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Experience description 2720:

It was about 2 weeks after my husband died suddenly from a massive heart attack. I had been in a state of shock about his death, still processing the overwhelming change and loss. My husband was about 15 years older than I, and we often spoke about trying to communicate with one another if one of us died and the other was left behind. I wondered if anything would happen but had no set expectations. On this particular night, I was fast asleep and awoke at around 3 am because my dogs were barking loudly. The dogs sleep in the room with me, so they woke me quickly. Wondering what they were barking at, I listened and heard a loud buzzing sound. It sounded like a cell phone vibrating somewhere in the house. It was louder in the living room, so I began looking for what it was. I finally found it inside my husband's desk. My husband had died while sitting at this very desk, and I was present when that happened. The buzzing came from his electric tooth brush, which was buzzing in the back of the top desk drawer. He had this toothbrush for years and had never really used it. I turned it off and then tried to turn it back on. The battery was dead, so it wouldn't come on again. This felt like a clear communication from him to me, since there was no explanation for why this toothbrush would turn on all of a sudden and in this way. I said, 'Hi there! I'm glad to hear you are OK and I love you.' I put the tooth brush back in the drawer and went back to bed. This experience was not scary at all, just interesting and hugely comforting. I felt a special energy in the house, as if he were there with me. I know he would want me to be relieved he was alright.

About a week after that, it happened again. Same thing -- around 3 am the buzzing sound made the dogs bark and woke me from sleep. This time, I knew where the tooth brush was and sure enough, it was the same thing. I turned it off and it would not turn on again. I thanked my husband for saying hello again, so glad he is still looking in on me. Then I went back to sleep. I still have that tooth brush in the same drawer, but it has never turned on since that time.

 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:   The loud buzzing of the electric toothbrush. I heard this clearly, as did my dogs. They heard it and began barking about it before I was awake. The sound was very loud and clear.

           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 was an external sound coming from a very real and physically present toothbrush. I felt the only explanation was that my husband was sending it as a signal to me.

           If you heard a voice or sound, was it similar or dissimilar from the voice or sound the deceased made when they were alive?     The only sound was buzzing, not a human voice.

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

           Was there any possible impairment to your hearing at the time of the experience?   Not at all.

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

 I held the toothbrush which was suddenly on, and I turned it off. I did not feel any touch from a ghost or other entity.

 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?      About 3-5 minutes.

 Was the beginning and end of the experience gradual or more sudden?       Very sudden beginning. Ended when I turned off the toothbrush.

 Could you sense the emotions or mood of the deceased?          Yes

 I felt he was making noise to get my attention and tell me that he was in an afterlife and was OK. We had discussed this in previous instances, that we would send a signal to the surviving partner if one of us died.

 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:   There is no explanation for why this appliance would turn itself on when it did. The battery was dead, so there was no real power source for it. My husband and I had made an agreement that whichever of us died first would try and communicate to the surviving spouse after death as a message that there is an afterlife and we are ok.

           Was the experience dream like in any way?  No

 What did you feel (while awake) immediately prior to your experience? Relaxed         

Describe in detail your feelings/emotions during the experience:  I felt encouraged and intrigued during this experience. It was a magical experience for me. I was fully awake, fully sober, my mind was clear. And this experience was very extraordinary and felt like a special gift from my husband. I felt grateful and honored, and so much love for him. It did not erase the journey of grief from my life, but it did give me encouragement and a sense of connection to my beloved.

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

 It encouraged me that he really was free and OK in a good place. He had been in physical pain and mourning the death of his own daughter when he died. His death was a surprise but I knew he had been suffering. I was relieved to get a message that all was well for him.

 What was the best and worst part of your experience?          Best part -- feeling in touch with my husband and that he was present with me while I was going through such new grief and shock. Also the confirmation that he was still existing somewhere and was OK. No worst or bad part of this, really. It was all positive for me.

 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    Just a reinforced belief in an afterlife and that our loved ones can still be present in our lives in some way.

 Did the experience give you any spiritual understandings such as life, death, afterlife, God, etc.?         Yes    It affirmed my belief that our consciousness continues after death and we retain our unique personality in some way. It was a very positive message to me of the idea that love is the one thing that lasts forever and cannot be extinguished by anything.

 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?    Yes

 Yes, my husband and I often debated the idea of life after death. We were very philosophical and would try to look at the various arguments for and against it. Often we were just baffled and didn't come to any conclusion. We made a pact that whoever died first would send the other one a message. We actually chose a secret word that would mean something only to us. It had to be something very specific and not random, something that could not be given by mistake or coincidence. We never told another soul this word, and I did receive it from him about a year-and-a-half after this toothbrush incident. I will write this in another submission.

