|
5268
qualitative
book
Holden, Janice Miner, et al. The Handbook of Near-Death Experiences: Thirty Years of Investigation. Praeger Publishers, 2009, Chapter 5, The NDE of Hal, pp. 97-98.
The Handbook of Near-Death Experiences, The NDE of Hal, Chapter 5, pp. 97-98, 2009
2009
14
M
Hal experienced a near-death experience at age 14 during cardiac arrest, recounted retrospectively at age 56 to researcher Cherie Sutherland. The specific circumstances surrounding the cardiac arrest and resuscitation details are not provided, but the trigger was clearly cessation of cardiac function, placing the experience firmly within legitimate near-death crisis category. Medical context involved severe life-threatening event where heart stopped beating, leading to cessation of blood flow to brain and state of clinical death.
Hal's core experience, while brief in description, contains one of the most archetypal and widely recognized NDE features. During cardiac arrest, his consciousness experienced sensation of moving "very quickly through a dark tunnel" followed by arrival in what he described as "the other world." The narrative does not elaborate on nature of this other world, duration of stay, any beings encountered, or specific details of return to body. Entire recounted experience focuses on this single powerful sequence: rapid transition through dark passage culminating in entry into transcendent realm. This classic tunnel experience is cornerstone of NDE reports, often interpreted as soul's journey from physical to spiritual dimension. Speed of movement ("very quickly") is commonly reported feature, often described as feeling of being pulled or propelled forward. The account contains no veridical observations of physical world. Experience was entirely subjective and confined to otherworldly journey. Value lies in consistency with vast body of anecdotal evidence describing same sequence. As retrospective report of adolescent NDE, it serves as example of enduring vivid nature of these memories. Fact that Hal could recall event with clarity more than four decades later suggests NDEs are encoded in memory differently from dreams or hallucinations which tend to fade or become distorted. The aftermath is not discussed in provided text. No information about long-term changes in beliefs, attitudes, values, or other psychological or physiological aftereffects. Story presented solely to illustrate tunnel feature and how it manifests in adolescents. Despite brevity, case demonstrates that core archetypal NDE elements are not exclusive to adults but also experienced by teenagers. Experience of rapid journey through dark tunnel into another world triggered by cardiac arrest provides clear unambiguous example of transcendent journey.
2
Unknown
11
0
15
Suggestive Evidence
4
Documented cardiac arrest without monitoring equipment mentioned (10 points). No sensory barriers documented (0 points). Retrospective medical confirmation only (1 point). Total: 11 points.
Account is extremely brief describing purely subjective otherworldly journey. Contains no claims of veridical perception of physical environment. Score: 0 points.
written_account
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
8/10/2025
0
0
|