On January 23, 2008, a local paper in upstate New York, The Daily Star, published a fascinating story about the case of Dr. Tony Cicoria, a respected surgeon who was hit by lightning in 1994 and had an NDE that included an out-of-body experience. After recovering from his near-death experience, Dr. Cicoria returned to his medical practice and everything seemed back to normal.

Suddenly, six weeks after the incident, he had an insatiable desire to listen to piano music, followed by an overwhelming passion to play and compose music, a skill he did not have before. Eventually this led to his playing Chopin and composing his own classical works. Music has remained his true, all consuming passion in life.

You can read about this very unique aftermath to an NDE at http://www.thedailystar.com/local/local_story_023040035.html . It is interesting to contemplate what the ramifications of this might be for inspiration, creativity and genius.

Dr. Cicoria also was the subject of an article in the July 23, 2007 issue of The New Yorker magazine authored by famed neurologist Dr. Oliver Sacks (author of the book Awakenings upon which the movie of the same name was based). Titled "A Bolt From the Blue: The Mysteries of Musicophilia," the article is not available for free online but you can read an abstract at http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/07/23/070723fa_fact_sacks .