 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?          Awe and joy. Amazement that I had received a communication from my husband who had died.

 Was the experience witnessed or experienced by others?          Yes

 My dogs were awakened by the noise and their barking is what initially woke me up. No other people were present.

 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

 The sense that my husband was using his energy to send this message to me. I definitely felt he was present and that his consciousness and personality continued, even if not here in the physical world.

 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    Many friends were amazed at this event, just as I was. The fact that the toothbrush battery was dead, that it had not been used in years, and that it just came on suddenly... all of that suggested the same thing to my friends that it did to me. They were very supportive and it encouraged them in their beliefs about an afterlife.

 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?       Yes 

The same exact thing happened two weeks after this first event. Same toothbrush, same time of night, etc. Also, I received the secret word from my husband about 1.5 years after this in a separate event.

 Did you ever in your life have a near-death experience, out of body experience or other spiritual event? Yes 

My heart stopped beating when I was being born. I have always felt that God was with me and wanted me to live. This presence has always been part of my life, and I think that is partly due to my NDE at birth.

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

Experience description 2721:

My husband was 15 years older than I. We were always very, very close and kept no secrets from one another, truly best friends. I often had anxiety about him dying before me, convinced I would feel lost and my world would crumble into disaster. We discussed this frequently, because he had chronic health issues like high blood pressure and back problems. We were very philosophical and would often debate whether or not there's an afterlife, considering all arguments for and against it. We could never come up with a satisfactory answer based in logic, but we were completely open to what may be. We made a pact with each other that whoever died first would send the other a message that meant 'Yes, there's an afterlife and I'm OK!' The way this would happen would be to get a particular word to the surviving spouse, like a password. We carefully chose a word that was very specific to us, something that could not be mistaken or happen randomly or by coincidence. Once we decided, we never told another soul. I have still not told anyone what it was, and I never will. My husband died suddenly at the age of 67, on a Saturday after having lunch. I witnessed his death and administered CPR while waiting for EMTs to arrive. I remembered our pact after he died but never did receive the secret word. After a while, I accepted that the word may never come up, and I was OK with that. I could feel connection to him in other ways and move on with my life the best I could. I went through the grieving process and had a lot of emotions about the relationship as a whole. Because of his health problems, he was in chronic pain and had been very irritable in the months before he died. He was also grieving the sudden loss of his daughter and granddaughter, who died in a tragic car accident earlier that year. I had felt emotionally abandoned by him in many ways and hurt by his irritability and reactions to me. But I still loved him deeply and missed him terribly. AFter a lot of emotional processing, I finally came to a point one night (about 1.5 years after his death) where I felt I could see our relationship as an entity in itself. All the imperfections, all the pain, all the misunderstanding, all the love and support and companionship and passion. It had so many facets, and I knew I would do it all again, all of it, if I had the chance. Because I loved this man that much. I saw him as the flawed human he was and myself as flawed too, but our relationship was one of love and caring, even through the hard times. I felt a peace in this and truly forgave him in my heart for all the things that had hurt my feelings. I forgave myself for not being as supportive to him as I wish I had. It was a beautiful moment and I felt I had reached a good resolution to a lot of emotional hurt. I knew he really loved me and I loved him. That was what mattered most.

The next day I was at work doing my usual routine. At one point, one coworker walked over to another's desk and said the secret word to the other person. Then she left the room. That was odd and unexpected, but I thought, 'Oh, maybe that's just a fluke. Very interesting, but maybe a fluke.' I did not speak to her or the other person about this. A few minutes later, she returned and said this word to the same person over and over and over again. It was as if my husband were saying, 'Hey!! It's not a fluke, here's your secret word over and over! You cannot dismiss this.' So, I accepted that I had received the secret word from him. That was amazing and I never heard that word from anyone ever again. The people involved had no idea about any of this and still don't. I think the timing was significant because it was just after I had reached an emotional resolution about my love for my husband and the depth of our relationship. I felt truly honored that he got the word to me, and it was very comforting.

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?      Yes

 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:   A lady unknowingly said the secret word over and over again, to another person in the room. The word was a message for me, but I was a bystander and not part of their conversation.

           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?     The word came from a living person who did not know what it meant to me. I knew exactly what it was to me and my husband and that made it extremely meaningful to me.

           If you heard a voice or sound, was it similar or dissimilar from the voice or sound the deceased made when they were alive?     This was not the voice of a deceased person, but a living person saying a word.

           Is there any possibility what you heard was from any other source present in the surroundings at the time of your experience?   The word was spoken by someone in the room, but it held great and specific meaning for me.

