 | 10 | 18 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Car accident with loss of consciousness, treated by emergency team | Multiple specific observations including medical procedures and thought perception | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/7/2025 | 3 | 1 | Saw his body in the street | 0.00 | Arshan | Highly Compatible | 6 | |||||||||
| 5144 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying. Hachette Books. Chapter 9. Bolette. Pages not specified. 2024 | Lucid Dying - Bolette - Chapter 9 - 2024 | 2024 | 26 | F |
Bolette, a 52-year-old Danish woman who describes herself as having been politically active and non-religious, suffered a cardiac arrest during childbirth complications at age 26. The medical emergency occurred during what should have been a routine delivery, leading to her heart stopping and requiring immediate resuscitation efforts by the medical team present in the delivery room. During her cardiac arrest, Bolette experienced a profound expansion of consciousness. She described feeling extremely awake and aware throughout the entire experience, far more so than in normal life. Her awareness expanded to a much larger scope than she had ever experienced while in her body. She felt immensely curious and was actively observing everything happening around her with this heightened state of consciousness. Bolette's primary observation was the dramatic expansion of her awareness itself. She noted that her consciousness felt vastly larger and more encompassing than anything she had experienced in physical life. This enhanced awareness allowed her to perceive her situation with unusual clarity and comprehension despite being clinically dead. The experience had a lasting impact on Bolette, challenging her previously non-religious worldview and giving her new perspectives on consciousness and its relationship to the physical body. The vividness and reality of the expanded awareness during clinical death remained with her decades later. |
2 | Hospital | 7 | 8 | 18 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Cardiac arrest during childbirth in hospital setting | Experienced vast expansion of consciousness and heightened awareness | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/7/2025 | 1 | 1 | Vast expansion of consciousness | 0.00 | Bolette | Highly Compatible | 4 | |||||||||
| 5145 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying. Hachette Books. Chapter 9. Bonita. Pages not specified. 2024 | Lucid Dying - Bonita - Chapter 9 - 2024 | 2024 | F |
Bonita, a woman with a PhD in developmental studies, experienced cardiac arrest during childbirth. The medical emergency occurred in a hospital setting where she was surrounded by medical professionals who immediately began resuscitation efforts. Her analytical nature and academic background provided a unique perspective on the experience that followed. During her cardiac arrest, Bonita suddenly realized she was looking down on herself as she lay in the bed. Being someone who tends to analyze situations before reaching conclusions, she hovered above herself and engaged in logical reasoning about what was happening. She recognized that it was impossible for people to see themselves in three dimensions under normal circumstances. Through careful analysis while floating above her body, Bonita reasoned that if she could see herself in all three dimensions simultaneously, she must be outside of her body. Following this logic further, she concluded that if she was outside her body, then she must be dead. This systematic reasoning process demonstrated maintained cognitive function during the out-of-body state. The experience provided Bonita with direct evidence of consciousness existing independently of the physical body, which had significant implications for her understanding of human nature and consciousness given her academic background in developmental studies. |
2 | Hospital | 7 | 5 | 15 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Cardiac arrest during childbirth with immediate medical response | Logical reasoning about 3D self-observation during OBE | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/7/2025 | 1 | 1 | Saw herself in three dimensions | 0.00 | Bonita | Highly Compatible | 3 | ||||||||||
| 5146 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying. Hachette Books. Chapter 9. Diane. Pages not specified. 2024 | Lucid Dying - Diane - Chapter 9 - 2024 | 2024 | F |
Diane, a woman from California, suffered a cardiac arrest that required immediate medical intervention. She was rushed to the hospital while her husband frantically drove, desperately trying to get her there in time. The medical team immediately began resuscitation efforts upon her arrival, working to restore her heartbeat and save her life. During her cardiac arrest, Diane experienced profound sensations of warmth, love, peace, and pure joy. She felt as though an armor had been unlocked and her real body had been released from physical constraints. She looked at herself only momentarily before her consciousness expanded to multiple locations simultaneously. She could observe her husband driving frantically to the hospital while also being present with her mother and the doctor. Diane demonstrated remarkable veridical perception through multi-location awareness. She was able to observe and later describe to the doctor everything he did during her arrival and treatment, down to minute details. She could simultaneously perceive what was happening with her husband during the drive and with her mother in a different location. This multi-locational consciousness provided her with detailed information about events occurring in separate places. After her resuscitation, Diane was able to provide specific confirmations of what she had observed, including detailed accounts of the doctor's actions during her treatment. The accuracy of her observations, particularly given her state of cardiac arrest, left a lasting impression on the medical staff. |
2 | Hospital | 10 | 10 | 26 | Suggestive Evidence | 6 | Documented cardiac arrest with immediate medical intervention | Multi-location observation with specific minute details confirmed | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/7/2025 | 2 | 1 | Observed doctor's actions during treatment | 1.00 | Doctor | Highly Compatible | 5 | ||||||||||
| 5147 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying. Hachette Books. Chapter 9. Ingrid. Pages not specified. 2024 | Lucid Dying - Ingrid - Chapter 9 - 2024 | 2024 | 3 | F |
Ingrid, now a 50-year-old woman from Colombia with a PhD, experienced a near-drowning incident at age three when she fell into a reservoir of water. Initially, she was in great distress as she struggled in the water, her heart pounding as she fought against drowning. The panic and terror of a small child unable to swim or call for help created an overwhelming sense of fear and anguish. Suddenly, Ingrid experienced total relief as all distress vanished. Her heart stopped pounding, everything became absolutely still, and she no longer felt cold or the need to fight. Her body became insubstantial as she separated from it. She noticed a body suspended in the water and recognized it as her own lifeless form, yet felt neither surprise nor fear at this recognition. Instead, she experienced immense joy and freedom. Ingrid observed her own body floating in the water from an external perspective. She could see herself suspended in the reservoir, recognizing the small form as her own three-year-old body. Despite seeing herself apparently lifeless in the water, she felt complete detachment and no desire to return to that body. The experience left Ingrid with a profound understanding that consciousness can exist independently of the physical body. She simply kept moving away without looking back, feeling only joy and freedom rather than the terror one might expect from such a traumatic event. |
5 | Other | 5 | 5 | 13 | Weak Evidence | 3 | Near-drowning of young child with loss of consciousness | Clear observation of own body in water from external perspective | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/7/2025 | 1 | 1 | Saw her body in the water | 0.00 | Ingrid | Highly Compatible | 4 | |||||||||
| 5148 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying. Hachette Books. Chapter 9. Joseph. Pages not specified. 2024 | Lucid Dying - Joseph - Chapter 9 - 2024 | 1966 | 2024 | M |
Joseph, now in his seventies, experienced a severe climbing accident as a teenager in 1966 when a large rock broke loose and fell on him. He was extracted from the accident site on the mountain and lost consciousness while being transported to the hospital for emergency surgery. The severity of his injuries required immediate surgical intervention to save his life. During his unconscious state, Joseph found himself floating and hovering in the air above his body. His head was instantly flooded with knowledge, and his thoughts became incredibly clear. The realization hit him powerfully that he was dead, yet paradoxically still alive and fully conscious. He experienced initial confusion about where he was, who he was, and even what he was, demonstrating the disorienting nature of sudden consciousness separation. Joseph observed the medical procedures with remarkable clarity. He watched as the chief surgeon took a saw to quickly open him up during the emergency surgery. Despite the apparently traumatic nature of watching his own body being operated on, he maintained clear observation and memory of the specific surgical procedures. He could identify the doctor and the surgical instruments being used. After his recovery, Joseph retained vivid memories of his out-of-body observations during the surgery. The experience fundamentally changed his understanding of consciousness and death, leaving him with the certainty that awareness continues beyond physical death. |
5 | Hospital | 7 | 10 | 20 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Severe trauma from climbing accident requiring emergency surgery | Specific observation of surgeon using saw and surgical procedures | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 8/7/2025 | 2 | 1 | Saw surgeon operating | 0.00 | Joseph | Highly Compatible | 6 | |||||||||
| 5149 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying. Hachette Books. Chapter 9. Karen. Pages not specified. 2024 | Lucid Dying - Karen - Chapter 9 - 2024 | 2024 | F |
Karen suffered a ruptured appendix with gangrene that led to severe internal bleeding during emergency surgery. The surgical team was working to control the hemorrhaging when her condition deteriorated catastrophically. She went into cardiac arrest on the operating table, requiring immediate resuscitation efforts while the surgeons simultaneously tried to address the source of the bleeding. During her cardiac arrest, Karen looked down and saw her body surrounded by many medical personnel. She felt no attachment to her physical form or regret about leaving it behind. Instead, she experienced an overwhelming sense of lightness and freedom - freedom from the intense pain of recent weeks and from the emotional pain of her life up to that point. She also noted that before dying she had questioned everything, but in this state she knew everything and had no more questions. Karen observed the surgical scene from above, noting the many people working around her body during the emergency. She could see the medical team's frantic efforts to save her life while she remained completely detached from the situation. Her primary observation was the contrast between the chaos below and her own state of peace and complete knowledge above. The experience fundamentally transformed Karen's perspective on life and death. The shift from questioning everything to knowing everything during her NDE provided her with a sense of certainty about consciousness surviving bodily death. |
5 | Hospital | 7 | 5 | 15 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Ruptured appendix with cardiac arrest during surgery | Observed surgical team from above during resuscitation | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 8/7/2025 | 1 | 1 | Saw surgical team working | 0.00 | Karen | Highly Compatible | 5 | ||||||||||
| 5150 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying. Hachette Books. Chapter 9. Krista. Pages not specified. 2024 | Lucid Dying - Krista - Chapter 9 - 2024 | 2024 | F |
Krista, an American physician's assistant, suffered a cardiac arrest lasting approximately eight minutes during childbirth complications. The medical emergency occurred in a hospital delivery room where she was immediately attended to by the obstetric and emergency teams. Her medical training provided her with unique insight into the severity of her condition and the resuscitation efforts that followed. During her eight-minute cardiac arrest, Krista found herself floating above her body with the distance between her conscious self and physical form seeming stretched out. She experienced no sound, pain, or fear while observing someone lying on the bed below. Initially, she did not identify with the body or people in the room, remaining a detached observer while still maintaining her identity as Krista within her consciousness. She felt more alive than ever in this state. Remarkably, she was simultaneously given answers to all questions she had ever had in life. Krista observed the medical team working on her body from above with clinical detachment. She could see the person on the bed receiving emergency treatment but did not initially recognize it as herself. She maintained clear observation of the room, the medical staff, and the procedures being performed. The experience of receiving answers to all life questions while observing her resuscitation demonstrated maintained and even enhanced cognitive function. Following her resuscitation, Krista's experience as a medical professional gave her unique perspective on what had occurred. The eight-minute duration of her cardiac arrest was well-documented, providing medical confirmation of the life-threatening nature of her experience. |
2 | Hospital | 10 | 10 | 23 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Documented 8-minute cardiac arrest during childbirth with immediate response | Clinical observation of resuscitation with enhanced knowledge state | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/7/2025 | 2 | 1 | Observed body on bed from above | 0.00 | Krista | Highly Compatible | 5 | ||||||||||
| 5151 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying. Hachette Books. Chapter 10. Dr. Mary Neal. Pages not specified. 2024 | Lucid Dying - Dr. Mary Neal - Chapter 10 - 2024 | 1999 | 2024 | F |
