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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.
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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
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8/4/2025
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