It’s the million-dollar question: what happens when you die ?
Do you fade into darkness or immediately see the gates of heaven? Do you live in an afterlife, much like The Good Place ? The only ones who know the truth are the ones who have kicked the bucket — and the ones who have lived to tell the tales.
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Here, people share their strange near-death experiences to change some perspectives.
1. The calm
When this Redditor was dying due to a pregnancy complication, they didn’t see bright lights or anything.
What they did experience was a feeling of calmness and no pain. She also felt like she was answering the medical staff who were discussing how to treat her.
2. The bright lights
“When I was a kid I nearly drowned. It was pretty simple really, I just remember looking up at the bright lights from the bottom of the pool and thinking ‘I’m gonna die.’ It was strangely calm and now that I think about it, those ‘bright lights’ may or may not have been from physical lighting.” – u/ Moots_point
3. The conversation
When this Redditor’s mother-in-law had surgery, her heart stopped for a few minutes. While she was “dead,” she watched them do surgery on her and had a conversation with her deceased father.
4. The space
“Died of blood loss after a car accident when I was 16. I saw space. it was really peaceful. it felt like I was in a tunnel. I saw flashes of memories going by but I couldn’t focus on them. I’m 24 now. I still have dreams about it all the time.” -u/ Shes_dead_Jim
5. The guardian angel
When this Redditor was 17, they had to have life-saving surgery. While they were under, they had a dream that they were going out the door of the hospital.
But then their dad who died two years earlier told them, “No, don’t go that way” and they woke up.
The doctors told her that she had flatlined, but they were able to get her back quickly. “I like to think my dad saved my life that day,” they wrote.
6. The darkness
“First time I drowned but was resuscitated. Second time was from compilations from Meningococcal B and my heart stopped but I was brought back. Both times it was the same and basically the same as what most people here are saying: I saw nothing but black, and all I felt, even once I was back, was calm.” – u/ djAMPnz
7. The mother
This Redditor’s grandfather was in a coma for three days after falling ill from blood poisoning. At one point, they dreamt that they walked into their old house and saw their mother. When their mother saw the grandfather, she told him, “What are you doing here? You are not supposed to be here yet.” And then he woke up.
8. The hallucinations
“I’ve seen hallucinations prior to falling in coma (or maybe I was already in that stage). I remember seeing my living room in different dimensions with all the furniture being on the walls and ceiling. Then the bright light hit through the windows. It was so bright that I can’t even describe it.” – u/ TeaVisual2657
9. The warmth
When this Redditor almost died, they felt an extreme warmth before everything faded to black. They felt the same kind of peace as everyone else until the paramedics were able to save their life.
10. The symphony
“My mate told me about this musical concert he went to which was created by a guy who interviewed a whole bunch of people who had been resuscitated. Apparently they all heard music, described it to him and he created a symphony from it.” – u/ Bojangles5477
11. The 360
This Redditor’s uncle dropped dead in a hospital. Thankfully, he did so in a medical clinic, so he was able to be saved. But ever since that day, he refuses to tell people what he saw. He also underwent a huge change.
Before that day, he was a regular middle-aged guy who went to church.
After that day, he stopped going to church and started drinking, hard. Sadly, he’s an acholic who no longer remembers who the Redditor is, which could indicate brain damage from the heart attack.
12. The waves
“Tried spice at 15. Seized out and started turning blue apparently. Felt like being stuck in TV static while being dragged underwater by powerful waves. As you feel memories slip and you lose track of the fact you were ever alive the release is quite peaceful as you just wait to die. I remember trying to grasp for the last bits of memory i had really hard, so hard that it pulled me back.” – u/ SaltLife0118
13. The town
If you doubted whether there was an afterlife, you’ll enjoy this story about this Redditor’s uncle. When he died, he was walking around in the sky and heard trumpets. He woke up and said there is definitely an afterlife.
14. The out of body experience
“I had a head injury with seven fractures on my skull. After it happened (thrown off a moving car), I was lying on the pavement and I hear a friend say, ‘She’s fine’ and my name. I tried to get up, but I couldn’t move and then I found myself above myself and looking down at my body on the ground.” -u/ midwesternvalues73
15. The terror
“My father died on the surgical table. All he would say is ‘there are two ways you can go…and one of them is terrifying.’ He immediately quit all drugs and alcohol (addict/abuser for my whole life) and has been a daily volunteer at the local food pantry for the last 20 years.” – u/ 21y15d
16. The void
This Redditor told their mom about a memory of themselves in a pitch-black place and knowing they were dead. That’s when their mom told them that when they were five, they died and were brought back.
H/T: Reddit
Last Updated on March 23, 2022 by Sarah Kester
