The internet is a treasure trove of wild stories, and some of the most mind-bending ones come from people who’ve had brushes with death. I recently fell into a Reddit rabbit hole reading about folks who were technically dead for a bit but then came back to life. It’s crazy to think about, right?
These people were gone for a few minutes (or sometimes longer) and then just… came back. Their stories about what they experienced during that time are seriously spooky. Some are oddly peaceful, others are straight-up terrifying, but they’re all incredibly fascinating. In this list, I’m sharing some of the creepiest tales I found from these “back from the dead” experiences.
The Lottery-Winning Crush
Reddit User @rayrayrayray described their experience as “Overwhelming peace and happiness. A bright airy and floating feeling.” They compared it to finding out your crush likes you back and winning the lottery on the same day. They added, “I never feared death afterward and am relieved when I hear of people dying after suffering with an illness.”
The Peaceful Heart Monitor
@PeachesnPain shared their dad’s experience during a heart attack. “He said he felt an overwhelming sensation of peace, like nothing he had felt before.” The dad even kept the paper copy of the heart monitor showing he flatlined as proof. This tangible evidence of his brush with death seems to have made the experience even more impactful for him and his family.
The Freeway Drive
@sfmxkitty’s dad died for a couple of minutes in 2015. He described his experience: “He said he was driving his truck on the freeway, no traffic, just cruising.” When he passed away five years later, @sfmxkitty told him, “It was okay to go and to just drive his truck.” The consistency of the freeway image suggests a peaceful transition both times.
The Terrifying Visitors
@1-cupcake-at-a-time, an ICU nurse, shared a chilling story about a patient whose heart stopped. When he briefly came back, he screamed, “Don’t let them take me, don’t let them take me, they are coming.” He then gestured towards the end of the bed, yelled “No, no,” and died again. The nurse added that when they called the patient’s son with the news, he simply said, “Good, he was a SOB,” adding another layer of complexity to this unsettling story.
The Colorful Curtain
@Hannah_LL7’s sister described her death as “extremely peaceful.” She said, “It was very loud like a train station, and lots of talking and she was stuck at this area that was like a curtain with lots of beautiful colors (colors that you don’t see in real life according to her).” A man told her to go back as it wasn’t her time. The vivid description of colors not seen in real life adds an intriguing element to this otherworldly experience.
The Grandmother’s Message
@Inevitable-Land7614 shared a brief but intriguing experience: “My grandmother (who none of us ever knew…she died in 1930). She told me to go back. I was in a coma for 2 weeks.” The brevity of this account leaves much to the imagination, raising questions about the nature of consciousness during comas. Interestingly, they encountered a family member they had never met in life.
The Muffled Voices
@Hot-Refrigerator6583’s spouse was dead for a couple of minutes. They “maintains that she saw nothing, but only heard people talking about her like through a wall.” The only clear memory was “begging an ER nurse that she didn’t want to die.” Despite the frightening experience, the user notes that their spouse is “quite alive and well today.” This account highlights the varied nature of near-death experiences, with some being more auditory than visual.
The Angry Howling Wind
@GrittyKerosene described hearing “a voice that sounded at best description ‘like a really angry howling wind’ yelling at me that it wasn’t my time yet.” The user adds, “I can still hear it like it happened yesterday,” emphasizing the lasting impact of the experience. This account stands out for its intense and somewhat threatening nature, contrasting with more peaceful experiences.
The Pioneer Grandmother
@Fluffy-Hotel-5184 shared a detailed experience: “I was in a gray fog with a girl who looked a lot like a young version of my grandmother (who was still alive) but dressed like a pioneer in the 1800s.” The figure kept pulling them towards an opening in the wall. The user resisted due to feeling tired but eventually gave in, which is when they regained consciousness. They later learned they had been clinically dead for at least 12 minutes during a complicated C-section.
Also read: 15 Thoughtful Responses to Offer When Someone is Grieving
The Deep Hole
@Admirable_Buyer6528 described their near-death experience during electrocution: “I felt like I was in a deep hole looking straight up in the sky. My life flashed before me. Felt sad for my family, but I had a deep sense of peace.” This account combines several common elements of near-death experiences: the life review, concern for loved ones, and a feeling of peace. The image of being in a deep hole adds a unique spatial dimension to the experience.
The Warm Darkness
@TooReDTooHigh shared their experience during heart surgery: “I just saw black and nothing else but it was warm and I had such inner peace, it’s weird as I sometimes still think about it and wish this feeling of being so light and free again.” They acknowledge the possibility that the experience could have been caused by morphine. This account is notable for the lasting positive impression it left, with the user occasionally longing to feel that peace again.
The Cosmic Flight
@General_Bronobi described what they believe was a dream during brain surgery: “I was able to walk around the operating room and then decided to fly into the cosmos. My only concern was leaving my fiancé and child behind.” This experience combines elements of out-of-body experiences with cosmic exploration. The concern for family adds a poignant touch to this otherworldly journey.
The Three Deaths
@Possible-Sugar-31 reported dying three times in three hours, each time landing somewhere different. They said, “All 3 times was very different, very ‘real’ and seemed to last a while.” The experience “changed my whole perspective.” The user provides specific details about the duration of each clinical death: 24 seconds, 39 seconds, and 70 seconds. This unique account of multiple near-death experiences in quick succession offers an intriguing comparison of different possible afterlife scenarios.
Canada’s Most Culturally Diverse Cities
Canada’s Most Culturally Diverse Cities
Here Are 18 Reasons Millennials Envy The Boomer Generation
Here Are 18 Reasons Millennials Envy The Boomer Generation
10 Practical Ways To Remove Food Odors From Your Clothes