Dr. Mary Neal, an orthopedic surgeon and former director of spine surgery at USC, experienced a near-death episode while whitewater kayaking in South America in 1999. Her kayak became pinned underwater after going over a waterfall, with the force of the current folding her body over the front deck and holding her submerged under eight to ten feet of water. Despite her medical training and efforts to free herself, she remained trapped underwater for an extended period, leading to drowning and cardiac arrest. During her drowning, Dr. Neal experienced being held and comforted with reassurance that everything would be fine regardless of outcome. She underwent a comprehensive life review where she relived both wonderful and painful events, experiencing them from her own perspective and simultaneously from the perspectives of others involved. She gained complete understanding of the backstories and chain of events behind every interaction. She described her consciousness as vastly expanded, experiencing eternity in every moment, understanding the order of the universe, mathematics, and the interconnectedness of all life. Dr. Neal observed her body trapped underwater and could feel her knees breaking and ligaments tearing as the current pushed her body free, yet felt no pain. She watched her friends performing CPR and could hear them calling to her. She perceived herself as separate from her body while maintaining her analytical abilities. She experienced receiving vast knowledge about universal truths and felt she understood everything about how the universe works, though this knowledge later became inaccessible after recovery. Her experience was later detailed in her book "To Heaven and Back" and has been presented at scientific conferences. The extended duration underwater and subsequent successful resuscitation were documented by multiple witnesses who were present during the accident and rescue. |
5 | Other | 10 | 15 | 35 | Moderate Evidence | 10 | Extended drowning with witnessed resuscitation by multiple people | Detailed observations of rescue efforts and vast knowledge acquisition | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Submerged under water | 8/7/2025 | 3 | 1 | Felt knees breaking without pain | 0.00 | Multiple kayaking friends | Highly Compatible | 9 | ||||||||
| 5152 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying. Hachette Books. Chapter 9. Mohammed. Pages not specified. 2024 | Lucid Dying - Mohammed - Chapter 9 - 2024 | 1977 | 2024 | 26 | M |
In 1977, Mohammed, then 26 years old, was driving home at 2 AM to visit family in Iran when he collided head-on with a car that had crossed into his lane. Critically injured, he was transported by bus to a small hospital. Initially conscious and in unbearable pain, he noticed a young nurse, approximately 22 years old, whom he found beautiful and wished he could speak with. His condition deteriorated and he eventually lost consciousness. Suddenly Mohammed experienced a shift where deep calm and peace engulfed him, opposite to his previous anger and pain. He found himself seeing in 360 degrees around the nurse, as if he had completely engulfed her. He became aware of her thoughts and feelings, sensing her sadness and worry about the young man dying. He tried to tell her he was fine and had never felt better, but she could not hear him. Following her gaze, he saw a young man's body on the bed and was shocked to realize it was his own. Mohammed observed the entire hospital scene with 360-degree vision and could perceive the nurse's thoughts about how sad it was that this young man was dying. He attempted to communicate that he felt wonderful but realized she could not perceive him. His confusion about seeing someone who looked exactly like him led him to wonder if he had a twin brother before realizing he was observing his own body and that he must be dead. The experience left Mohammed with a profound sense that everything was exactly as it should be, transforming his previous anger into perfect acceptance and peace. His ability to perceive thoughts and see in all directions simultaneously demonstrated enhanced consciousness during clinical death. |
5 | Hospital | 5 | 10 | 18 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Critical injuries from head-on collision with loss of consciousness | 360-degree vision and thought perception of medical staff | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/7/2025 | 2 | 1 | 360-degree vision | 0.00 | Mohammed | Highly Compatible | 6 | ||||||||
| 5153 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying. Hachette Books. Chapter 10. Rachel. Pages not specified. 2024 | Lucid Dying - Rachel - Chapter 10 - 2024 | 2024 | F |
Rachel, a young British poet and mother of four, experienced severe blood loss during childbirth that led to loss of consciousness. As her eyes grew heavy and she tried to keep them open, her medical condition deteriorated rapidly. She lost consciousness at the point when she left her body, vividly remembering being surrounded by several people who placed an oxygen mask over her face. During her out-of-body experience, Rachel shot upward through what felt like a tunnel with a presence accompanying her. A holographic, translucent screen appeared showing her entire life from early childhood to the present moment. She experienced a comprehensive life review, reliving both significant and mundane events while simultaneously experiencing them from others' perspectives. She judged herself from a vastly different awareness, understanding the complete cause-and-effect relationships behind all events, including a childhood incident with a guinea pig that taught her about the impact of her actions on other beings. Rachel observed medical procedures including the oxygen mask placement and could understand the downstream effects of her words and actions on others. She experienced how her harsh words affected her sister and others, feeling their hurt, shame, and embarrassment. She gained understanding of others' backgrounds and traumas that led to their behaviors. She understood that even small negative interactions stay with people for years and change their self-perception. The experience fundamentally transformed Rachel's behavior, particularly toward her father in his final years. She learned that love is the root of everything and can heal everything, understanding that the whole purpose of life is to bring love to this plane. She understood everything during the experience, though this complete knowledge became less accessible after recovery. |
2 | Hospital | 10 | 12 | 28 | Suggestive Evidence | 6 | Severe blood loss during childbirth with documented medical intervention | Detailed life review with understanding of cause-effect relationships | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/7/2025 | 3 | 1 | Saw oxygen mask placement | 0.00 | Medical team | Highly Compatible | 9 | ||||||||||
| 5154 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying. Hachette Books. Chapter 9. Renee. Pages not specified. 2024 | Lucid Dying - Renee - Chapter 9 - 2024 | 2003 | 2024 | F |
Renee, an American motorcyclist, suffered a severe accident in 2003 that caused her heart to stop. She was revived and placed on life support while the medical team worked to save her life. The trauma from the accident was extensive, requiring immediate and intensive medical intervention to address her injuries and stabilize her condition. During her cardiac arrest, Renee could see herself outside her body with her heart lying outside her chest, not beating. Like watching a big-screen movie, she could hear everything happening around her despite being dead. She heard police and paramedics discussing the need to resuscitate her and how much blood she had lost. Her emotions became heightened and she accelerated into pure light energy where there was no space or time. She felt more alive than ever before, describing the transformation as not humanly conceivable. She became all-knowing, all-powerful, amazing, incredible light energy. Renee observed her exposed, non-beating heart outside her chest and heard specific conversations between police and paramedics about her blood loss and resuscitation needs. She experienced a transformation into pure light energy with omniscient awareness. The observation of her own exposed heart and the specific medical discussions provided veridical elements to her experience. The experience left Renee with a profound understanding of consciousness as energy and light, fundamentally changing her perspective on life and death. The transformation from physical trauma to experiencing herself as all-knowing light energy demonstrated the continuation of consciousness beyond physical death. |
5 | Other | 7 | 10 | 20 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Severe motorcycle accident with cardiac arrest and life support | Observed exposed heart and heard specific medical discussions | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/7/2025 | 2 | 1 | Saw exposed heart | 0.00 | Renee | Highly Compatible | 7 | |||||||||
| 5155 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying. Hachette Books. Chapter 9. Susan. Pages not specified. 2024 | Lucid Dying - Susan - Chapter 9 - 2024 | 2013 | 2024 | F |
Susan, an American woman, suffered a cardiac arrest in 2013 following a severe allergic reaction. The anaphylactic response was so severe that it caused her heart to stop, requiring immediate intervention from the hospital code blue team. She was in a hospital setting when the reaction occurred, allowing for rapid medical response to her life-threatening emergency. During her cardiac arrest, Susan observed the medical team enter and surround what she initially thought was another person lying next to her. It never occurred to her that she was observing her own body. She felt very calm while watching, but felt sympathy for the lady (herself) as the code blue team struggled to restart her heart. She watched herself being intubated with chest compressions and observed the rotation of team members during the resuscitation efforts. Susan's primary observation was watching the code blue team's organized response, including the intubation procedure, chest compressions, and systematic rotation of personnel during CPR. Her initial inability to recognize her own body and the feeling of detachment while observing with sympathy for "the lady" demonstrated the separation of consciousness from physical form. The experience left Susan with a new understanding of consciousness existing independently from the body. Her calm observation of her own critical medical emergency, initially not even recognizing herself, provided her with evidence of consciousness continuation beyond cardiac arrest. |
2 | Hospital | 10 | 8 | 21 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Documented cardiac arrest from severe allergic reaction with code blue response | Observed specific resuscitation procedures including intubation and CPR rotation | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/7/2025 | 1 | 1 | Watched code blue team procedures | 0.00 | Susan | Highly Compatible | 4 | |||||||||
| 5156 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying. Hachette Books. Chapter 9. Wayne. Pages not specified. 2024 | Lucid Dying - Wayne - Chapter 9 - 2024 | 1996 | 2024 | M |
In 1996, Wayne was helping move a broken-down car off the street when another vehicle rammed into him from behind, crushing him between two cars. The impact was so severe it bent the frames on both vehicles. He was rushed to the hospital on a gurney, feeling he was going to die and welcoming the release from the intense pain before losing consciousness. Wayne came out into light and found himself in an upper corner of the emergency room looking down at his body on the gurney. He was not disturbed by being dead or seeing his body below. He experienced a state of euphoria and perfect peace, with no pain, wants, or needs of any kind. He had a sense of being home and felt himself floating in the air above the gurney where his body lay. Wayne observed his body on the emergency room gurney from an elevated corner position. He could see the medical team working on his severely injured body below. Despite the traumatic nature of his injuries, he felt complete peace and a sense of being home rather than distress. The experience transformed Wayne's understanding of death, removing fear and providing him with certainty that consciousness continues beyond physical death. The sense of being home and the complete absence of pain or needs while observing his injured body gave him lasting peace about mortality. |
5 | Hospital | 5 | 8 | 16 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Severe trauma from being crushed between cars | Observed body from corner of emergency room | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/7/2025 | 2 | 1 | Viewed from corner of ER | 0.00 | Wayne | Highly Compatible | 4 | |||||||||
| 5157 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying: The New Science. Hachette Books, Chapter 11, Marta, Pages [not specified], 2024 | Lucid Dying - Marta - Chapter 11 - 2024 | 1985 | 2024 | F |
Marta was admitted to a hospital in Guadalajara in 1985 when she experienced a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction to medication. The reaction was so severe that she lost consciousness completely. During her unconscious state, Marta experienced a comprehensive life review. She reported: "I saw my entire life in great detail, and experienced feelings through it of satisfaction, shame, repentance." This review appeared to encompass her complete life experience up to that moment, with particular emphasis on the emotional and moral dimensions of her actions and choices. The veridical aspect of her experience centered on the comprehensive nature of the life review itself. She was able to observe and re-experience events from throughout her life with remarkable clarity and detail, including events and emotions she had long forgotten. The review included not just visual memories but the full emotional content of her experiences, allowing her to feel the satisfaction of positive actions alongside the shame and repentance for negative ones. Following the experience, Marta recovered from the allergic reaction. The profound nature of the life review and the emotions it evoked left a lasting impact on her understanding of her life and actions. |
5 | Hospital | 2 | 5 | 7 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Life-threatening allergic reaction documented but no cardiac arrest or monitoring mentioned | General life review observations without specific verifiable details | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/7/2025 | 1 | 0 | Comprehensive life review with emotional content | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 3 | ||||||||||
| 5158 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying: The New Science. Hachette Books, Chapter 11, Richard, Pages [not specified], 2024 | Lucid Dying - Richard - Chapter 11 - 2024 | 1985 | 2024 | M |
Richard experienced a cardiac arrest in 1985 when an electrical malfunction in his heart caused it to stop beating. He lost consciousness as his heart ceased functioning, entering a state of clinical death. During the cardiac arrest, Richard underwent a comprehensive life review experience. He reported: "I started watching my whole life being reviewed in front of me. The emphasis seemed to be on good and bad events." The review was not random or chaotic but appeared to have a structured quality, systematically presenting the moral dimensions of his life experiences. He observed his entire life as if watching a detailed recording, with particular attention drawn to the ethical significance of his actions and their consequences. The veridical aspect of his experience involved observing his complete life history with remarkable clarity. Richard could see events from throughout his life, including many he had not thought about in years. The review specifically highlighted the moral quality of events, distinguishing between positive and negative actions in a way that suggested an objective evaluation rather than his subjective memories. After being resuscitated, Richard retained clear memories of the experience. The systematic nature of the life review and its emphasis on moral evaluation left him with a transformed understanding of the significance of his life choices and actions. |
