Some hours later, I awoke and told my wife about the experience. I also emailed a friend about it. At about 11 a.m., I got a phone call from my sister's next door neighbor that she had been found dead. It all fit, even for an atheist like me. It was my sister. I might add that we are identical twins, incredibly close, and although she lived about 800 miles from me, we emailed several times a day and chatted on the phone a few times a week. She was a great writer and an even greater person. There is such a hole in my life, in my heart.

Was this experience difficult to express in words? No

Did you ONLY sense an awareness of presence of the deceased without actually seeing, hearing, feeling or smelling them? No

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? Yes

My hand was clasped

Was the touch familiar or unfamiliar? Unfamiliar

Was anything communicated by the touch? No, only that the hand was warm to the touch

Did you see the deceased? No

Did you smell a distinct smell, scent, fragrance or odor associated with the deceased? No

How long did the experience last? A few seconds

Was the beginning and end of the experience gradual or more sudden? Sudden. A hand around mine, my pulling away in fright.

Could you sense the emotions or mood of the deceased? No

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: I was fully awake. My sister had apparently just died, although I had no way of knowing that at the time. I think identical twins have a closer link than other siblings.

Was the experience dream like in any way? No

Describe in detail your feelings/emotions during the experience: Horrified! My mind totally went blank!

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

After I learned that my beloved sister had died, I felt she had contacted me and this has helped me greatly.

What was the best and worst part of your experience? I wish I had tried to communicate with her rather than hide under the covers in fear, but as I said my mind went totally blank and all I felt at the time was fear.

Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience? Uncertain Describe: I believe I fear death much less than I did. I have a feeling, which will probably grow, that Annie will be waiting for me.

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience? Uncertain I need more time to sort things out.

Did the experience give you any spiritual understandings such as life, death, afterlife, God, etc.? Uncertain I haven't sorted it all out yet. It's very recent. There is a lot we don't know, that's certain.

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? No

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Fear!

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? No

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? No

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 Everyone believed me and I believe were uplifted.

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

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