NOTABLE NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE ACCOUNTS
Millions of people worldwide have experienced clinical death or come very close to death. Various studies have estimated that between 10% to 20% of people who have come close to death report having an NDE. For example, a large-scale study published in 2001 by van Lommel et al. in The Lancet medical journal found that about 18% of cardiac arrest survivors reported an NDE.
Here are a few cases selected over various types of death. Read the books cited as well for a bigger picture.
1. Colton Burpo
- Age: 4 years old at the time of the experience
- Year: 2003
- Context: Emergency appendectomy
- Key claims:
- Visited heaven
- Met Jesus and deceased relatives
- Witnessed events he couldn't have known about
- Book: "Heaven Is for Real" (2010)
2. Don Piper
- Age: Adult
- Year: 1989
- Context: Severe car accident
- Key claims:
- Declared dead for 90 minutes
- Experienced heaven, including music and reunions with deceased loved ones
- Returned to life after a prayer
- Book: "90 Minutes in Heaven" (2004)
3. Eben Alexander
- Age: Adult (neurosurgeon)
- Year: 2008
- Context: Severe bacterial meningitis, coma
- Key claims:
- Experienced a transcendent realm beyond physical reality
- Encountered a divine presence and gained profound insights
- Challenged his previous skepticism about NDEs
- Book: "Proof of Heaven" (2012)
4. Anita Moorjani
- Age: Adult
- Year: 2006
- Context: End-stage cancer, organ failure
- Key claims:
- Experienced an expanded state of consciousness
- Felt unconditional love and understanding of life's purpose
- Chose to return to life and experienced rapid healing
- Book: "Dying to Be Me" (2012)
5. Betty Eadie
- Age: Adult
- Year: 1973
- Context: Complications during hysterectomy
- Key claims:
- Encountered Jesus and felt overwhelming love
- Observed her life review and gained spiritual insights
- Learned about the purpose of life and creation
- Book: "Embraced by the Light" (1992)
6. Pam Reynolds
- Age: Adult
- Year: 1991
- Context: Brain aneurysm surgery (standstill operation)
- Key claims:
- Observed her own surgery from outside her body
- Accurately described surgical instruments and procedures
- Encountered deceased relatives and a "being of light"
- Notable: Her case is often cited in medical literature due to the controlled conditions of her experience
7. Howard Storm
- Age: Adult (professor)
- Year: 1985
- Context: Perforated duodenum
- Key claims:
- Initially experienced a hellish realm with malevolent beings
- Called out to Jesus and was rescued
- Underwent a profound spiritual transformation
- Book: "My Descent into Death" (2000)
8. Natalie Sudman
- Age: Adult
- Year: 2007
- Context: Roadside bomb explosion in Iraq
- Key claims:
- Experienced three distinct environments or "blinks" during her NDE
- Encountered a "Council of Beings" and participated in a "data download"
- Described complex metaphysical concepts about reality creation
- Reported conscious choice in bodily healing and return process
- Experienced time differently, with the NDE feeling much longer than physical time passed
- Book: "Application of Impossible Things" (2012)
9. Dannion Brinkley
- Age: Adult
- Year: 1975 (first experience)
- Context: Struck by lightning
- Key claims:
- Went through a life review
- Encountered beings of light
- Received prophetic visions of the future
- Book: "Saved by the Light" (1994)
10. George Ritchie
- Age: 20
- Year: 1943
- Context: Pneumonia during military training
- Key claims:
- Traveled with a being he identified as Jesus
- Observed different realms of afterlife existence
- Witnessed the effects of earthly actions on the spiritual realm
- Book: "Return from Tomorrow" (1978)
11. Mellon-Thomas Benedict
- Age: Adult
- Year: 1982
- Context: Terminal brain tumor
- Key claims:
- Experienced the collective consciousness of the universe
- Gained insights into the nature of reality and existence
- Chose to return to life with newfound purpose
- Notable: Became an inventor and researcher after his NDE
12. Ian McCormack
- Age: 24
- Year: 1982
- Context: Box jellyfish sting while diving
- Key claims:
- Experienced a dark void before calling out to God