2 | Unknown | 10 | 5 | 15 | Suggestive Evidence | 0 | Documented cardiac arrest from electrical malfunction but no monitoring equipment mentioned | Life review with general good/bad categorization but no specific verifiable details | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/7/2025 | 1 | 0 | Complete life review with moral emphasis | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 3 | ||||||||||
| 5159 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying: The New Science. Hachette Books, Chapter 11, Lou, Pages [not specified], 2024 | Lucid Dying - Lou - Chapter 11 - 2024 | 1963 | 2024 | M |
Lou, a retired US Navy officer, survived a life-threatening car accident in 1963. The severity of the accident rendered him unconscious, placing him in immediate mortal danger. While unconscious from the trauma, Lou experienced a remarkably detailed life review. He explained: "In an instant, my entire life, starting from birth through the present, was flashing before my eyes... Frame after frame, some parts in freeze frame if only for a second, then on to the next. I felt as if I was being subjected to a test." The experience was comprehensive, covering his complete life history from birth to the moment of the accident. The review had a cinematic quality, presenting his life in sequential frames with the ability to pause on significant moments. The veridical elements of Lou's experience included the extraordinary detail and completeness of the life review. He could observe events from throughout his entire life, including early childhood memories that would normally be inaccessible. The sequential, frame-by-frame presentation allowed him to see the progression and connections between life events. The sensation of being tested suggested an evaluative component to the review, as if his life was being assessed against some standard. After recovering from the accident, Lou retained vivid memories of the experience. The comprehensive nature of the review and the feeling of being tested left him with a profound sense that his life choices carried significant weight and meaning. |
5 | Other | 2 | 10 | 12 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Life-threatening car accident but no specific medical documentation mentioned | Detailed sequential life review from birth to present with freeze-frame capability | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/7/2025 | 2 | 0 | Complete chronological life review | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 3 | ||||||||||
| 5160 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying: The New Science. Hachette Books, Chapter 11, Karen, Pages [not specified], 2024 | Lucid Dying - Karen - Chapter 11 - 2024 | 1982 | 2024 | 32 | F |
Karen, a thirty-two-year-old mother of two children ages six and nine, underwent a spinal fusion procedure in 1982. The last thing she recalled was being given general anesthetic before losing consciousness. During surgery, life-threatening bleeding occurred that required emergency intervention. During this surgical crisis, Karen experienced her consciousness as separate from her body, positioned near the ceiling with full awareness. She observed her surgeon frantically trying to stop her from bleeding to death, and due to the stress, he was swearing at a nurse to fetch blood immediately. She reported: "I was able to reexperience myself in all these events in my life, but just as importantly, I was able to experience the impact of my actions and words on those other people with whom I had interacted... I felt so very sorry and sad about them [her poor actions] within my own heart." Karen's veridical observations included specific details of the surgical emergency. She witnessed the surgeon's frantic efforts to control the bleeding, heard him swearing at the nurse due to stress, and observed the nurse being ordered to fetch blood urgently. She could see the entire surgical scene from her vantage point near the ceiling. Most remarkably, during her life review, she experienced not only her own perspective but also felt the emotional impact of her actions on others, experiencing their feelings directly. The experience had a tremendous impact on Karen despite happening very quickly. The ability to feel how her actions had affected others left her with deep remorse for negative actions and a transformed understanding of interpersonal relationships. |
3 | Hospital | 7 | 15 | 32 | Moderate Evidence | 10 | Deep general anesthesia during surgery with life-threatening bleeding | Multiple specific surgical observations including surgeon swearing and blood request | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 8/8/2025 | 3 | 1 | Out-of-body view from ceiling | 0.00 | Surgeon | Highly Compatible | 7 | ||||||||
| 5161 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying: The New Science. Hachette Books, Chapter 10-11, Rachel Finch, Pages [not specified], 2024 | Lucid Dying - Rachel Finch - Chapters 10-11 - 2024 | 2024 | F |
Rachel Finch, a British mother of four, experienced a profound near-death experience that fundamentally transformed her understanding of life and relationships. The specific medical circumstances involved a life-threatening situation that brought her to the edge of death. During her experience, Rachel underwent an extraordinarily detailed life review where she not only observed her actions but experienced them from multiple perspectives. She could feel the emotional impact of her behavior on others, particularly experiencing the pain she had caused through her angry outbursts toward family members. She reported experiencing "immediate peace. Absolute, whole peace all throughout me. There was no pain, there was no fear, there was no shame. I felt completely accepted. Totally whole and loved. Loved beyond comprehension. Loved in my entirety. Loved with a Love I have not felt here." The veridical aspects included her ability to perceive and understand the complete emotional landscape of her relationships. She experienced her father's perspective during their conflicts, feeling his pain when she had acted with anger. She also gained insight into the cause-and-effect relationships that had shaped her family dynamics. Most remarkably, she could see how her actions created ripple effects through the lives of others, understanding the full consequences of both positive and negative behaviors. Following the experience, Rachel was profoundly transformed. Her relationship with her father completely changed as she gained understanding and compassion for his perspective. The experience left her with an entirely new approach to relationships and a deep understanding of the importance of love and compassion. |
5 | Unknown | 2 | 10 | 12 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Life-threatening event mentioned but specific medical details not provided | Detailed multi-perspective life review with emotional content from others' viewpoints | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 2 | 0 | Multi-perspective life review | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 6 | |||||||||||
| 5162 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying: The New Science. Hachette Books, Chapter 11, Dr. Mary Neal, Pages [not specified], 2024 | Lucid Dying - Dr. Mary Neal - Chapter 11 - 2024 | 2024 | F |
Dr. Mary Neal, a physician, experienced a profound near-death experience during a life-threatening medical crisis. As a medical professional, she brought a unique perspective to understanding and describing her experience. During her NDE, Dr. Neal underwent a comprehensive life review that provided extraordinary insights into cause-and-effect relationships in her life. She gained deep understanding of why certain people had acted negatively toward her, seeing the circumstances and pain that had shaped their behavior. This understanding transformed what had been destructive negative emotions into compassion and forgiveness. She described finding beauty even in life's hardest moments, recognizing that suffering and challenges served as opportunities for growth and understanding. The review revealed how seemingly negative experiences had ultimately contributed to her development. The veridical aspects of her experience included gaining knowledge about the deeper patterns and connections in her life that she had never previously understood. She could perceive the hidden motivations and pain behind others' actions toward her. She experienced a complete transformation of perspective on negative life events, seeing their ultimate purpose and beauty. Most remarkably, she gained insights into how hardships and suffering serve as catalysts for spiritual and personal growth, understanding she could not have achieved through normal consciousness. Following the experience, Dr. Neal was profoundly transformed. Her medical background gave her a unique ability to articulate the experience while acknowledging its transcendent nature beyond medical explanation. The insights about suffering and growth fundamentally changed how she approached both personal challenges and her medical practice. |
5 | Unknown | 5 | 15 | 20 | Suggestive Evidence | 0 | Life-threatening medical event but specific details not provided in excerpt | Gained special knowledge about cause-effect relationships and hidden motivations | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 3 | 0 | Understanding cause-effect relationships | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 6 | |||||||||||
| 5163 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying: The New Science. Hachette Books, Chapter 11, Arshan, Pages [not specified], 2024 | Lucid Dying - Arshan - Chapter 11 - 2024 | 2024 | M |
Arshan experienced a near-death event during which he underwent a profound life review. The specific medical circumstances are not detailed, but the experience occurred during a life-threatening crisis. During his experience, Arshan's entire life began playing in his mind with extraordinary clarity and vividness. He described it as "like a slideshow, but I experienced all the feelings in these events again. Everything was shown in chronological order." The review was comprehensive yet remarkably swift, taking only minutes despite covering his entire life history. What distinguished this from ordinary memory was the complete re-experiencing of all emotions associated with each event. After the life review concluded, his mind began analyzing his life and actions from a moral perspective. The veridical elements included Arshan's ability to re-experience emotions from throughout his life with perfect clarity, including feelings he had long forgotten. He gained the capacity to evaluate his life objectively, concluding "I felt that overall, I was relatively kind to people." Most significantly, he learned about his kindness not from his own perspective but by experiencing it from other people's viewpoint, feeling directly how his actions had impacted them. This empathic knowledge provided objective confirmation of his moral standing. The experience was both pleasant and deeply interesting to Arshan. The ability to evaluate his life from others' perspectives gave him profound insights into the true impact of his actions, confirming his relative kindness through direct experiential knowledge rather than subjective self-assessment. |
6 | Unknown | 2 | 10 | 12 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Medical circumstances not specified | Chronological life review with complete emotional re-experiencing and empathic evaluation | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 2 | 0 | Complete chronological life review | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 5 | |||||||||||
| 5164 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying: The New Science. Hachette Books, Chapter 11, Anni, Pages [not specified], 2024 | Lucid Dying - Anni - Chapter 11 - 2024 | 1974 | 2024 | 30 | F |
Anni was thirty years old in 1974 when she suffered a life-threatening complication during a medical procedure that rendered her unconscious. The crisis occurred unexpectedly during what should have been a routine procedure. During her unconscious state, Anni was shown her entire life from birth to the moment of unconsciousness. She found herself evaluating her life from "the wrong side" - seeing herself objectively rather than through her usual subjective perspective. This led to profound shame as she realized "I was not as good as I thought I was." However, she encountered a "being of love" who didn't judge her but instead supported her with love. She discovered that not only actions but also thoughts were being evaluated, and surprisingly, "the thoughts meant more than the actions." She learned it was wrong to "smile politely at someone while sending negative thoughts to them." The experience revealed she had much improvement needed as a human being, though she was also shown the good things she had done. Anni's veridical observations included seeing her complete life history with access to both actions and the thoughts behind them. She gained knowledge that thoughts carry more weight than actions in moral evaluation. She experienced the presence of a loving being who provided support without judgment. Most remarkably, she discovered that hidden thoughts and intentions, which she believed were private, were fully visible and counted more significantly than outward behaviors. The experience left Anni with a profound understanding that authentic kindness requires alignment between thoughts and actions, and that spiritual development involves improving both behavior and inner attitudes. |
3 | Hospital | 7 | 10 | 17 | Suggestive Evidence | 0 | Life-threatening complication during medical procedure causing unconsciousness | Life review revealing thoughts matter more than actions, evaluation by loving being | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 2 | 0 | Complete life review with thoughts revealed | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 7 | |||||||||
| 5165 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying: The New Science. Hachette Books, Chapter 11, Steve, Pages [not specified], 2024 | Lucid Dying - Steve - Chapter 11 - 2024 | 2024 | M |
