Gail D ADC
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Experience description:

I was sitting in my father's office doing my math homework when I smelled my grandfather. I realized that his birthday was just 2 months off.  Shortly afterwards I learned that my grandfather had died that very morning while I was studying,  It was only later that I learned that he had moved my picture to where it was tight beside his chair.

I was talking to our dog that I had just started allowing to lie on my bed with me and told her that she was a good dog but wasn't her human father.  I heard in my mind, just as clearly as if Noah had been talking to me, his voice asking me the question that he always asked me when he was out of town and called me.  'When did you realize that I wasn't there any more.'  This question was always a joke between us and had been for years.  I told the ceiling in our bedroom, 'I knew you were gone and I miss you terribly!'

 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?       Yes

           Describe what you heard, how clearly you heard it and what was communicated:          I heard Noah say to me, 'When did you realize that I was gone?'

           Did the voice or sound seem to originate externally or outside of you, inside you, or did you not hear a voice or sound, but had a sense of knowing what was communicated?          It seemed to be in my head but in his voice.

           If you heard a voice or sound, was it similar or dissimilar from the voice or sound the deceased made when they were alive?    Similar

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

           Was there any possible impairment to your hearing at the time of the experience?       No

 Did you feel a touch or experience any physical contact from the deceased?       No

 Did you see the deceased?       No

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

           What smell, scent, fragrance or odor did you smell?          I 'smelled' my grandfather's scent. The scent was not describable.

           Was the smell, scent, fragrance or odor familiar?   The scent reminded me of my grandfather although I would not have said that I associated any scent with him before then.

           Was anything communicated by the smell?  NO, just that it reminded me of my grandfather

           Is there any possibility that the smell, scent, fragrance or odor was from any other source present in the surroundings at the time of your experience?         No

 How long did the experience last?      Seconds both times - fleeting scent of my grandfather and only long enough for the words to be clear in my mind

 Was the beginning and end of the experience gradual or more sudden?      I never thought about this idea before, but I would say that both experiences were sudden in that prior to both I would not have thought they were going to happen

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

 Did the deceased give you information you did not previously know?          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:   Obviously, there were years between these two experiences, and I'm not entirely sure how I felt about death or being able to experience God before the first time.  I was definitely more spiritual in nature than others my age, and I have often wondered about life after death.  I had another experience over 20 years ago that could definitely be classified as spiritual where I felt unconditional love and incredible peace.  So, by the time of my husband's death, I had no doubt that there is some kind of existence after death and was definitely open to after death communication from him.

           Was the experience dream like in any way?  No

 Describe in detail your feelings/emotions during the experience:  When I 'smelled' my grandfather, I realized that his birthday was two months from that day.  I also didn't have any other feeling since at that moment I didn't know that he had died.  With my husband's message I was happy to know that he was probably near me and watching over me.  It gave me comfort

 Was there any emotional healing in any way following the experience? No

 What was the best and worst part of your experience?          Knowledge of some kind of life after death; no real 'worse' part

 Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience? No     

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience? Yes    I believe that 'hearing' from my husband after his death reinforces my belief that my grandfather chose to come to me that day shortly after he died.

 Did the experience give you any spiritual understandings such as life, death, afterlife, God, etc.?         Yes    Both have helped me to understand that bodily death is not the end of our experiences.

 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?          Obviously, when I learned of my grandfather's death, I was devastated.  I adored him and the feeling was mutual.  He was also the first person close to me who had died, so that fact probably made the situation even worse.  I have also thought that he 'came to see me and assure me of his caring for me.  Although I never spoke of this experience to anyone else in my family, I also never had any others in the family tell me of a similar experience.  With 'hearing' my husband's message, I was happy to have his message, reminding me of his love and care for me.

 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    I first shared the experience of my grandfather's visit with my own daughters when they were adults.  I'm not sure whether they believed it existence until after their father (my husband) died.  I think his death has changed them to believe that my experiences are probably real.  I've also shared it with friends that when we discuss religion and God.

 Have you shared this experience formally or informally with any other researcher or web site?       Yes

 eternea.org

 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?     Yes 

Since my teens I have felt the importance of God in my life and felt the sacredness of certain spaces, be it church sanctuaries or nature itself.  Twenty years ago while 'meditating' on the phrase 'Go in peace,' I had a spiritual experience of unconditional love, absolute humility, and incredible peace.  This experience has guided my life since then.

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