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4522
qualitative
journal
Mays, Robert G. "Eben Alexander's Near-Death Experience: How an Esquire Article Distorted the Facts." Journal of Near-Death Studies, Vol. 35, No. 2, Winter 2016, pp. 65-93. Eben Alexander, Case 1.
Journal of Near-Death Studies Vol. 35 No. 2 Pages 65-93 2016
2008
2016
54
M
Eben Alexander, a 54-year-old neurosurgeon, developed severe bacterial meningitis from E. coli infection in November 2008. He was brought to the emergency room with severe headache, back pain, and neurological symptoms. His Glasgow Coma Scale score was 8, indicating severe brain injury and coma. He remained in a coma for seven days with a mortality rate over 97 percent. During his coma, Alexander experienced a profound near-death experience beginning in what he called the Earthworm Eye View, a dark murky realm with rhythmic pounding and grotesque faces. A spinning melody and golden light then transported him through a tunnel-like opening to the Gateway Realm, a beautiful verdant valley with exquisite flowering trees. He was floating on a butterfly wing accompanied by a beautiful young woman with deep blue eyes and golden-brown hair who told him telepathically that he was deeply loved forever and would learn many things but eventually would have to go back. Above them were shimmering beings singing in glorious chants. Alexander then entered the Core, an immense infinite void brimming with light from a brilliant Orb. Through the Orb, God disclosed many secrets of existence to Alexander. He made this journey from the Earthworm realm to the Gateway to the Core multiple times. Toward the end, Alexander perceived faces of people praying for him, including Susan Reintjes who was 120 miles away in Chapel Hill but reached out to him psychically. He recognized his wife Holley, friends Sylvia White and Scott Wade, and finally his son Bond whose emotional plea brought him back. Upon recovery, Alexander discovered the beautiful woman on the butterfly wing was his biological sister Betsy who had died nine years earlier and whom he had never met, confirmed through photographs four months later. His experience was assessed at 29 on the NDE Scale, placing it in the top 2 percent for depth of experience.
4
Hospital
8
12
30
Moderate Evidence
10
Documented severe E. coli meningitis with GCS of 8 indicating coma, extensive medical monitoring
Multiple veridical observations including people not physically present (Susan Reintjes, Page Sullivan) and meeting deceased sister never met before
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