Steve, an American man, suffered a severe asthma attack that escalated to the point where his heart stopped beating. The cardiac arrest resulted from the severe respiratory crisis caused by the asthma attack. During his cardiac arrest, Steve became aware of a powerful presence beside him that was both comforting and of great magnitude and power. He then began a comprehensive life review where he not only re-experienced events from his own perspective but simultaneously experienced them from other people's points of view. He described: "you feel their pain, you feel the sting; you feel the hurt [caused to others by your actions]. It was a horrifying realization that I wasn't the person I thought I was." He discovered he had been deceitful, had hurt people, and had lied, all of which he had previously justified by rationalizing that people deserved such treatment. However, experiencing their actual pain made him conclude his life had been a failure. Steve's veridical observations included directly experiencing the emotional pain he had caused others, feeling exactly what they had felt. He could see through his own self-deceptions and lies, viewing events from "a higher reality, the truth of the matter." The judgment he experienced came entirely from himself, not from any external source, though the being with him sent comforting messages. He gained complete clarity about his moral failures and the reality that his rationalizations had been false. The experience made him feel he was given a second chance to live more meaningfully. Steve felt the experience offered him an opportunity to change, hoping that "next time I get back to the life review it wouldn't be the same, or at least they would say he tried," and he might receive "a higher grade!" for his improved life. |
2 | Hospital | 10 | 10 | 20 | Suggestive Evidence | 0 | Cardiac arrest from severe asthma attack documented | Multi-perspective life review experiencing others' pain directly, self-judgment | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 2 | 0 | Direct experience of others' pain | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 7 | |||||||||||
| 5166 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying: The New Science. Hachette Books, Chapter 11, Justin, Pages [not specified], 2024 | Lucid Dying - Justin - Chapter 11 - 2024 | 2004 | 2024 | M |
Justin, a British man, survived a life-threatening accident in 2004 that left him in a deep coma on life support for many days. The severity of his injuries required intensive medical intervention to maintain his vital functions. During his coma, Justin experienced a profound life review with a unique perspective. He explained: "Many events in my life I experienced, but not from how I remembered it, but from the point of view of how the people, animals, environment experienced it around me. I felt it as my own." He could feel both the happiness and sadness he had caused others as if it were his own experience. This revealed that "every single thought, word, and action affects everything." During the review, he judged himself with no ego or lies to hide behind, feeling remorse and shame in the presence of overwhelming love and light. He discovered that things considered important in material life were actually insignificant, while seemingly unimportant things held great significance. Justin's veridical observations included experiencing his life events from the perspectives of not only other humans but also animals and the environment itself. He directly felt the emotions of all beings he had impacted. The self-judgment occurred without any external judge - "we judge ourselves; no one else does, the light did not." He gained special knowledge about the true significance of actions, discovering that material priorities were inverted from spiritual ones. The experience left Justin with a complete transformation of values, understanding that every thought, word, and action has far-reaching effects on all of existence. |
5 | Hospital | 5 | 10 | 15 | Suggestive Evidence | 0 | Life-threatening accident resulting in deep coma on life support | Life review from perspective of people, animals, and environment affected | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Deep coma | 8/8/2025 | 2 | 0 | Multi-being perspective including animals | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 7 | |||||||||
| 5167 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying: The New Science. Hachette Books, Chapter 11, Heather, Pages [not specified], 2024 | Lucid Dying - Heather - Chapter 11 - 2024 | 2024 | F |
Heather, a British mother, underwent life-threatening surgery during which she experienced a profound near-death event. The surgical complications created a crisis situation requiring immediate medical intervention. During the crisis, Heather found herself standing beside her body, observing a thin, wispy cord connecting her to her physical form. A companion presence made her feel secure and encouraged her to trust, suggesting the cord was insignificant. She was guided toward "the light" through a void where she experienced weightlessness. She was met by "beings of light" who gently encouraged her toward a life review. During this review, her actions were not judged by others - she judged herself. Her companion presence could see into her mind with no possibility of hiding thoughts. She was made to understand how her mistakes hurt others by experiencing what they had felt. She came to understand she was "in that place where the newly dead move on to." Heather's veridical observations included seeing herself from outside her body with a connecting cord, experiencing complete weightlessness and travel through a void, encountering multiple beings of light who guided her process, and gaining direct experiential knowledge of others' pain from her actions. She experienced complete mental transparency where no thoughts could be hidden. Most significantly, she felt profound remorse for missed opportunities where she could have positively affected others but didn't follow through. The experience transformed Heather's approach to life. She now hates doing any harm to others, having directly felt the pain she had caused. She recognizes that the most important thing in life is taking opportunities to assist others, even when difficult. |
3 | Hospital | 7 | 10 | 17 | Suggestive Evidence | 0 | Life-threatening surgery requiring medical intervention | Out-of-body with cord, beings of light, experiential life review | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 8/8/2025 | 2 | 0 | Out-of-body with connecting cord | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 9 | |||||||||||
| 5168 | qualitative | book | Parnia, Sam. Lucid Dying: The New Science. Hachette Books, Chapter 12, Accountant, Pages [not specified], 2024 | Lucid Dying - Accountant - Chapter 12 - 2024 | 2024 | M |
An accountant with a wife and three small children attempted suicide using sleeping pills and alcohol during a period when his marriage was falling apart. He had become consumed with fear and self-pity, developing alcoholism that further damaged his relationships. During his near-death experience, he moved rapidly through a tunnel toward a light, observing himself passed out on the kitchen floor. He encountered "a being of incredible beauty, radiating great love, great compassion and warmth" who could read his thoughts. The being showed him this was not what death is like and revealed a depressing landscape "devoid of beauty, devoid of life, where people shuffled around with their heads down" in resignation. He was told: "This is a Hell of your own creation. You would have to go back to Earth eventually and experience a new life all over again faced with the same difficulties that you faced in this lifetime." He learned suicide is not an escape. He then experienced a panoramic life review, with the alcohol-abused years being most painful. The accountant's veridical observations included seeing himself unconscious on the floor from outside his body, encountering a luminous being who showed him a hellish realm of lost souls, and receiving specific knowledge that suicide doesn't end suffering but requires returning to face the same challenges. He was shown future consequences if he continued drinking - his wife would fail their children, leading them to foster care and eventual substance abuse. Conversely, if he changed, all three children would grow up happy and productive. The experience served as a "huge reality check" that transformed his life. He understood suicide provides no escape and that his choices directly determined his children's futures. |
5 | Home | 2 | 15 | 17 | Suggestive Evidence | 0 | Overdose of sleeping pills with alcohol causing unconsciousness | Shown hellish realm, told suicide not escape, shown future consequences | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 3 | 0 | Out-of-body view of self | 0.00 | Low Compatibility | 9 | |||||||||||
| 5169 | qualitative | book | Ring, Kenneth. Lessons from the Light. Chapter 1: Craig. Pages 11-19. 2006 | Lessons from the Light - Craig - Chapter 1 - pp 11-19 - 2006 | 2006 | M |
Craig experienced an NDE during a rafting accident when he was trapped underwater by a waterfall's force. Pinned face-down in sand with no hope of escape, he began losing consciousness as his air supply dwindled. His mind accelerated and he experienced a panoramic life review, seeing scenes from infancy through the present with remarkable clarity, including forgotten memories of throwing food as a baby and a traumatic boating accident at age seven. After the images ceased and darkness came, Craig felt a tingling sensation spreading through his body, his heart stopped, and he no longer needed air. He then moved through a dark void at tremendous speed toward a pinpoint of light that grew larger until it engulfed him. Within the light, he felt all-knowing, experienced total harmony, and understood everything made perfect sense. He could expand and contract his energy form at will and felt bathed in total love and understanding. Floating above the river afterward, Craig saw his body below, observed his friend Don clutching a rock, and tried unsuccessfully to communicate. He could see with perfect clarity - the waterfall, snow, streets, and a playground. He experimented with entering natural elements before encountering a transparent elderly figure who showed him his life as a timeline and the consequences if he died. The entity emphasized love and cooperation over competition and told Craig this place would always be waiting. After choosing to return, Craig shot back into his body with tremendous energy. The experience eliminated Craig's fear of death completely. He now appreciates life's preciousness, values love above material things, and seeks knowledge. Ten years later, his major dream of opening for Arlo Guthrie came true, exactly as mentioned during his NDE, though he realized what he truly wanted was to touch hearts through music. |
5 | Other | 17 | 22 | 54 | Strong Evidence | 15 | Near-drowning with apparent cardiac arrest, face down underwater unable to move, reported heart stopped beating | Multiple specific observations including seeing body from above, friend Don's position, ability to travel to distant locations and see family home, expanded perception abilities | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Underwater, unable to breathe | 8/8/2025 | 3 | 1 | Saw own body from above while floating | 0.00 | Mother, Father, Siblings | Moderately Compatible | 9 | |||||||||
| 5170 | qualitative | book | Ring, Kenneth. Lessons from the Light. Chapter 1: Neev. Pages 19-24. 2006 | Lessons from the Light - Neev - Chapter 1 - pp 19-24 - 2006 | 1988 | March 1988 | 2006 | 16 | M |
Neev, a high school sophomore playing first base, was severely injured when a burly catcher violently collided with him. He sustained a compound skull fracture with grotesque facial swelling and internal hemorrhaging. During his unconscious state in the emergency room, Neev found himself floating above his body, observing medical staff working on him with his face massively swollen. From his out-of-body position, he witnessed his body on a gurney with IV bottles and blood, heard monitors beeping, and remarkably saw his grandmother trying to find his mother down a corridor over 100 yards away through multiple rooms and doors - something physically impossible from his location. When moved for X-rays, he entered complete darkness described as comfortable and pain-free, like being in a womb, feeling perfect love and warmth. He then moved through a dark tunnel with difficulty, seeing a tiny light that grew larger as he progressed. Emerging into brilliant orange-yellow sunlight-like illumination, he found himself gliding above a golden road. Everything appeared golden as far as he could see. He encountered white clouded figures who gave him warmth and love, then met a being he understood to be God who communicated telepathically. When asked if he wanted to return, Neev initially refused, wanting to stay in that peaceful state free from hurt and suffering. The being insisted he had a purpose to fulfill in life. Following his NDE, Neev transformed completely - from an introverted, antisocial underachiever with chronic physical problems to an optimistic, socially confident person free of previous ailments. His migraines, anxiety, and clumsiness disappeared. He developed empathy, lost his fear of death, abandoned competitive drives, became generous with time and possessions, and found meaning in helping others through philanthropy and soup kitchen work. |
5 | Hospital | 12 | 18 | 40 | Moderate Evidence | 10 | Severe head trauma with compound skull fracture, internal hemorrhaging, unconscious state | Observed impossible details like grandmother 100 yards away through walls, accurate description of medical procedures and swollen appearance | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Severe facial swelling, unconscious | 8/8/2025 | 2 | 1 | Saw medical procedures from above | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 9 | |||||||
| 5171 | qualitative | book | Ring, Kenneth. Lessons from the Light. Chapter 1: Laurelynn. Pages 24-32. 2006 | Lessons from the Light - Laurelynn - Chapter 1 - pp 24-32 - 2006 | 1982 | December 9, 1982 | 2006 | 22 | F |
Laurelynn, a college tennis player on scholarship, underwent what should have been a routine 20-minute laparoscopic procedure. The physician exerted excessive force during the initial incision, puncturing her abdominal aorta, right iliac artery, inferior vena cava, and bowel in two places, causing her to lose nearly 60% of her blood volume. Her pulse stopped and another physician performed emergency surgery to save her life. During her clinical death, Laurelynn found herself floating above her body, observing the frantic surgical team from the right side near the ceiling. She saw red blood everywhere - splattered on gowns and floor, pooling in her open abdominal cavity. She felt wonderful freedom and wanted to tell the distressed staff she was fine. She then traveled to another realm of total peace and bliss, enveloped in warm darkness and unconditional love. A whitish-yellow light appeared on the horizon. She encountered her brother-in-law who had died seven months earlier. Though he had no physical form, she could feel his presence, smile, and humor. She felt total acceptance and love from him despite previous guilt about not spending time with him before his death. During a life review, she experienced two childhood incidents from the other person's perspective - feeling the hurt she caused a five-year-old girl through teasing and the rejection felt by a twelve-year-old boy she had mocked for writing her a love letter. Other beings conveyed knowledge that made everything about existence finally make sense. Her brother-in-law told her it wasn't her time, that there had been a mistake, and she needed to return. He also communicated that suicide would not bring her back to this realm. His final message was to tell his sister he was fine. She then slammed back into her body experiencing excruciating pain. After the NDE, Laurelynn's values completely transformed. Material things became unimportant while love, kindness, knowledge-seeking and conscious living became paramount. She no longer fears death and feels she received a second chance at life. |
