Near Death

In 2016, I was experiencing peculiar heart rhythms and extreme fatigue due to obstructive sleep apnea. This condition not only caused but also exacerbated atrial fibrillation, unspecified (CMS-HCC), which was the root of my erratic heart rhythm. This discovery eventually led to the diagnosis of severe mitral regurgitation and nonrheumatic mitral valve prolapse.

At the end of August 2016, I underwent open-heart surgery. During the surgery, my heart/lungs had no function for 9 hours. During this time, I had an extraordinary experience that felt like I had crossed over to the “other side.” This is what I saw…

Note: There was no fear; I was never afraid any at all.

I became aware that I was somewhere else. I felt like I was standing on a rock in space, greyish with low light, holding onto what felt like a piece of cloth with my right hand. The ground beneath my feet was gray, powdery resembling what you’d see on the moon — utterly still, no vibrations. To my left was pitch-black darkness.

Directly in front of me, I held onto what felt like a piece of cloth attached to a much larger… “entity” that obscured my vision. I had to peek around it to see what lay beyond. It seemed like a cave to the left or an opening, dark inside it. The area where I stood was very gray, contrasting with the darkness of the cave.

Out of the cave, a figure emerged, resembling a worm but as large as me. It had a purple gaseous area not a face” it had no discernible facial features, just purple neonish gasious. It came rushing towards me, but as it got close, it was repelled by what seemed like a force field around me. It emitted a displeasing sound and scurried back into the darkness. Another one followed, and it too was repelled, maybe a slight injury it was leaving behind purple, gaseous trails like tracers.

I realized that the entity I was holding onto was somewhat like a “grim reaper” (large like a skyscraper), although different not a “grim”. It was cloaked in a black, cloth-like material that I was holding. 

Then, a significantly larger worm-like figure came from the darkness, charging toward me at full speed (like a horse). I braced for impact, not afraid but prepared. It screamed out as if in pain when it got close but never actually touched me, retreating back into the dark cave. It also left behind a purple trail.

Looking to my left, I saw nothing but void darkness. However, up and to my right, I saw a cluster of stars or lights, resembling a star cluster. It had pink, blue, and yellow hues, and it appeared inviting. I felt drawn towards it, and my feet lifted off the surface I stood on. My body tilted, and I began turning towards the light or lights. I was still holding the cloth and couldn’t seem to let go.

As I decided I didn’t want to return to where I was, it was as if my current location was fading, and my desired destination was becoming more prominent. I was content and ready to go where I was heading.

The “gatekeeper”, (as I have come to call it) the entity I was holding onto with my right hand, looked down at me in a very condescending manner and said, “NOT TODAY, NOT YOUR DAY!” And then I woke up in the ICU at DUKE. I was intubated, although you’re not supposed to wake up in that state. I was on a fentanyl and morphine drip to keep me sedated. Once I was awake, I couldn’t fall back asleep. It took them 25 hours & they had to use a drug, “propofol,” that would induce a coma again. They left me in that state for 30 hours. When I finally woke up, I was ready to begin removing the tubes. Life has been great, and it has been nothing short of a journey since then — my near-death experience. PWT :)>