David M's Experience
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Experience description:

My father related to me these events near the end of his life. He was in a coma soon after he was diagnosed with lung cancer. That first morning we all gathered to pay our last respects but he pulled through in the afternoon. He then told me he was looking down and had seen 17 doctors and nurses gathered around his bed trying to bring him back. When I asked the nurse she said there were at most 8  people in the room trying to resuscitate him. 

The next morning he was in another coma. I remember my mom and I were standing by his bedside when I saw his hand flinch and he slowly in stages regained consciousness. My mom had been slowly stroking his hand and she asked him to wake up. When he came out of the coma he told me that he had taken a trip. He did not know how he got there but when he arrived he saw two very large doors. He did not go inside the area that he called the most beautiful garden he had ever seen. There were birds and flowers and trees. He said it was wondrous. He said he sat down next to the doors but he did not go in. He said it was funny but, "I saw people of all ages, male and female, and all different nationalities go in the doors, but I only saw babies going out of the doors." These were his exact words. He stayed there for a while, but then he heard, "your mama" calling to him and so he decided to leave. 

The love that he showered his family with in these two days and the next day when he died was a lifelong lesson to me. But I always remembered that he was a loving father and his actions that allowed him to say goodbye to each of us individually (two of my two sisters, my mom and myself) during the last three days of his life have always been an inspiration to me.

 Was the kind of experience difficult to express in words? No      

At the time of this experience, was there an associated life threatening event?          Yes    

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness?    I believe this would be when he arrived at the large doorways until mom called to him

 How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal every day consciousness and alertness?    More consciousness and alertness than normal

 If your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience was different from your normal every day consciousness and alertness, please explain:            My father had cataract operations which diminished his sight, but he clearly saw the scene as described above.

 Did your vision differ in any way from your normal, everyday vision (in any aspect, such as clarity, field of vision, colors, brightness, depth perception degree of solidness/transparency of objects, etc.)?  Yes     His eyesight had diminished after two cataract operations.

 Did your hearing differ in any way from your normal, everyday hearing (in any aspect, such as clarity, ability to recognize source of sound, pitch, loudness, etc.)?
            Uncertain     

Did you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body?     Yes

 What emotions did you feel during the experience?            Wonder and amazement.

 Did you pass into or through a tunnel or enclosure?          Uncertain      He said the tunnel appeared to be gray which I took to mean indeterminate.

 Did you see a light?           Uncertain      He did not refer to a light.

 Did you meet or see any other beings?           Yes     He did not mention that he had seen anyone he knew just that they varied in age, gender and nationality.

 Did you experience a review of past events in your life?    No      

Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience that could be verified later?          No      

Did you see or visit any beautiful or otherwise distinctive locations, levels or dimensions?            Yes     Inside the two large doors was the most beautiful garden he had ever seen.

 Did you have any sense of altered space or time?   No      

Did you have a sense of knowing special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?     No      

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? Yes     For some reason he chose not to enter the large doors but he wanted to stay there and observe from outside the beautiful garden inside.

 Did you become aware of future events?       No           

Did you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience you did not have prior to the experience?     No      

Have you shared this experience with others?         Yes     I have shared it with others as he shared it with me and the rest of his family who were at his side.

 Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience?    No       He did not concern himself with these matters.

 How did you view the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened:            Experience was definitely real    When he told us of his experiences he did not indicate he had a dream and knowing him he would have.

 Were there one or several parts of the experience especially meaningful or significant to you?   

How do you currently view the reality of your experience:            Experience was definitely real            See above. But in addition his matter of fact statements told me he knew it was real.

 Have your relationships changed specifically as a result of your experience?           No       However, he knew he had been given another chance to say goodbye to all of us, and one by one he pulled is to his chest and held us tightly for an extended period before letting go. While he did this to me he placed his ring in my hand and told me it was mine to keep.

 Have your religious beliefs/practices changed specifically as a result of your experience?            No           

Following the experience, have you had any other events in your life, medications or substances which reproduced any part of the experience?         Yes    

Is there anything else you would like to add concerning the experience?          I personally been visited in my dreams by the essence of my father. His aura, his persona whatever you wish to call it has manifested itself to me in many dreams through the years.

 Did the questions asked and information you provided so far accurately and comprehensively describe your experience?         Yes