1 | Hospital | 22 | 15 | 49 | Moderate Evidence | 12 | Documented cardiac arrest during surgery with 60% blood loss, pulse stopped, emergency intervention required | Detailed observations of surgical scene including blood patterns, able to see deceased brother-in-law | written_account | 0.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | Physician who saved her | 8/8/2025 | 2 | 1 | Observed surgical scene from above | 0.00 | Physician who performed emergency surgery | Highly Compatible | 9 | ||||||
| 5172 | qualitative | book | Ring, Kenneth. Lessons from the Light. Chapter 1: Sally. Pages 32-35. 2006 | Lessons from the Light - Sally - Chapter 1 - pp 32-35 - 2006 | 1977 | 2006 | F |
Sally, of Mexican descent, experienced severe hemorrhaging ten days after giving birth to her youngest child. During the ambulance ride to the hospital, she felt herself floating above the ambulance even as her body remained inside. In the emergency room, attempts to stop the bleeding failed and she was classified as high risk for surgery. Her doctor warned she might not survive the procedure due to severe blood loss. Before anesthesia was administered, Sally left her body and could see it below on the bed. She observed her mother weeping on her stepfather's shoulder and another man shaking his head. Suddenly she found herself in the most beautiful Golden Light, feeling completely loved, calm, peaceful and happy beyond words. She experienced the Golden Light all around and within her with no separation whatsoever. She felt love, compassion, understanding and knowledge, recognizing this as her true home. She then saw beautiful flowers and walked a beautiful path with someone in a brown robe on her right side. They walked up a mountain surrounded by incredible beauty and flowers she had never seen before. The experience lasted an undetermined time before she suddenly returned to her body and opened her eyes to a worried nurse. Sally was extremely angry about returning, wanting to be left alone in the Light. Following the NDE, Sally felt split between two selves - angry and depressed about being back while knowing her children needed her. She remained strange and different for six months, crying frequently and having no one who understood her experience. Medical professionals dismissed it as dreams or medication effects. The experience left her struggling with integration but profoundly grateful for the continuing comfort of the Golden Light's memory. She no longer fears death and feels the light strongly within her always. |
2 | Hospital | 15 | 10 | 30 | Moderate Evidence | 5 | Severe postpartum hemorrhage requiring emergency surgery, classified as high risk, doctor stated might not survive | Floating above ambulance, seeing body and family members in room | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 8/8/2025 | 1 | 0 | Saw scene in emergency room | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 7 | ||||||||||
| 5173 | qualitative | book | Ring, Kenneth. Lessons from the Light. Chapter 1: Steve. Pages 35-40. 2006 | Lessons from the Light - Steve - Chapter 1 - pp 35-40 - 2006 | 1975 | 2006 | 24 | M |
Steve, a computer software engineer, underwent oral surgery in 1975 to remove impacted wisdom teeth. The procedure required unusually high doses of anesthesia (four cartridges of sodium pentothal) and took two hours. In the recovery room, Steve awakened blinded by white light that pushed through his entire body beyond his optic nerve. He rose and saw a beautiful being clothed in light wearing a white gown that gave off its own radiance. Her inner light flooded into him with astonishing beauty and love. Looking back at the recovery couch, Steve saw his body lying under a blanket while standing beside this being of light. She intercepted his thoughts, reassuring him he wasn't dead but his breathing was irregular and might stop. She said she was there to stabilize it because "you are very valuable and no one is willing to take chances with your life." She led him through two walls to where a veil of energy separated her world from his, explaining it was a one-way path from which there was no return if crossed. The being showed him details about his future children and revealed a beautiful vision of his future wife. Steve felt wonderful clarity, brightness, colors, light and calmness - as if that moment was in color while the rest of life was drab and grey. The being indicated this was not his first encounter with such light. As his breathing stabilized, her light withdrew and he awakened to his wife holding his face. Following this and earlier light experiences, Steve's personality changed dramatically. His family considered him weak and unable to succeed in business despite his effectiveness. His ability to see the future and respond to people's inner thoughts rather than their words disturbed everyone. He began intensive self-education, learning languages, studying philosophy, physics, and eventually designing electronics and microprocessors. He became hypersensitive to violence and suffering, unable to watch TV shows depicting killing or attend church services focused on guilt and shame. |
3 | Hospital | 12 | 12 | 30 | Moderate Evidence | 6 | Oral surgery with excessive anesthesia (4 cartridges), possible respiratory complications, 2-hour procedure | Saw own body on couch, being of light, details verified about future children | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 8/8/2025 | 1 | 0 | Saw body and future visions | 1.00 | Mixed Compatibility | 8 | |||||||||
| 5174 | qualitative | book | Ring, Kenneth. Lessons from the Light. Chapter 1: Peggy. Pages 40-48. 2006 | Lessons from the Light - Peggy - Chapter 1 - pp 40-48 - 2006 | 1973 | December 25, 1973 | 2006 | 22 | F |
Peggy suffered a potentially fatal compound skull fracture in a Christmas morning car accident in Dallas. Though she didn't recall an NDE initially, she had puzzling memories of seeing her body and being in an ambulance. The experience transformed her completely - she excelled in previously difficult subjects like chemistry and biology, learning with extraordinary depth of understanding and insatiable joy. Her social life changed as she could no longer relate to her previous party lifestyle. Thirteen years later in 1986, while traveling to Dallas in a van, Peggy was overcome by empathic sorrow from song lyrics. Her heart began racing intensely and she found herself in complete blackness, feeling peaceful and ecstatic. A small bright light approached and grew to surround her with brilliantly intense blue-white illumination multiplied by 10,000. She instantly knew this living light being was God, genderless, with intelligence beyond comprehension. The light communicated sophisticated messages showing her the world is an illusion, with material things being props for souls. In this state, Peggy experienced having 125 senses instead of five, with ability to think multiple complex thoughts simultaneously with complete comprehension. She learned time is illusion, that horrific events have inner meaning beyond human understanding, and experienced the perfection of all creation. Most profoundly, she discovered everything is literally Love - not just human emotion but the substance of everything. The light demonstrated that all people are loved equally and unconditionally regardless of beliefs or actions. The light switched on a current of pure concentrated unconditional love so powerful it exceeded earthly love by a million-fold. While feeling unworthy, Peggy experienced being loved completely while sobbing deeply. For moments she became totally one with the light, experiencing absolute perfection and becoming everything simultaneously. The light revealed everyone has an "assignment of love" programmed at birth - the very things we love most are our purpose. Her assignment involved singing, which the light encouraged her to pursue. |
5 | Hospital | 12 | 20 | 40 | Moderate Evidence | 8 | Compound skull fracture from car accident, potentially fatal injuries | Retrograde recovery of memories including OBE perceptions, detailed metaphysical revelations | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 2 | 0 | Saw body after accident | 0.00 | Mixed Compatibility | 8 | ||||||||
| 5175 | qualitative | book | Ring, Kenneth. Lessons from the Light. Peggy Holladay. Pages not specified. 1998 | Lessons from the Light - Peggy Holladay - 1998 | 1991 | August 1991 | 1998 | F | Peggy Holladay was involved in a serious motorcycle accident in August 1991. During her NDE, she found herself separated from her body and experienced an overwhelming sense of love and understanding. She was shown that everything in existence is made of love, which came as a profound revelation to her. The Light communicated to her that love was literally everything - not just a human emotion as she had previously believed. She was given the instruction to "follow your love" and understood this meant returning to her passion for music and singing. During the experience, she was shown how much all people are loved equally and unconditionally by the Light, regardless of their beliefs or actions. She felt an overwhelming desire to share this knowledge with others who might be scared or lonely. Upon returning to her body, she dedicated herself to paying back the Light's love by following her musical passion and sharing her experience with others. | 5 | Other | 2 | 5 | 7 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Motorcycle accident mentioned but no specific medical documentation provided | General spiritual insights but no specific veridical observations documented | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 2 | 0 | Understanding that everything is made of love | 0.00 | Moderately Compatible | 8 | |||||||||
| 5176 | qualitative | book | Ring, Kenneth. Lessons from the Light. Neev Spring. Baseball collision. 1998 | Lessons from the Light - Neev Spring - 1998 | 1998 | M | Neev Spring experienced an NDE following a violent collision during a baseball game. He was struck in the chest and head, losing consciousness. During his NDE, he underwent an extensive life review where he relived experiences from his childhood, particularly an incident where he pushed his younger brother down a hill in a shopping cart on Yom Kippur, causing injury. In the life review, he not only saw the events but felt the emotions of everyone involved - his brother's initial excitement turning to panic, his mother's anger and confusion, the disruption to the congregation, and the concerns of multiple witnesses. He experienced both his eight-year-old perspective and his adult understanding simultaneously. The experience taught him about the interconnectedness of all people and how every action affects others. He emerged from the NDE with enhanced empathic abilities and a complete transformation of his personality, becoming more compassionate and understanding. He stated that the life review was the ultimate teaching tool that could change the world if everyone could experience one. | 5 | Other | 2 | 10 | 12 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Baseball collision with loss of consciousness, no medical documentation provided | Detailed life review with specific childhood incidents but no external verification | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 2 | 0 | Life review of shopping cart incident | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 7 | |||||||||||
| 5177 | qualitative | book | Ring, Kenneth. Lessons from the Light. Beverly Brodsky. Los Angeles motorcycle accident. 1970. 1998 | Lessons from the Light - Beverly Brodsky - 1970 | 1970 | July 1970 | 1998 | 20 | F | Beverly Brodsky, a 20-year-old Jewish atheist, suffered a fractured skull and multiple facial injuries in a Los Angeles motorcycle accident in July 1970. She was hospitalized for two weeks, then sent home. Overwhelmed by pain and despair about her disfigurement, she prayed to die. She then experienced leaving her body and being joined by a radiant being who guided her through a tunnel toward an incredibly brilliant light. She recognized this as God and engaged in telepathic communication, receiving answers to all her questions including about the Holocaust. She was given all knowledge and experienced a journey through the universe, visiting stars being born and supernovas. She reached the center of creation and experienced union with God, filled with all love and knowledge. The experience was transformative - she returned without pain for two months, got a job while still bandaged, overcame her shyness, reconciled with her mother, started college at 23 and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. She married, had children, and pursued a successful career. Twenty years later she remained certain of the experience's reality. | 5 | Hospital | 2 | 10 | 12 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Motorcycle accident with skull fracture and hospitalization documented but no medical records | Profound spiritual journey with universal knowledge but no external verification possible | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 3 | 0 | Received answers about the Holocaust | 0.00 | Moderately Compatible | 8 | ||||||||
| 5178 | qualitative | book | Ring, Kenneth. Lessons from the Light. Virginia Rivers. Pneumonia. 1986. 1998 | Lessons from the Light - Virginia Rivers - 1986 | 1986 | 1998 | F | Virginia Rivers experienced an NDE during a near-fatal bout with pneumonia while hospitalized in 1986. Extremely weak with high fever and difficulty breathing, she lost consciousness after crying out for help. She found herself in a black void, then at the center of the universe with stars forming a tunnel around her. As she moved forward, she received vast amounts of knowledge in words and idea blocks, feeling her mind expanding like a sponge. The knowledge felt familiar, as if she had known it before. She experienced magnificent colors and music of indescribable beauty. Reaching a pinpoint of light that grew larger, she arrived in the presence of God - a light emitting infinite love and beauty. She had total and absolute awareness, knowing answers to everything. God communicated telepathically about love and knowledge being the only things we can bring back after death. She was told she had to return to accomplish something specific. Despite her pleas to stay, she was sent back. The experience left her permanently transformed with absolute certainty of its reality. | 5 | Hospital | 2 | 10 | 12 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Hospitalized with pneumonia, high fever, difficulty breathing but no specific medical documentation | Profound spiritual insights and universal knowledge but no verifiable observations | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 2 | 0 | Love and knowledge are what we take with us | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 8 | ||||||||||
