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| According
to the Gallup Organization and near-death research
studies, more than 13 million adults in the United
States have had near-death experiences. Add children’s
encounters and the figure is much higher. |
The 8-year-old boy had just undergone open-heart surgery
and, for one brief instant, his heart stopped beating.
The boy later claimed he had a near-death experience.
He told his family and caregivers about the beautiful
journey he had taken toward a bright light.
Even more startling were his vivid descriptions of
relatives long deceased. He recited the names of relatives
he had met during his encounter who had died long before
he was born. He recounted how they died and where they
were buried.
“It’s hard to dispute such incredible claims
from a child,” Diane Corcoran, Ph.D., RN, of Durham,
N.C., said. “How can an 8-year-old provide such
comprehensive information about deceased relatives,
revealing details unknown even to his family?”
Corcoran is one of several nurses around the world
studying the phenomenon of near-death experiences. Over
the years, many medical professionals have tried to
discount these encounters as hallucinations brought
on by changes in the dying brain or side effects from
anesthesia, yet questions remain. How can a patient
who has flat-lined hallucinate? How does a patient undergoing
open-heart surgery recount verbatim the conversations
and actions that took place in the operating room?
According to the Gallup Organization and near-death
research studies, more than 13 million adults in the
United States have experienced NDEs. Add children’s
encounters and all experiences worldwide, and the figure
is much higher. Although each experience is unique,
many commonalities have been recorded. Patients report
out-of-body experiences, traveling toward a bright light,
seeing and communicating with deceased family and friends,
and feeling unconditional love. After their encounters,
they no longer are afraid to die.
“These experiences have a profound, life-changing
effect on patients,” Corcoran said. “Patients
who have these encounters need to share this knowledge
with their caregivers and family members without fearing
that others will label them as crazy.”
Corcoran’s interest in near-death encounters
began almost 30 years ago while she was serving as a
nurse in Vietnam.
“I remember one soldier in particular who had
his arm blown off in combat and had a near-death experience,”
Corcoran said. “At the time, we didn’t have
the knowledge we have today about these encounters,
so I could only offer him someone to talk with.”
Another patient, who had a NDE during the Cuban missile
crisis, told Corcoran that he tried to talk to nurses
about his experience, but was sedated and sent to see
a psychiatrist.
According to Corcoran, NDEs are common among soldiers
in combat. She fears for the troops in Iraq, and worries
that the after-effects of their encounters could prove
problematic if they aren’t appropriately addressed.
“One of the common side effects among soldiers
who experience NDEs is they abhor violence after their
experience,” Corcoran said. “I worry about
the service members who are thousands of miles from
home, have an NDE and don’t have access to health
care professionals who can understand or validate their
experience.”
Corcoran’s interest led to her affiliation with
the International Association for Near-Death Studies,
where she served on the board of directors for many
years and just completed a six-year term as president.
Founded in 1978 to research and address NDEs, the association
provides education and support to patients who have
had near-death experiences, as well as to medical professionals.
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