           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? No

 How long did the experience last?      About 20 minutes total.

 Was the beginning and end of the experience gradual or more sudden?       This was all sudden, especially the woman returning and repeating the word over and over.

 Could you sense the emotions or mood of the deceased?          Yes

 I felt he was thanking me for forgiving him and also feeling a harmony between us that had not been there in a while. I felt he was very grateful and excited to get the message to me.

 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:   I view this as very real because my husband and I had chosen a very specific, unique word that was significant only to us. It was not a word found in everyday conversation or really any kind of conversation. It was something that could not be found by coincidence or accident or random. I also believe the timing was perfect for me to finally get this message. I had resigned myself to never getting the word but decided I would be OK without it. I had also just gone through an emotional time of forgiveness and acceptance of our relationship, feeling so grateful for having experienced all of it.

           Was the experience dream like in any way?  No

 Describe in detail your feelings/emotions during the experience:  At first, I brushed it off and thought this was just a coincidence. Even though the word was very specific, I didn't know if such a thing could really happen and had not really expected it. After the woman returned and repeated the word over and over, I felt like laughing because it was so wonderful. I felt immense joy and relief, and such astonishment that our pact had worked. I had not expected anything to really happen like this.

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

 The affirmation of our promise, the fact that our pact actually worked, was very encouraging and healing for me. The main thing was that I still felt a positive connection to him and felt assured that we really loved each other through all life's ups and downs. The harmony between us was deeply healing.

 What was the best and worst part of your experience?          Best part - what a lovely surprise! The positivity and strong confirmation of my pact with my husband. Not really a worst part... Maybe some people I told may think I was just in deep grief and a bit unhinged or something, but I really don't care if that's what someone thinks. I know this was a very real experience for me and not a delusion. I hope those I share it with are encouraged by it and feel less fear about loss and death.

 Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience? Yes                Describe:     It affirmed the path I was already on, to be open to spiritual experiences and possibilities.

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?      Yes    It affirmed the path I was already on, to be open to spiritual experiences and possibilities.

 Did the experience give you any spiritual understandings such as life, death, afterlife, God, etc.?         Yes    Well, it was our agreement to send this message as an affirmation of the afterlife and that the consciousness and personality of someone continues after death. That was a major message here, confirming all that.

 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?    Yes

 My experience here addresses all of this. I truly was not expecting anything and was at peace with that. I was open to whatever may or may not happen, not holding onto this pact as the only way I could receive a message or encouragement about life after death. So, the delivery of the message was a wonderful and unexpected surprise. I'm still in awe!

 Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience that could be verified later?          Yes One woman said the word to someone else, although it did not have any spiritual significance to her and both were unaware of my point of view on the event.
What emotions did you feel during the experience?         A blissful gratitude, a feeling of satisfaction that our promise and plan came to fruition. That was wonderful. I'm still in awe of it. I also felt a deep harmony with my husband, as if we were reconciled from some of the pain we caused each other in life during some trying times. Through it all, love was always there between us. That was deeply healing.

 Was the experience witnessed or experienced by others?          Yes

 Others played a part in this experience, though it wasn't significant to them personally. I don't think they were impacted by it, but they were part of what caused the experience to happen.

 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   The message was a special affirmation of life after death and that the deceased continues on in their unique personality in a good place.

 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

I have always felt a presence of Source with me, something bigger than myself who encourages me when life gets difficult. I have often had premonitions about random things. I once felt a need to spend special time with my grandfather when I was a child because 'you may not see him again' and so I spent lots of time with him during a visit. It was the last time I saw him. He died in an accident not long after that visit. I've also had a sense at various times of when someone is close to death.

 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    Those I have shared it with have been encouraged and amazed by it. Many family members have had experiences of contact from deceased relatives, so this was welcomed news to them and they were supportive to me.

 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? Yes 

My heart stopped beating when I was being born, and I had to be delivered by emergency C-Section. I have always felt a Presence in my life like God or Source, who encourages me to live and keep going. I have always felt connected to the other side on a subconscious level, a hard-to-describe connection, but it is always there.

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


Experience description 2722:

My granny had died while I was in a long-term conflict with my mother. My mother wanted me to come to the funeral, but I didn't want to see my mother so I didn't go. I had been very close to my granny my whole life, and she was always unconditionally loving towards me, in many ways more of a mom figure to me than my own mother. Granny was a kind person to everyone and fun to be around. I felt bad that she died but I was determined to avoid my mother at that time for many reasons. Later on, I felt guilty for not attending the funeral or seeing my granny while she was ill at the end. I knew she would not be upset with me, but I felt it was a bit disrespectful and had guilt on my conscience for that. I loved her so much, I didn't want it to seem like I didn't care.