| 5179 | qualitative | book | Ring, Kenneth. Lessons from the Light. Mellen-Thomas Benedict. Brain condition. 1982. 1998 | Lessons from the Light - Mellen-Thomas Benedict - 1982 | 1982 | 1998 | M | Mellen-Thomas Benedict had an extraordinary NDE in 1982 while dying from an undiagnosed brain condition. Given 6-8 months to live, he "died" for over 90 minutes. His journey began with seeing his body on the bed, then a path through dark woods toward light. Realizing he could interact with the experience, he stopped it and asked what the Light really was. The Light revealed itself as a matrix of human souls, showing all higher selves connected as one being. Asking to know more, he passed through the Light and experienced his consciousness expanding rapidly, seeing galaxies and worlds. He reached a second light which he identified as the Big Bang, passed through it into the Void where he experienced looking out through God's eyes, understanding why every atom exists. On return, he understood God is not "there" but "here" - that we are God experiencing itself through us. He saw the universe in its pure energy form, understanding Earth and the solar system as our larger body. The experience provided him with healing technologies he later developed. | 5 | Home | 2 | 10 | 12 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Terminal brain condition diagnosed, claimed death for 90+ minutes but no medical documentation | Profound cosmological journey and insights but no verifiable observations | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 3 | 0 | Matrix of human souls | 0.00 | Low Compatibility | 8 | ||||||||||
| 5180 | qualitative | book | Shushan, Gregory. Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Oxford University Press, Chapter 2, Algonquin Wicked Man, Pages not specified, 2018 | Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions, Algonquin Wicked Man, Chapter 2, 2018 | 1580 | 2018 | M | The Algonquin man known as "wicked" within his community experienced a profound near-death experience around 1580. He was considered completely dead by his community and was buried according to their customs. The dramatic nature of his death and subsequent revival from the grave gave extraordinary weight to his testimony. During his death state, the man's soul embarked on a significant westward journey, following the traditional cosmological path of souls in Indigenous traditions. His destination was Popogusso, described as a hellish realm of punishment where he would face consequences for his wicked life. The journey represented impending doom and suffering he had earned through his earthly actions. Before reaching this grim destination, a powerful and compassionate deity intervened to save him from his deserved fate. The divine being stopped his forward progress and commanded him to return to his physical body with an explicit mission. He was instructed to reanimate, rise from his grave, and become a teacher to his people. His unique firsthand experience of the consequences of a wicked life would serve as moral instruction for his community. Upon revival, the man successfully shared his terrifying experience with his tribe, providing what they considered direct empirical evidence of a morally structured afterlife with separate realms of punishment and reward. His testimony became foundational to Algonquin beliefs about the afterlife, establishing a framework that existed at least twenty-five years before any significant Christian missionary activity in the region. The experience shaped the community's ethical framework and understanding of cosmic justice. | 6 | Unknown | 2 | 5 | 7 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Person was considered dead and buried, indicating complete cessation of life signs, but no medical documentation available from 1580s | Experienced journey to spirit realm with observations of punishment realm Popogusso and divine intervention | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 1 | 0 | Journey to punishment realm Popogusso | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 7 | ||||||||||
| 5181 | qualitative | book | Shushan, Gregory. Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Oxford University Press, Chapter 2, Algonquin Man During Funeral, Pages not specified, 2018 | Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions, Algonquin Man During Funeral, Chapter 2, 2018 | 1585 | 2018 | M | An Algonquin man experienced a remarkable near-death experience around 1585 that occurred during his own funeral ceremony. The man was considered dead by his community, who were actively engaged in performing his funeral rites when he spontaneously revived. This public revival during the funeral made his subsequent testimony exceptionally powerful and credible to the mourners present. While his funeral was underway, the man experienced classic out-of-body consciousness separation from his physical form. His soul began walking along a clearly defined path that was markedly different from the perilous road experienced by the wicked man. This idyllic and inviting path was lined with numerous houses and abundant fruit-bearing trees, painting a picture of a prosperous, peaceful realm. The imagery suggested a heavenly land of plenty where there was no want or struggle. As he proceeded along this beautiful path, he encountered his own deceased father, who acted as a spiritual guide or gatekeeper. The father gently informed his son that it was not yet his time to remain in this blissful world. He gave his son an explicit mission to return to his body and tell his people about the happiness of the other realm, providing a firsthand account of the joy and peace awaiting the good. Upon returning to his body, the man dramatically interrupted his own funeral ceremony by awakening. His story spread quickly throughout the community, providing direct experiential proof of a highly desirable afterlife. Combined with the wicked man's account, these testimonies created a complete cosmology of dualistic afterlife where moral conduct determined one's eternal fate. | 6 | Unknown | 2 | 5 | 7 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Person was considered dead during funeral rites, indicating cessation of life signs, but no medical documentation from 1585 | Observed specific details of spirit realm including path with houses and fruit trees, encountered deceased father | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 2 | 0 | Path with houses and fruit trees | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 7 | ||||||||||
| 5182 | qualitative | book | Shushan, Gregory. Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Oxford University Press, Chapter 2, Arendahronon Wyandot Man, Pages not specified, 2018 | Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions, Arendahronon Wyandot Man, Chapter 2, 2018 | 1638 | 2018 | M | An Arendahronon Wyandot man experienced a politically charged near-death experience around 1638, during the period of early European contact. The man was understood to have died before his soul journeyed to an otherworldly realm and then returned to bring him back to life. The specific cause of his clinical death is not detailed, but it was accepted by his community as a true, albeit temporary, death. After dying, the man's soul traveled to a spirit world where he encountered something highly unusual - two English women rather than his own Wyandot ancestors or familiar spirit beings. This cross-cultural encounter speaks to the powerful impression European arrivals were making on the Indigenous psyche. The English women acted as spiritual authorities, immediately informing him he should not yet go into the land of souls as he had arrived prematurely. They charged him with a twofold mission to carry back to the living world. First, he was to perform a ritual burning of his robe upon return, which would serve as a cure for a virulent infectious disease sweeping through his community. This positioned his NDE as a source of vital healing knowledge from the spirit world. Second, they delivered a stark warning that the French missionaries working among the Wyandot would eventually perpetrate genocide against the native peoples. The man was sent back as both healer and prophet with a message combining physical salvation with dire prediction of future annihilation. Upon revival, he conveyed this powerful message to his people. His experience served as a tool of cultural resistance, framing the French missionary presence as divinely foretold danger and validating traditional beliefs against newcomers. | 6 | Unknown | 2 | 5 | 7 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Person died and returned but no specific medical details provided from 1638 | Encountered spirit beings who provided specific prophetic information and healing instructions | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 1 | 0 | Encounter with English women spirits | 0.00 | Moderately Compatible | 7 | ||||||||||
| 5183 | qualitative | book | Shushan, Gregory. Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Oxford University Press, Chapter 2, Converted Wyandot Woman, Pages not specified, 2018 | Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions, Converted Wyandot Woman, Chapter 2, 2018 | 1646 | 2018 | F | A converted Wyandot woman experienced an exceptionally influential near-death experience around 1646 that sparked one of the earliest recorded religious revitalization movements. The woman, who had embraced Christianity, died from an unspecified cause and was buried according to Christian custom in a Christian cemetery. She remained in the grave for one full day before miraculously reviving and rising from her burial site, an event seen as an undeniable miracle. Upon death, instead of finding the peaceful paradise promised by missionaries, her soul was taken directly to the heaven of the French, which she discovered to be a realm of fire, cruelty, and unimaginable torment. She witnessed Christians actively burning the souls of Indigenous people, interpreting this as malevolent possession. Her welcome to this heaven was with firebrands, burning torches, and inconceivable cruelties and torments. Though her body was in the grave for only a day, her subjective experience of suffering in this fiery hell-heaven felt as if it lasted for many years, demonstrating profound temporal distortion. Eventually, a certain person moved with compassion released her from chains and showed her an escape route. This benevolent being pointed her toward a valley serving as pathway to the realm reserved for Indigenous people who had resisted conversion. This Indigenous spirit world was the complete antithesis - a place of delights and goodness without evil. From the valley's edge, she saw familiar villages, fields, and heard joyful sounds of communal dancing and feasting. Driven by urgency to warn her relatives of terrible spiritual danger, she chose to return to her body rather than enter the blissful Indigenous afterlife. Her dramatic return and testimony had explosive effect, spreading everywhere and becoming an article of faith. | 6 | Unknown | 5 | 10 | 18 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Woman was dead and buried for one full day before revival, indicating prolonged death state | Extensive detailed observations of two contrasting realms with specific imagery of torture and paradise | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 2 | 0 | French heaven as realm of fire and torment | 0.00 | Low Compatibility | 8 | ||||||||||
| 5184 | qualitative | book | Shushan, Gregory. Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Oxford University Press, Chapter 2, Mi'kmaq Leader, Pages not specified, 2018 | Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions, Mi'kmaq Leader, Chapter 2, 2018 | 1670 | 2018 | M | A prominent Mi'kmaq leader experienced a foundational near-death experience before 1675 that became the primary source of the entire tribe's belief system concerning soul immortality and the afterlife. The man, described as one of the most prominent men of the nation, suffered an apparent death that was so profound his community considered him deceased before he unexpectedly revived. The specific cause of his clinical death is not recorded, but the event commanded the full attention of his people. Following his apparent death, the leader's soul embarked on a journey to the realm of the dead where he had a direct personal encounter with the supreme ruler of that domain, a deity identified as Papkootparout. This meeting was not a trial or judgment but rather a divine audience in which knowledge was bestowed. The ruler offered the man certain fruits to eat, which were the specific sustenance of souls residing in that realm. Rather than keeping the man in the Land of Souls, Papkootparout granted him special dispensation to return to the world of the living with a sacred purpose. The deity commissioned him as a messenger, tasking him to inform his people about the existence and nature of the Land of Souls, knowledge that had been unknown to them until that time. The man was sent back with foundational revelation for his entire culture. Upon return to life, the leader faithfully recounted his entire experience to the Mi'kmaq people, delivering the message from the ruler of the dead. His mission complete, he died again shortly thereafter, this time permanently. The Mi'kmaq accepted his account as indubitable truth, and this single NDE became the sole basis for their conviction that souls after departure from bodies had a place to which they went. | 6 | Unknown | 2 | 5 | 7 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Apparent death profound enough to be considered deceased by community | Direct encounter with deity Papkootparout in Land of Souls with specific details about realm | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 1 | 0 | Encounter with Papkootparout in Land of Souls | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 7 | ||||||||||
