The night before my surgery, I had a vision. A dark figure appeared in the corner of my bedroom and made a hand motion for me to come. I somehow knew the figure to be "Death" and I refused to go with him. The vision was real to me and seemed nothing like a dream. I shivered for hours.

   The next day, I had surgery that lasted 14 hours. After the surgery, I was in a coma and the doctor told my wife I had a 50/50 chance of survival. Sometime after the surgery and during the coma is when I had my experience.

   It started with me flying through the sky and was very pleasant. All of a sudden, I dove downward and entered into the water. I kept getting deeper and began seeing my entire life flash before me. I remember seeing details of my childhood and later life that I had completely forgotten. Watching the births of my children and seeing them grow up again had deep meaning for me. At the time my children were 17,19,and 21. At the end of the dive, I entered what seemed to be like a cave and I was surrounded by people or beings of some kind. I can't describe them because I never saw them. I just felt their presence and could hear them talking about me. They were trying to decide where I should go next. At that point I was frightened and began making a case why I should go back. My major concern was I didn't want to miss my children growing up and doing something with their lives. I argued that I had put a lot of effort into them and I deserved to see how they turned out. After I made my case, a "Presence" in the room that I did not see but who seemed to be in command decided to send me back. The entire trip reversed and I woke up in my hospital bed.

  The vision or my experience did not seem "dream like" and I have never forgotten the details like with most dreams. I did not speak about this to anyone for months. I finally discussed it with my wife and one life-long friend that I knew had experienced something very similar. After my experience, I had a significant personality change. My children and close friends have noticed it and have all commented how on much more pleasant I am.

   In the past two years, I have clinically died twice but did not have similar experiences. 

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     Along with the surgery and coma, I had chronic pancreatitis which had become life threatening.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness?    When arguing my case to go back.

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

            When arguing my case to go back.

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.)?  No      

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.)?
            Yes     I could not tell the source of those speaking.

Did you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body?     No

What emotions did you feel during the experience?            It started out very pleasant and them I became fearful.

Did you pass into or through a tunnel or enclosure?          Yes     Going from the water to the cave.

Did you see a light?           No      

Did you meet or see any other beings?           Uncertain      I saw people from my past and I felt the presence of someone talking about me.

Did you experience a review of past events in your life?    Yes     I reviewed my entire life and I think it has made me a better person. I did not learn anything new.

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?           No           

Did you have any sense of altered space or time?   Yes     My life went by very fast.

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     I went from sky, to water, to a cave like structure.

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     Three or four months to discuss it with my wife and a lifelong friend. My wife was just happy I was alive. I think she thought a lot of my experience was drug induced. My friend has been through almost the exact same thing so he believes the experience was real. We often discuss it and I have told him about this web site.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience?    Yes     My friend I mentioned above had his experience before I did and he had told me about it.

How did you view the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened:            Experience was definitely real    All of the details made the experience real to me.

Were there one or several parts of the experience especially meaningful or significant to you?            The experience made me know how much my children meant to me.

How do you currently view the reality of your experience:            Experience was definitely real    see 40.

Have your relationships changed specifically as a result of your experience?           Yes     I treat people better than I did before and I don't get upset over little details that used to upset me.

Have your religious beliefs/practices changed specifically as a result of your experience?            Yes     I believe more strongly in God.

Following the experience, have you had any other events in your life, medications or substances which reproduced any part of the experience?         No      

Is there anything else you would like to add concerning the experience?        I heard about your organization on "Coast to Coast" and it made me feel better knowing that there were other people who had been through the same experience. I

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