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4774
qualitative
book
Wedgwood, Orson. NDE Near Death Experience and AWARE Studies. Self-published. Chapter: The AWARE Studies. Al Sullivan Case. Pages referenced. Copyright 2024
NDE Near Death Experience and AWARE Studies - Al Sullivan - Flapping Surgeon - 2024
2024
M
Al Sullivan was undergoing heart surgery at Hartford Hospital when he experienced a cardiac arrest and had an out-of-body experience. During the surgery, Sullivan found himself floating above his body, observing the medical team working on him. The most remarkable aspect of his experience was seeing a surgeon standing over his body making unusual arm movements.
Sullivan observed the surgeon flapping his arms in a distinctive manner, as though he were trying to take off like a bird. This peculiar gesture stood out vividly during his OBE. He also noted other specific details about the surgical procedure and the positioning of medical staff around his body. The observation occurred while his eyes were taped shut and a surgical drape separated his head from the open chest cavity where the surgeon was operating. As soon as Sullivan was able to speak after the surgery, he told his cardiologist, Dr. Anthony LaSala, about his experience. He specifically described seeing a doctor flapping his arms like wings while standing over his body. Dr. LaSala was astonished by this account because Sullivan's eyes had been taped shut during the operation, and given the stage of the operation when Sullivan noted the arm flapping, he was almost certainly unconscious. The surgeon, Dr. Hiroyoshi Takata, was known for a unique habit of using his elbows to gesture to others about what he wanted to do during surgery, holding his arms like wings when he did so. While Dr. Takata seemed defensive about the observations and would not confirm whether he specifically did this during Sullivan's operation, he acknowledged that this was something he did routinely. Dr. LaSala confirmed that there were other details reported by Sullivan that he couldn't possibly have known through normal means.
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Hospital
15
12
42
Moderate Evidence
15
Cardiac arrest during heart surgery with full monitoring, eyes taped, surgical drape in place
Unique specific observation of surgeon's distinctive arm-flapping gesture that was characteristic behavior
written_account
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1.00
1.00
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1.00
Surgical drape between head and chest cavity
7/29/2025
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