| 5185 | qualitative | book | Shushan, Gregory. Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Oxford University Press, Chapter 2, Gitshee Gauzinee, Pages not specified, 2018 | Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions, Gitshee Gauzinee, Chapter 2, 2018 | 1820 | 2018 | M | Gitshee Gauzinee, an Ojibwe hunter, experienced a transformative near-death experience before 1825 that led directly to significant changes in his community's sacred burial rituals. He succumbed to an unspecified illness and was considered to have died, but his wife and community members suspected his death might not be permanent and made the crucial decision to delay his burial. He remained in this death-like state for a full four days before spontaneously reviving. After his consciousness separated from his body, Gitshee Gauzinee found himself traveling on the path of the dead, a well-trodden road to the spirit world. He journeyed along this path for three days, during which he began feeling the familiar sensation of hunger. Observing game animals along the path, his hunter's instincts surfaced and he immediately regretted not bringing his gun. This practical concern sparked a conscious decision to turn back to his lodge to retrieve his weapon rather than continuing to the land of the dead. On his return journey, traveling against the flow of souls, he encountered other spirits heading toward the afterlife. He made a critical observation: these spirits were visibly overburdened, struggling to carry excessive quantities of supplies like kettles, weapons, and food that their living relatives had interred with them as grave goods. While these spirits kindly shared some belongings with him, he remained focused on returning home. As he neared his lodge, he confronted a barrier of waving fire encircling his home, a common motif in Ojibwe return-from-death narratives. He summoned courage and leaped directly through the flames, instantly returning to his body. His testimony about overburdened spirits led his tribe to drastically reduce grave goods, ensuring easier journey for souls. | 6 | Home | 5 | 8 | 16 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Died from illness and remained in death state for four full days before revival | Specific observations of overburdened spirits carrying grave goods, practical details about journey | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 2 | 1 | Spirits overburdened with grave goods | 0.00 | Ojibwe community | Highly Compatible | 7 | |||||||||
| 5186 | qualitative | book | Shushan, Gregory. Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Oxford University Press. Chapter 3. Akan Human Sacrifice Victim. Pages not specified. 2018 | Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Akan Human Sacrifice Victim. Chapter 3. 2018 | 1874 | 2018 | F | The woman was a designated victim in a ritual human sacrifice among the Akan people. During the ritual, she was stripped naked and subjected to a physical assault intended to kill her. However, the blow only stunned rather than killed her, and she fell into deep unconsciousness indistinguishable from death. She was left among the corpses of other victims. While unconscious, she experienced an out-of-body journey to the Land of the Dead. Upon arriving in this spiritual realm, she was not welcomed but was met with rejection based on her physical state. The spirits or authorities in the afterlife sent her back with a specific reason: she was naked. This spiritual injunction was highly specific and practical - she was not given a grand prophecy but a direct instruction related to her ritual preparation. The spirits essentially paused the ritual, communicating that her entry was improper due to her lack of attire. After receiving this directive, she returned to her body and awoke among the corpses. Upon revival, she reported her experience to the council elders, who appeared to accept her testimony. She requested to go and dress before the sacrifice was consummated. The account implies her request was granted and the ritual was then completed. | 5 | Other | 7 | 10 | 17 | Suggestive Evidence | 0 | Trauma-induced unconsciousness from blow, death-like state, no medical monitoring | Specific observation about being naked, communication with spirits about ritual impropriety | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 1 | 0 | Communication with spirits about nakedness | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 5 | ||||||||||
| 5187 | qualitative | book | Shushan, Gregory. Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Oxford University Press. Chapter 3. Bakongo Man Struck by Lightning. Pages not specified. 2018 | Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Bakongo Man Struck by Lightning. Chapter 3. 2018 | 1850 | 2018 | M | This account, reported by English trader Richard Edward Dennett, describes an unnamed Bakongo man whose near-death state was caused by a direct lightning strike. This catastrophic event resulted in his apparent death, during which time his soul was separated from his body. Immediately following the strike, the man reported that his soul was carried up to a heavenly realm, leading him to the domain of the supreme Bakongo deity, Nzambi Mpungu. Upon arrival, he was not judged or tested but was welcomed as a guest and given food. He saw a land of immense abundance with great plantations and rivers full of fish - a world without lack or struggle, a place of perfect provision and peace. He remained there for what he described as a few weeks. After this extended stay, Nzambi Mpungu directly addressed him, asking if he wished to remain in the spirit world permanently. Despite the beauty and peace of the realm, the man made a conscious choice to return to his earthly life. His decision was accepted, and he was sent back to his body. Upon revival, he shared his story with his people, providing them with a detailed account of the bountiful and welcoming realm of Nzambi Mpungu, which served as powerful experiential evidence for a positive afterlife. | 5 | Other | 5 | 5 | 10 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Lightning strike causing apparent death, no medical documentation | General observations of heavenly realm, no specific verifiable details | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 1 | 0 | Saw heavenly realm of Nzambi Mpungu | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 5 | ||||||||||
| 5188 | qualitative | book | Shushan, Gregory. Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Oxford University Press. Chapter 3. Dona Beatriz Kimpa Vita. Pages not specified. 2018 | Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Dona Beatriz Kimpa Vita. Chapter 3. 2018 | 1704 | 2018 | F | Dona Beatriz Kimpa Vita was a devout Kongolese Catholic and medium in the traditional Kimpasi healing cult. In 1704, she fell gravely ill, with her illness lasting for a week and culminating in her death. She remained in this state before being revived from the dead. During her period of death, Kimpa Vita claimed to have journeyed to the Christian heaven where she had a direct encounter with Saint Anthony of Padua. Saint Anthony told her he had been sent from God to preach to the people through her, giving her specific religious and political instructions. Following this revelation, Saint Anthony entered her body and remained there permanently, a form of divine possession similar to traditional Kimpasi spirit possession. This initial NDE was not isolated - she subsequently established a weekly ritual of spiritual travel, claiming to die each Friday to commune with God in heaven, returning Sunday with fresh revelations. Transformed by her experience and possessed by Saint Anthony, she became a powerful prophet able to perform miracles including healings and weather control. Her teachings formed the basis of Antonianism, which taught that Jesus, Mary, and biblical figures were born in the Kongo. Her movement gained immense popularity during a time of civil wars and slave trade. In 1706, she was captured and burned at the stake as a heretic by order of King Pedro IV, though her movement had lasting impact. | 5 | Unknown | 5 | 0 | 5 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Week-long illness culminating in death, revival witnessed | No specific verifiable observations reported | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 0 | 0 | Low Compatibility | 7 | ||||||||||||
| 5189 | qualitative | book | Shushan, Gregory. Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Oxford University Press. Chapter 3. Gik Cam Jok. Pages not specified. 2018 | Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Gik Cam Jok. Chapter 3. 2018 | 1950 | 2018 | M | This near-death experience occurred in the 1950s during the Sudanese civil wars and is notable for its prophetic content directly linking a personal spiritual event to major historical and political turmoil. Gik Cam Jok died and returned, though the cause of his clinical death is not specified. The event was a profound cessation of life from which he spontaneously revived. During the time his soul was absent from his body, he journeyed to the spirit world where he had a significant encounter with the great prophet Ngundeng Bong, who had lived from 1830 to 1906. Meeting this revered historical figure granted the experience immense cultural legitimacy. Ngundeng Bong told him explicitly that it was not yet his time to die and gave him a specific prophecy regarding the timing of his permanent death. He would be allowed to return to earthly life but would be summoned back when things were finished, understood to refer to the end of the ongoing civil war. Gik Cam Jok was sent back with knowledge that his lifespan was mystically tied to the fate of his nation. He revived and shared the prophecy, becoming a source of living hope. The prophecy was dramatically fulfilled - he died shortly after the end of the decades-long civil war, serving as ultimate validation of his NDE. | 5 | Unknown | 5 | 0 | 5 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Unspecified cause of death, spontaneous revival | No specific verifiable observations, prophetic content unverifiable at time | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 0 | 0 | Highly Compatible | 6 | ||||||||||||
| 5190 | qualitative | book | Shushan, Gregory. Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Oxford University Press. Chapter 3. Marwe. Pages not specified. 2018 | Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Marwe. Chapter 3. 2018 | 1914 | 2018 | F | Marwe was a young Chaga girl whose near-death experience began with an act of despair over neglecting the family crop. Fearing her parents' anger, she jumped into a pool with intent to drown. This suicide attempt led to clinical death or unconsciousness during which her soul traveled to another realm. Upon entering the water, she was transported to another world where she met an old woman and children in a hut. Though told she could rest, Marwe chose to help the children with their work and refused to eat anything offered - following the common trope where consuming food of the dead prevents return. After some time, she decided to return home. The old woman presented her with a choice: shall I hit you with the cold or with the hot? Marwe chose cold, and the woman instructed her to dip her arms and legs into a pot. When she withdrew them, they were miraculously covered in bangles and jewelry. The old woman also gave her a beaded petticoat and prophetic knowledge, telling her the name of her future husband. Marwe returned to life, emerging from the pool transformed. The prophecy came to pass exactly - she met the named man, found him suffering from disease, and used newfound healing abilities to cure him before marriage. She later brought her own husband back from death, cementing her status as a powerful healer with direct connection to the spirit world. | 5 | Other | 2 | 5 | 7 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Drowning/suicide attempt, no medical documentation | Prophetic knowledge of future husband's name, later verified | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 1 | 0 | Prophetic knowledge of future husband | 1.00 | Moderately Compatible | 7 | ||||||||||
| 5191 | qualitative | book | Shushan, Gregory. Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Oxford University Press. Chapter 3. Simon Kimbangu. Pages not specified. 2018 | Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Simon Kimbangu. Chapter 3. 2018 | 1921 | 2018 | M | Simon Kimbangu was a Baptist mission catechist who in 1921 experienced what his followers understood as true death. He died and after three days returned to life, a period highly significant as it mirrors the biblical resurrection of Jesus Christ. His revival was seen not as simple recovery but as divinely orchestrated resurrection. The specifics of what Kimbangu experienced during the three days his soul was separated from his body are not detailed in the source. The emphasis is on the transformative power he brought back - he returned with the power to raise the dead. His own mastery over death endowed him with divine authority to perform the ultimate miracle for others. His resurrection and miraculous abilities, demonstrated through numerous healings and prophecies, spread rapidly and he attracted a massive following. His ministry began in April 1921 but lasted only months before Belgian colonial authorities arrested him, viewing his popularity as a threat. He was sentenced to death, later commuted to life in prison where he remained thirty years until his death in 1951. Despite imprisonment, the movement founded on his NDE continued to grow. The Kimbanguist Church preached divine healing and African self-determination, becoming a major religious force. His return from death was the organizing myth of this enduring religious movement. | 5 | Unknown | 5 | 0 | 5 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Three days dead before revival, no medical documentation | No specific observations reported from the experience | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 0 | 0 | Highly Compatible | 4 | ||||||||||||
| 5192 | qualitative | book | Shushan, Gregory. Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Oxford University Press. Chapter 3. Sotho Prophet. Pages not specified. 2018 | Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Sotho Prophet. Chapter 3. 2018 | 1920 | 2018 | M | Recorded by British missionary Robert Keable, this describes a Sotho man who suffered severe illness leading to apparent death. He remained dead for three days with funerary preparations made, though he felt he had been away many years. After dying, his soul traveled to a river serving as boundary to the afterlife. He could not cross and saw many other souls gathered on the bank waiting. Spirits from the other side made regular trips to select new souls, but he was repeatedly passed over. The spirits told him he would only be selected when his knees had hardened from kneeling in prayer - a direct injunction to adopt Christian prayer practice. Trapped in this liminal space, he learned to pray. His devotion was finally recognized and he was permitted to cross. On the other side, he arrived at God's throne where he was not invited to stay but ordered to return to earth to teach repentance. God bestowed upon him miraculous gift - though previously illiterate, God gave him power to read the Bible. The man returned to life, interrupting his funeral preparations. He immediately demonstrated his ability to read the Bible despite illiteracy, and possessed newfound healing and prophetic powers. He became known as a prophet who died and rose again, drawing large crowds and effecting many conversions. | 5 | Unknown | 5 | 5 | 10 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Three days dead, funeral preparations made | Miraculous literacy - could read Bible despite being illiterate | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 1 | 0 | Gained ability to read Bible despite illiteracy | 1.00 | Highly Compatible | 7 | ||||||||||
