Death – one of the only certainties of life – has been an unsolvable mystery for ages now, when it comes to what really happens after death? Where does the soul go? What is it like to die? IS there really a white light or just complete darkness? Is there life after death, or is it just some ultimate void?
Also read: Dead man comes alive
Worry not, your questions have been answered, somewhat. Six people finally took to Reddit – the multi-blogging website – to share an account of what happened after they were medically dead, and before they were resuscitated.
1. Flipping through a book
User monitormonkey underwent a major surgery five years ago, during which he bled out, leading to being dead for several minutes. "I woke up in what looked like space but there weren't any stars or light. I wasn't floating so to speak, I was just there.
"I wasn't hot or cold, hungry or tired - just a peaceful neutral kind of thing. I knew there was light and love somewhere nearby but I had no urge or need to go to it right away. I remember thinking over my life, but it wasn't like a montage. More like I was idly flipping through a book and snippets stood out here and there.
"Whatever it was, it changed my thoughts on a few things. I am still afraid to die, but I'm not worried about what happens after that."
2. Garden of Eden?
User IDiedForABit's encounter with death would beg to differ from all the theories about the 'void'. Being dead for a bit after an allergic reaction that caused their heart to stop, they said, "I remember a feeling of being sucked backwards, extremely slowly, like being pulled through water and this blackness fading in and out.
"At one point it faded back in and I was staring out at a garden. It wasn't filled with flowers, just dust and patchy grass. There was a playground with a merry-go-round in the middle and two children running around it. A boy and a girl.
"It's difficult to describe but I got the feeling I could choose if I wanted to stay or leave, but every time I tried to go back I was held in place. I went through all the reasons I wanted to go back, and when I told the presence I didn't want to abandon my mother whatever held me finally let go.
"I snapped back into my body. My heart had stopped for six minutes."
2. Friendly visit
User Schneidah7 suffered a fatal fall when he crashed his motorbike going at 50 mph, leading him to be medically dead when he was being carried to the hospital. He recounted his experience of lying there on the road, awaiting the ambulance: "I just remember being on the pavement and things slowly going black and quiet.
"The only reason I didn't fall asleep was because of a bizarre moment where I heard someone yelling, 'Ranger up you candy f***! Come on man, get up. Get up. GET UP!' Then someone was slapping my helmet (which was basically smushed really hard onto my head).
"When I opened my eyes I saw my brother squatting on the pavement next me to. This was odd because my brother died from an overdose several years ago. The only other thing I remember is him glancing at his watch and saying something like 'They'll be here soon' and then walking away."
4. Alarming snooze
TheDeadManWalks's teenage years were mostly about months of chemotherapy due to a Clostridium difficile infection. The condition worsened and he speaks of slipping in and out of death as: "The worst part of it all, looking back, is how peaceful it can seem.
"It's like wanting to hit the snooze button on your alarm at 7am. And maybe you do hit it once or twice but then you remember that you have work or school and that sleep can wait because you've still got s*** to do."
5. Just a joke!
User altburger69's sense of humour was definitely not lost even though he did lose his life in the ER thrice. He shared: "Had a heart attack last year and my heart stopped three times in the emergency room.
"Apparently, each time they shocked me back I 'woke up' (how it felt) and told the staff a different knock-knock joke each time. No lights or whatever, just felt like sleep."
Also read: Man wakes up after being declared 'dead'
6. Complete darkness
Rullknuf's breathing and pulse stopped after a motorbike accident and he claimed to have gone "cramp and stiff". Two minutes later, when he was finally resuscitated, he says: "For me it was just a blackout. No dreams, no visions, just nothing.
"Apparently I asked over ten times what happened and apparently I shall be happy to be alive today."
