Al was injured severely on Friday, June 9th. He was declared brain-dead on Sunday, but was kept on life support since he was an organ donor, so his body was still alive. The organ surgery was to take place on Monday night, between 12 and 3 AM. I was at home and woke up about 6 AM on Tuesday morning, thinking that he was really dead now, since they would have taken him off life support after the surgery. I laid there and was in that kind of sleep where you are kind of half awake and half asleep. All of a sudden I saw his face...his eyes were closed and then he opened them and looked into my eyes. When he did that, I felt a powerful, physical jolt go into my eyes and fill my skull. It knocked my head right off the pillow. It felt kind of like a ball of fire or electricity, but it didn't hurt. It was so powerful and amazing. I knew it was him.  

His Mom called me about 30 minutes later and said the hospital had just called and that they had not done the surgery the night before. They had just completed it that morning. I asked her what time and she said about 8:00. My experience happened at 8:01.

Was this experience difficult to express in words?

Uncertain

The experience itself is not hard to describe, but the physical part of the experience was like nothing else I've ever felt....so that part is hard to put into words.

Did you hear the deceased or hear something associated with the deceased?         

No

Did you feel a touch or experience any physical contact from the deceased?         

Uncertain

He didn't touch me. He looked in my eyes and that was when I felt the powerful physical thing go into my eyes and head. So I was touched in that way, but not directly by him.

          Was anything communicated by the touch? 

I knew that it was Al's soul coming to me and I believe he brought me the Holy Spirit. He wanted me to know that his soul was going on and that all the things we believed are true. I think he wanted to make sure I knew this, because he did.

            Is there any possibility what you felt was from any other source present in the surroundings at the time of your experience?        

no

Did you see the deceased?       

Yes

I just saw his face. He looked healthy and uninjured, like he was before the accident. He was not smiling, but was just looking at me when he opened his eyes.

            How clearly did the deceased appear?            solid, but it was in my mind that I saw him.

            How much of the deceased did you see?       Just his face

            Did the deceased appear or not appear to be the age at which they died?            same age

            How healthy did the deceased appear to be?            very healthy as he was before the accident

            Is there any possibility what you saw was from any other source present in the surroundings at the time of your experience?           no

Did you smell a distinct smell, scent, fragrance or odor associated with the deceased?  

No

How long did the experience last?      

just a few seconds

Was the beginning and end of the experience gradual or more sudden?       

it was all sudden and very quick

Could you sense the emotions or mood of the deceased?         

No

Did the deceased give you information you did not previously know? 

I feel that he brought the Holy Spirit to me. He had a very strong faith and had no doubts that he would be with Jesus and God and the Holy Spirit when he died.

How do you currently view the reality of your experience?        

Experience was definitely real

          Please explain why you view the reality of your experience as real or not real:  

The powerful physical nature of the experience, which is indescribable, left me with no doubt that it was real. The fact that it happened at the time he was taken off life support was also amazing.

          Was the experience dream like in any way? 

Uncertain

I saw Al in my mind, but the physical experience was not in my mind. It was so powerful that it knocked my head off the pillow.

Describe in detail your feelings/emotions during the experience:        

It happened so fast that I didn't feel anything but awe.

Was there any emotional healing in any way following the experience?         

Yes 

see answers to 24

What was the best and worst part of your experience?   

No worst part. The best is that Al loved me so much that he came to me to let me know that his soul was going on. I believe he brought the Holy Spirit to me too, which is the most loving gift any human being could have.

Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience?      

Yes                Describe:    

I feel that I am a witness for God and want to tell people about what happened to me so they can know that we go on after we die. I have been met with great respect when I tell what happened and have heard a lot of amazing stories from other people about their experiences when they have lost loved ones.

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?            Yes    I went from thinking that, after death, it would be one of two things- either nothingness or an afterlife. After the soul visit, I have no doubts that the soul goes on.

Did the experience give you any spiritual understandings such as life, death, afterlife, God, etc.?          Yes    I have no doubts now about life after death. I already had a strong belief in God, but was uncertain about life after death. Now I know the soul goes on.

Death Compacts are when two or more living people promise among themselves that whoever dies first will try to contact the other(s).  Have you ever made such a compact?      No

Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience that could be verified later?         Uncertain No, but the physical nature of the experience was absolutely real.


What emotions did you feel during the experience?          Happiness, that his soul had come to me and that he loved me so much. Relief, that his soul was still there and going on from his body. Awe, that this amazing thing happened to me. Grateful, that I had this experience. I was in a state of Grace.

Was the experience witnessed or experienced by others?          No

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?     Yes

I was given the gift on no doubt that the soul goes on and that after the body dies, the soul is free.

Did you become aware of future events?      No

Did you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience that you did not have prior to the experience?           Yes

After I left the funeral home where his family and I went to identify his body before cremation. I was driving back to Raleigh from Durham and kept hearing my cell phone ringing the whole way back. When I looked at it, there was no one calling, but I kept hearing it ring.

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

Did you meet or see any other beings other than the deceased?          No

Did you see a light?         No

Did any part of your experience seem to occur in a place other than the location described above?         No

Have you shared this experience with others?       

Yes    See answer to 30. People have been very open to hearing about my experience and most people believe me and get tears in their eyes when I tell them. A lot of them have told me things they haven't told many others, because they know that I am sincere and they have had an experience too.

Have you shared this experience formally or informally with any other researcher or web site?   No

 Is there anything else you would like to add regarding your experience?      I am so thankful for this experience. It has made my grief bearable, because I know we will all be together again.

Were there any associated medications or substances with the potential to affect the experience?     No

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

Did you ever in your life have a near-death experience, out of body experience or other spiritual event?  No 

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