I feel it is pertinent to mention some of my background before telling about my NDE. I feel, (know if you will) that all of this that I am about to share is inter-related.

I became a Christian, accepted Jesus Christ as my Saviour around the age of 10 or 11. It was an incredibly emotional experience. A little while after being saved, I experienced the Baptism of the Holy Spirit while asleep at the side of my grandmother's bed (witnessed by my grandmother and confirmed by my own realization). The overwehlming peace and love that I experienced in my Holy Spirit baptism experience was almost identical to my NDE.
After this baptism experience I gradually moved away from the distance I maintained from others, seeking more and more acceptance from my peers.

I had a resurgence of closeness and desire for God around the age of 17 that was smothered eventually by a sexual affair.

I was preparing to move in with my girlfriend, but having secretly prayed that God would deliver me from the situation either through marriage or by some other means. We were going to her house to pick up her belongings so she could move in with me. We were rear ended by a large pick up truck at a high rate of speed.

I was knocked unconscious for an undetermined amount of time. Although now it seems like a vague memory, yet still very much a reality, I saw/felt a place. It was a light very similar to many of the drawings I have seen before. There were people emanating love to me. I wanted to go where they were, but I was viewing the place from a distance. I realize now that I was physically fine and that I could not go there at that time because my body was still in good shape and I was okay with that.

I began to become conscious and I did not know where I was. For a split second I felt like I did not even know who I was. I did not know what had happened. The incredible peace I had been feeling began to turn and I became upset as I realized there was some sort of car accident. I began to cry because I was afraid that I had hurt someone.

I began sobbing saying, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" but was informed that the wreck was not my fault. I then felt desperate to know if everyone was alright. After I was assured that everyone was okay. I insisted that I be allowed to see my girlfriend (who is now my wife). She was incredibly distraught and I reassured her that I was okay.

After seeing and reassuring her everything became quite care free for me. I began joking with the ambulance driver which I think he found somewhat disturbing...thinking I might have possibly lost it.

I was admitted to the hospital and at one point I remember trying to joke with one of the nurses, pretending that I was dying. At the time I found it to be quite funny. As if she were making a big deal out of death and I was trying to convey to her that it was not something to be upset about. It was at that moment that I began to realize how I was acting and decided not to allow myself to cause her or anyone else discomfort.

I was diagnosed with a concussion. I had lost about two weeks of my memory prior to the wreck and the wreck itself. The memories slowly came back over a long period of time. Now I can remember all the way to about five minutes before the wreck.

I never really thought about sharing this experience until I visited IANDS.org and realized that people would not think I was crazy for saying that I had a near-death experience even though I was never actually dead.

I found it interesting that I have exibited and still embrace many of the qualities that are after effects listed in the aftereffects section of the Web site.

I am still very much a Pentecostal believing Christian. The experience reminded me of my initial Pentecostal experience that is described above.