Several years after my grandmother's death, I had a very vivid dream that I remember in detail to this day:  The phone rang and I picked it up. The line had a lot of hissing and static on it, like long-distance calls used to have on the old land line phones. It was my granny calling! Her voice was slightly faint, as if she were calling from a massively far distance away. She said, 'Hi there honey, it's Granny.' 

I said, 'Hi. Hey Granny, but you can't be calling on the phone... you're dead!'

She said, 'Oh, I know. I just wanted to call and let you know I'm OK. I was ready to go, honey. It's OK you didn't attend the funeral. Don't worry about that stuff anymore. I love you and I know you love me. Don't you worry.'

I was so grateful for that. I told her I felt so bad about it, but she reassured me it was OK and she didn't have hurt feelings.

I awoke the next morning and felt a weight had lifted off my conscience. I felt like she really did call me from the other side and she really wanted me to know we were OK, there was no problem between us. I knew she understood that my avoidance was not about her and was a complicated and unfortunate situation, and she knew how much I cared and it was all OK.  This had a lasting impact on me and has given me the freedom to move past the guilt.

I miss that woman to this day. I met people later on who had known her, people who I had never known while she was alive, and every single one has a story of a beautiful kindness she showed them or a way she helped them when they were in need. What a legacy this woman left behind! I'm so proud of her, so grateful to have known her.

 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:   Heard Granny's voice on the phone and spoke with her

           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 was clearly Granny's voice. She sounded exactly the same as when she was alive, but the phone line sounded like she was calling from very, very far away.

           If you heard a voice or sound, was it similar or dissimilar from the voice or sound the deceased made when they were alive?     Same exact voice as when she was alive.

           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? No

 How long did the experience last?      It seemed like a 5-minute conversation

 Was the beginning and end of the experience gradual or more sudden?       Sudden at beginning, natural ending to the conversation.

 Could you sense the emotions or mood of the deceased?          Yes

 Her mood was happy and relaxed. She seemed healthy and full of energy, coherent and wanting to reassure me.

 Did the deceased give you information you did not previously know?  Only that she was ready to die when her time came. She wanted me to understand that, as well as the fact that she was not hurt by my absence.

 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:   This dream was very clear and it addressed feelings of regret I was having. It was so like what my granny would have done in life -- to understand and be kind about the situation. It was very vivid and the dream felt like there was a special effort on her part to reach me.

           Was the experience dream like in any way?  Yes

 It was a vivid dream, but I think my granny used that as a way to communicate.

 Describe in detail your feelings/emotions during the experience:  I felt relieved about her understanding my feelings of affection and respect for her. I also felt happy that she was OK and that she felt ready to go when she died. It was also amusing that she brushed off the fact that she was dead and called me anyway.

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

 I felt like any misunderstanding or perceived conflict with her was cleared up. I felt so happy that she called me, so glad to hear her voice. A harmonious and joyful feeling.

 What was the best and worst part of your experience?          Best:  Hearing Granny's voice and knowing there's no problem between us. She knows how much I love her and she was ready to die when it happened. That is hugely comforting. No worst part except for the crummy phone connection.

 Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience? Yes                Describe:     I no longer feel guilty about the circumstances involving my absence from my granny's funeral or the fact that I did not see her immediately before she passed on. I feel free from that burden and I know Granny would want me to be free of it. We are good.

 Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?      No     

Did the experience give you any spiritual understandings such as life, death, afterlife, God, etc.?  Yes    It reaffirmed my belief in an afterlife and in the fact that Love continues on even after loved ones have transitioned away from this earthly life.

 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?    Yes

 I made a death compact with my husband regarding a secret word that would be a way to let the surviving spouse know the deceased spouse is indeed still existing somewhere and is OK after death. About a year-and-a-half after my husband died, I received our secret word in an indisputable way.

 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?         A big relief of guilt, realizing it was not necessary. A feeling of connection to my granny and grateful for her.

 Was the experience witnessed or experienced by others?          No

 Did you have any sense of altered space or time?  Yes

 Only that she seemed to be calling from an extremely long, massive distance away.

 Did you have a sense of knowing, special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?         Yes

 That granny had died at the time she was meant to go, and that she accepted that. That was profound for me.

 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 have told a few family members, and they were very supportive and encouraged by this experience as well. They are glad she's OK and in a good place.

 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? Yes 

I have memories of pre-birth NDE when my mother was giving birth to me and my heart stopped. This was verified by her and the physicians who had to give my mom and emergency C-section when in labor with me. I remember having to choose to go ahead and be born alive to live this life.

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