In early 1988, British neuropsychiatrist Dr. Peter Fenwick, an expert on near-death experiences, appeared in the BBC documentary A Glimpse of Death, in which he described near-death experiences in people who were temporarily dead or about to die. commented on the vision of Then come back to life. After it aired, thousands of people wrote him letters describing similar stories. Dr. Fenwick sent them a lengthy questionnaire to categorize their accounts. He published his findings in “Truth in the Light: An Investigation of More than 300 Near-Death Experiences.'' The book, which he co-authored with his wife Elizabeth Fenwick, was published in 1995.
After Dr. Fenwick passed away on November 22 at the age of 89, readers flooded with comments about their own near-death experiences following news of his death. An edited excerpt is shown below.
“I once knew a teacher who told me about her experience when her mother died. Seconds before she passed away, she suddenly said clearly: “You look so beautiful!'' And then she passed away. I did. I'm not a religious person, so I don't know if I'll have a life after this. But the story has stuck with me ever since I heard it in 1991. ” — Michelle Forest, Montreal, Quebec
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“In 1981, I was working on an offshore oil rig when a 1,000-pound metal pipe fell on my thigh, breaking my femur and severing my femoral artery. I bled to death. Emergency treatment After being rushed to the room, I lost a lot of blood, my blood pressure dropped, and my heart stopped. I went flat.
At that moment, I found myself floating above me on a hospital table. There is no pain. I looked at my injured leg and felt sorry for my body. Then, a beautiful bright light came out from the dark tunnel. It was amazing and more “real” than any memory I have. But then I realized that I had to go back and immediately woke up in severe pain. I had never heard of near-death experiences, and I was afraid to tell the story for fear of being ridiculed. But it happened. It was as “real” as life. I'm not afraid of death now. It's just another level of consciousness. ” — Jeff Sears, Norwalk, CT
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“December. In March 2003, I suddenly suffered a severe attack of pancreatitis. The pain was extreme. My wife and daughter were away for the weekend, so I drove 5 minutes by myself. I had to go to the emergency room. As I was lying on the stretcher, I saw a “light'' on the ceiling that made me think I was dead. , I realized that I was close to death. The feeling was incredibly happy. I knew it would be a loving transition into a new world. I had to make a decision—stay or leave. I hadn't finished playing with the kids, so I stayed behind. When I looked up, my 16-year-old daughter was there. ” — Elliott Hoffman, San Francisco
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“I had a near-death experience about 50 years ago, when I was in my late twenties, while hospitalized with peritonitis. I looked at my grandfather (who looked very young) and said, “What are you doing here?” I said, “I know, Grandpa.” He said, “You shouldn't be here right now.” I remember clenching my fists tightly as my body floated upwards. From that day on, I was no longer afraid of dying. ” — Emily Danies, Tucson, Arizona.
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“I'm 78 years old now, but I had a near-death experience when I was 22. I went into anaphylactic shock from a severe allergic reaction to penicillin. I couldn't walk through the tunnel, couldn't see the light, and died. I didn't have any relatives. Instead, I had an out-of-body experience. I was floating above my body in the emergency room, watching doctors and staff. I watched Tuff try to save me. It was the most peaceful I've ever felt. I told my doctor who was present how many people were working on me. I looked in disbelief until I told them where I stood, what they said, and what they did to save me.” — Marion Novak, Bronx, NY
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“I'm not a religious person. I have a science background and I believe in what Dr. Fenwick has revealed. In 1991, I hugged my grandfather, who passed away from kidney failure. He was totally convincing as we said goodbye. I felt his weak body go completely limp. But after a few seconds he sat up straight. His face became calm, his eyes bright and staring straight ahead, seemingly focused on nothing. Then he said, “Mamma!” I uttered the words. He said it in his original Italian, which I hadn't heard him use in decades. He passed by with a smile. ” — Marianne Pontillo, Philadelphia
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“I lost my wife to an asthma attack in an ambulance on the way to the emergency room in 1989. I saw her slip away within a minute or two. A few months ago, she was surprised early one morning. She said she was in a dark tunnel facing a bright white light when her deceased father appeared. He said to her, “Susan, Go home, Susan.’ It’s not your time yet. ” Her last words to me as she was loaded into the ambulance were: “We won’t make it.” Ever since that night, I have lived by her words. ” — Marvin Wilkenfeld, Newton, MA
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“I remember thinking, 'This is it. I'm dying.' I distinctly remember wishing my brother would get me a pixie. He always I wanted him to, but I never let him touch me. Then I suddenly realized that if I die I can go straight to heaven, but if I live. There are no guarantees if you choose.I remember making a strong decision that I wanted to live. When I hit the ground, my skull was fractured. ” — Judith Hanson Hume, Dallas
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Rebecca Halleck and Amisha Padnani contributed to the research.