- Saw a brilliant light and encountered Jesus
- Given a choice to stay or return to share his story
- Book: "A Glimpse of Eternity" (2000)
13. Crystal McVea
- Age: Adult
- Year: 2009
- Context: Complication during hospital procedure
- Key claims:
- Met God and felt overwhelming love and acceptance
- Experienced relief from lifelong guilt and shame
- Chose to return to care for her children
- Book: "Waking Up in Heaven" (2013)
14. Todd Burpo (Father of Colton Burpo)
- Age: Adult
- Year: 2003
- Context: Personal account related to son's NDE
- Key claims:
- Describes his son's heavenly experience from a father's perspective
- Recounts how Colton's experience strengthened family's faith
- Discusses impact on his role as a pastor
- Book: "Heaven Changes Everything" (2012)
15. Richard Sigmund
- Age: Adult
- Year: 1974
- Context: Car accident
- Key claims:
- Clinically dead for 8 hours
- Detailed description of heaven, including streets of gold and gates of pearl
- Encountered biblical figures and angels
- Book: "My Time in Heaven" (2009)
16. Dr. Mary Neal
- Age: 33
- Year: 1999
- Context: Drowning accident during kayaking in Chile
- Key claims:
- Experienced being out of her body and welcomed by spiritual beings
- Felt God's all-encompassing love and presence
- Received knowledge about future events, including her son's death
- Saw life review and understood interconnectedness of all lives
- Reluctantly returned to fulfill her earthly purpose
- Books: "To Heaven and Back" (2012), "7 Lessons from Heaven" (2017)
17. Gary Wood
- Age: 18
- Year: 1966
- Context: Car accident
- Key claims:
- Visited heaven and saw Jesus
- Witnessed different levels of heaven
- Received a mission to return and share his experience
- Book: "A Place Called Heaven" (2007)
18. Dean Braxton
- Age: Adult
- Year: 2006
- Context: Cardiac arrest during kidney stone treatment
- Key claims:
- Spent time in heaven and encountered Jesus
- Observed worship in heaven
- Gained insights about God's love and purpose
- Book: "In Heaven! Experiencing the Throne of God" (2009)
19. Tamara Laroux
- Age: 15
- Year: 1977
- Context: Suicide attempt
- Key claims:
- Experienced both hell and heaven
- Encountered Jesus and felt overwhelming love
- Received a second chance at life with a newfound purpose
- Book: "A Second Chance at Heaven" (2018)
20. Gerald Landry
- Age: Adult
- Year: 1995
- Context: Massive heart attack
- Key claims:
- Visited heaven and met Jesus
- Saw deceased relatives and biblical figures
- Received a message to share about God's love
- Book: "A Trip to Heaven: Face to Face with Jesus" (2013)
21. Mickey Robinson
- Age: 19
- Year: 1968
- Context: Skydiving plane crash
- Key claims:
- Encountered the presence of God
- Experienced a realm of light and peace
- Received supernatural healing and a new life purpose
- Book: "Falling Into Heaven" (2014)
22. Yvonne Sklar
- Age: Adult
- Year: 2004
- Context: Severe case of pancreatitis
- Key claims:
- Visited heaven and hell
- Received messages from Jesus about the end times
- Experienced miraculous healing
- Book: "A Visiting in Heaven" (2007)
23. Jeff Olsen
- Age: 31
- Year: 1997
- Context: Catastrophic automobile accident
- Key claims:
- Out-of-body experience observing the accident scene
- Encountered deceased family members and a being of light
- Received profound spiritual insights about love and forgiveness
- Book: "I Knew Their Hearts" (2012)
24. Steven Musick
- Age: 20
- Year: 1976
- Context: Adverse reaction to swine flu vaccine
- Key claims:
- Experienced the "Brittle Kingdom" (his term for heaven)
- Met Jesus and felt overwhelming peace and love
- Returned with a message about bringing "God's kingdom to Earth"
- Book: "Life After Heaven" (2017)
25. John Burke
- Age: Adult
- Year: Various (author compiling multiple NDEs)
- Context: Research into numerous NDE accounts
- Key claims:
- Collected and analyzed over 1,000 NDE accounts
- Found consistencies in experiences across cultures and beliefs
- Argues that NDEs align with biblical descriptions of afterlife
- Book: "Imagine Heaven" (2015)
Text by Zach Anderson (zmanderson@gmail.com). Placed in public domain at ultrafree.org. KJV text is used. Feel free to copy and share, free of charge.