| 5193 | qualitative | book | Shushan, Gregory. Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Oxford University Press. Chapter 3. Jacques Ngoya. Pages not specified. 2018 | Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Jacques Ngoya. Chapter 3. 2018 | 1937 | 2018 | M | Jacques Ngoya was a Teke man from Western Equatorial Africa whose experience fits a regional tradition where individuals who claim to have died and mastered death become religious leaders. His experience was described as a visionary death during which he journeyed several days to the land of the dead, implying a prolonged coma or death-like state. During his extended stay in the afterlife, he had a significant encounter with his deceased brother who acted as spiritual teacher. His brother taught him sacred dances and gave him explicit instruction to take these back to the living, promising their performance would be for salvation and well-being. Additionally, Ngoya received new moral rules for his community - a syncretic blend of traditional and Christian ethics including mandates to help the sick, feed the poor, abstain from murder and theft, and observe four months of celibacy. Upon return, Ngoya was transformed from ordinary man to prophet. His authority was grounded entirely in his direct experience of having died and journeyed to the spirit world. He taught his people the sacred dances and new moral code received from his brother. This spontaneous NDE served as the foundational event for a religious revitalization movement, with Ngoya becoming a charismatic leader whose power was validated by his mastery over death. | 4 | Unknown | 5 | 0 | 5 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Multi-day coma or death-like state | No specific verifiable observations reported | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 0 | 0 | Moderately Compatible | 7 | ||||||||||||
| 5194 | qualitative | book | Shushan, Gregory. Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Oxford University Press. Chapter 3. Tumbuka Man. Pages not specified. 2018 | Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Tumbuka Man. Chapter 3. 2018 | 1913 | 2018 | M | Recorded by missionary Donald Fraser, this describes a Tumbuka man from Malawi whose experience was one of stark rejection rather than welcome. He fell into a state so closely resembling death that his community was prepared for burial when he suddenly revived. Upon recovery, he recounted traveling along a narrow road until arriving at a great village in the spirit world. He described this village as a place where the people lived without marriage. Upon arrival, he attempted to interact with inhabitants but had spoken to them and none would hold conversation with him. Instead of being greeted by ancestors, he met unified firm rejection. The spirits made clear he did not belong there, telling him to be gone, for he was not wanted there. His premature arrival made him an outcast, an unwelcome intruder in the land of the dead. This experience of being shunned would have been deeply unsettling, a spiritual parallel to social ostracism. Upon return, his experience mirrored his rejection in the spirit world. When he tried to tell his story, no one would listen to him. His community was so disturbed by his account and the fact of his return from death that they actively tried to silence him. They beat irons together and tried to drown his words, for he was too uncanny. He was seen as profoundly unnatural, having transgressed the fundamental boundary between life and death. | 5 | Unknown | 2 | 5 | 7 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Death-like state, prepared for burial before revival | Specific observation of unmarried society in spirit village | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 1 | 0 | Spirit village where people lived without marriage | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 6 | ||||||||||
| 5195 | qualitative | book | Shushan, Gregory. Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Oxford University Press. Chapter 3. Tswana Elder. Pages not specified. 2018 | Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Tswana Elder. Chapter 3. 2018 | 1927 | 2018 | M | Recorded by missionary William Charles Willoughby, this details two NDEs of a Tswana elder who insisted his visions were not influenced by Christianity but were traditional phenomena. His first NDE occurred in youth when declared dead while his grave was being prepared. His soul left his body and traveled to a very lovely city, full of strange people, white and glistening. The entire environment was suffused with brilliant light, the town radiant with splendour. There was not a stump in it, nor anything that could cause stumbling or disaster - a place of flawless beauty, order, and safety. He was met by a superb man who acted as gatekeeper or divine authority, who simply told him to arise and depart. Following this command, his soul returned and he revived just before burial. His second NDE later in life was reportedly similar. The elder was insistent he was not delirious either time and denied the possibility that his experience was influenced by Christianity. He declared that in every generation there were individuals thought dead but recovered before burial, and many had seen what he had seen though they knew nothing of Christianity. According to him, knowledge of this radiant afterlife - specifically the radiance of the town and inhabitants - was common knowledge among the Tswana. He noted deathbed visions of deceased relatives were also common. His testimony positions the NDE as a recurring traditional source of knowledge about the afterlife, independent of missionary influence. | 5 | Unknown | 2 | 5 | 7 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Declared dead, grave being prepared, spontaneous revival | Detailed description of radiant city with white, glistening inhabitants | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 1 | 0 | Saw radiant city with glistening inhabitants | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 5 | ||||||||||
| 5196 | qualitative | book | Shushan, Gregory. Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Oxford University Press. Chapter 3. Tswana House-Boy. Pages not specified. 2018 | Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Tswana House-Boy. Chapter 3. 2018 | 1927 | 2018 | M | This poignant NDE was recounted to missionary William Charles Willoughby by a young man in his service. The NDE was triggered by profound emotional distress - deep grief over his brother's death that manifested as life-threatening physical illness. He was so depressed with grief that his physical health declined to a critical point. During this state of emotional and physical collapse, his consciousness left his body and journeyed to the spirit world. He described having went away to the spirit realm where he was reunited with his recently deceased brother for whom he was grieving. The reunion extended beyond his brother - he also saw his deceased father and uncle, indicating a gathering of his male lineage in the afterlife. His uncle took on the role of spiritual guide and authority, acknowledging his grief but redirecting focus to earthly duties. The uncle's message was clear: he should not leave his mother, and therefore must return. His responsibility to his living mother superseded his desire to be with deceased relatives. The spirits consciously sent him back to fulfill familial obligations. He stated they sent me back with great peace. The experience had profound therapeutic effect - the great peace resolved his debilitating grief. He revived with renewed purpose and new life, transformed by his NDE. | 5 | Unknown | 2 | 0 | 2 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Psychosomatic illness from grief, critical condition | No specific verifiable observations | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 0 | 0 | Highly Compatible | 6 | ||||||||||||
| 5197 | qualitative | book | Shushan, Gregory. Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Oxford University Press. Chapter 3. Zulu Brother. Pages not specified. 2018 | Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Zulu Brother. Chapter 3. 2018 | 1874 | 2018 | M | This account was relayed to trader David Leslie by a Zulu man about his brother's NDE. The brother died from unspecified cause and his death was accepted by family. Funeral rites were completed. His return from completed death was shocking and miraculous. After his funeral, the man's soul journeyed to the spirit world, which he described as a fine country where corn and sugar-cane grew thick and tall, and cattle were as fat as fat could be - a land of supreme abundance and prosperity, an idealized Zulu homeland. He met a cousin who had died long before who recognized him and understood his arrival was premature. The cousin issued urgent warning to go back immediately, explaining a critical rule: if another spirit, a stranger, offered him food before he could leave, he would be forced to eat it and have to remain in the other world forever. The cousin's intervention was life-saving, preventing permanent entrapment in afterlife. Heeding the warning, his soul returned. Upon awakening, his first thought was: ah! what a delightful country I have been in. However, the beauty cast a shadow over his return. He seemed continually to mourn for the good things he had left, spoke to no one, and wandered about as if he did not belong to us. His brother interpreted this as explaining why so few return from death - most meet strangers who offer food, sealing their fate. | 6 | Unknown | 2 | 5 | 7 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Unspecified cause of death, funeral completed | Specific rule about food consumption preventing return | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 1 | 0 | Critical rule about food in spirit world | 0.00 | Highly Compatible | 7 | ||||||||||
| 5198 | qualitative | book | Shushan, Gregory. Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Oxford University Press. Chapter 3. Bandla. Pages not specified. 2018 | Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions. Bandla. Chapter 3. 2018 | 1820 | 2018 | M | Recorded by Henry Francis Fynn during King Shaka's reign, this describes Bandla who was attacked by a lion and taken to its den. This traumatic event left him severely injured and in shock or unconsciousness mimicking death. While in the lion's den, Bandla was transported to an underworld realm of abundance and joy - not gloomy but vibrant where life continued as on Earth. He was reunited with many deceased relatives and former kings, indicating structured familiar society. He witnessed spirits singing and dancing, met his former wives who had been kept as they were till the death of the husband. The spirits questioned his unexpected arrival then gave him a specific mission: report back that death was only a sleep from which they again rise to live in happiness. To ensure credibility, spirits provided two forms of evidence: a deceased relative scratched his eye as a sign visible to the living, and they gave prophetic information about where he would find a goat to sacrifice upon return. Bandla revived with the scratch visible to all, found the sacrificial goat exactly where spirits said. This physical and prophetic evidence lent undeniable credibility. His story was believed by his people and local tribes, bringing great comfort. He became a peculiar figure of great respect, favorite of chief Magaye and king Shaka. Decades later his account remained believed as undoubted truth. | 5 | Other | 2 | 10 | 15 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Lion attack causing severe trauma and unconsciousness | Physical scratch on eye and prophetic knowledge of goat location, both verified | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 2 | 1 | Physical mark - scratch on eye | 1.00 | His people and local tribes | Highly Compatible | 7 | |||||||||
| 5199 | qualitative | book | Shushan, Gregory, Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions, Oxford University Press, Chapter 4, Amara, Pages Not Specified, 2018 | Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions, Amara, Chapter 4, 2018 | 1912 | 2018 | F | Amara, a woman from the Kiwai people of Mawata, died from an illness and was dead for a prolonged period before unexpectedly returning to life. During her death state, her soul journeyed to Adiri, the land of the dead, where she encountered dangerous iron bars clashing together that rose to allow her passage. In the spirit world, she was met by spirits of dead children who recognized her and alerted her deceased husband of her arrival. Her husband petitioned the ruling spirit to allow her to stay and was granted one day of dancing and festivities. After the celebration, her husband informed her that her time on Earth was not finished and warned her not to eat any spirit food—coconuts, sugar cane, taro, or bananas—as eating would trap her permanently in death. He then physically pushed her back into her body with a shove that propelled her return. Upon revival, Amara continuously told her community about the opulence and wonders of Adiri, providing them with detailed knowledge of the afterlife realm. | 5 | Unknown | 7 | 10 | 20 | Suggestive Evidence | 3 | Documented prolonged death state from illness, community witnessed death and revival | Detailed observations of spirit world including mechanical barriers, specific foods, and interaction protocols | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/8/2025 | 3 | 1 | Iron bars clashing together blocking path | 0.00 | Community members | Highly Compatible | 8 | |||||||||
| 5200 | qualitative | book | Shushan, Gregory, Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions, Oxford University Press, Chapter 4, Kahapuu, Pages Not Specified, 2018 | Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions, Kahapuu, Chapter 4, 2018 | 1820 | 2018 | F | Kahapuu, a Hawaiian prophetess from the island of Puna, experienced a profound trance state perceived as temporary death that became the foundation of the Hapu religious revitalization movement. During her trance, her soul traveled to a heavenly realm where she received direct divine instruction. In this celestial world, she learned about prayer, Jehovah, and Jesus directly from divine sources rather than human missionaries, granting her unique spiritual authority. She encountered Christian concepts and figures in an unmediated personal revelation that blended with indigenous Hawaiian spiritual frameworks. Upon returning from her trance state, Kahapuu was transformed from an ordinary woman into a prophetess endowed with new supernatural knowledge and healing powers. Her NDE opened a permanent channel of communication with the spirit world, leading to continued visions and trances that sustained her ministry. The experience established her as the central figure of the Hapu movement, a syncretic faith that merged Christian beliefs with Hawaiian traditions based on the ultimate authority of her personal divine revelation. | 4 | Unknown | 5 | 5 | 10 | Weak Evidence | 0 | Profound trance state perceived as death, no medical documentation | General spiritual knowledge received, no specific verifiable observations | written_account | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8/9/2025 | 1 | 0 | Learned about Christian concepts | 0.00 | Mixed Compatibility | 7 | ||||||||||