What happens to consciousness after human death is perhaps one of the most profound mysteries in human history. Over thousands of years, different cultures and belief systems have offered various answers, ranging from concepts of heaven and hell to reincarnation and the existence of ghosts.
Thinking about death naturally evokes fear, unless one holds a firm belief in an afterlife. However, the experiences of those who appear to have come to the brink of death and then miraculously returned often provide compelling perspectives, sometimes even transforming these individuals into fervent believers that life continues beyond the final breath.
One of the most astonishing cases comes from Tina Hines of Arizona. Her life changed irreversibly in February 2018. On the twelfth day of that month, Tina was hiking with her husband Brian when she suffered a heart attack and nearly died, collapsing on her driveway.
At that critical moment, Brian acted quickly, performing CPR on his wife while calling for emergency services. Paramedics arrived quickly and took over the rescue efforts.
Brian later learned just how extraordinary these efforts had been. According to reports, emergency responders successfully revived Tina multiple times before finally connecting her to a defibrillator. It is believed that Tina was clinically dead for approximately 27 minutes.
After a long and agonizing wait, Tina was finally stabilized and intubated. When she regained consciousness, she defied the conventional expectations of trauma and fear.
Rather than the shock, disbelief, or fear that others might have anticipated, Tina’s first reaction upon regaining consciousness was to request a pen and paper. She had urgent messages she needed to convey to her loved ones.
With barely legible handwriting, Tina managed to write a short yet powerful message. This note became a crucial clue in her extraordinary journey.
Her husband, Brian, recalled the moment she began writing. He said, “She just started scribbling on the paper. I couldn’t make out what she was writing, and I was trembling all over.” He added, “I stared at her intently, holding the book tightly, afraid it would fall.”
Family members gathered around, trying to decipher the mysterious letters. It seemed she had written, “This is real.” At first, everyone was confused by her meaning. Brian recalled, “‘This is real?’ I asked. ‘Is it the pain? Or the hospital?’ She nodded slowly, her eyes closed, completely releasing her emotions.”
But Tina’s daughter offered another interpretation, asking, “Heaven?” Tina’s response was a simple yet powerful nod, confirming that “real” for her was heaven. To further clarify, Tina even pointed upward, reinforcing her belief that heaven was a tangible reality she had just experienced.
Like many people who have had a near-death experience (NDE), Tina shared that the moment profoundly changed her life. Her experience was so profound that she decided to write a book about it.
The book was published in 2021 and is titled “Heaven… It’s Real: How Death Changes Life.” The title itself reflects the core message Tina felt compelled to share with the world after her near-death experience.
In an interview with AZfamily.com, Tina described the visions she saw while in a state of clinical death. She said, “It was all so real, the colors were so vivid,” and mentioned seeing what she believed to be the figure of Jesus.
Further elaborating on the feelings of that state, Tina told the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), “The incredible peace and rest I experienced was Jesus standing there with his arms open.” She also noted that behind Jesus “there was an astonishing light.”
The profound sense of rest and peacefulness stands in stark contrast to the trauma of a heart attack and clinical death, highlighting the unique nature of her perceived journey to the ‘other side’. The vibrancy of the colours she described adds another layer to the sensory details of her account.
Her book, “Heaven… It’s Real: How Dying Changes Living,” provides further insight into how this near-death experience has shaped her perspective and daily life. The book’s description outlines its purpose and content, positioning it as a message of hope for the fearful and comfort for those grieving loved ones.
The description notes that the book contains “honest insights about her shortcomings,” revealing how her experience is actively helping her to change and grow. It delves into the practical challenges of everyday life, offering advice on issues such as fear, anxiety, depression, priorities, and relationships.
Paired with Scripture and biblical teaching for each day’s devotion, the book also includes room for readers to journal in response to devotional questions. It appears to be a comprehensive guide rooted in her extraordinary experience, aimed at inspiring and comforting others.
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Tina’s extraordinary survival experience and her subsequent account are part of a broader phenomenon that has long captivated human curiosity: near-death experiences. Similar accounts have been reported by individuals who spent time in a clinically dead state, though the specific details vary widely, and such cases are not entirely uncommon.
The concept of near-death experiences has captivated us for years, sparking personal reflection and scientific exploration. Researchers have sought to understand what people actually experience during these states.
In 2013, researchers at the University of Michigan conducted a groundbreaking study. They aimed to investigate changes in brain activity before and after clinical death to uncover the physiological mechanisms underlying these experiences.
Their findings were quite surprising and challenged some previous assumptions. The study found that the brain was more active in the moments before death than in most other conscious states.
Dr. Gimo Borgikin, one of the researchers at the University of Michigan, commented on the findings. She said, “Many people believe that the brain is inactive or less active after clinical death, with activity levels lower than when awake, but our study clearly shows that this is not the case.”
In addition to typical near-death experiences, there are some rarer medical phenomena associated with resuscitation after clinical death. One of the most astonishing phenomena is known as the “Lazarus syndrome.”
Lazarus Syndrome refers to the phenomenon where, after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) attempts have been concluded and the patient has been declared clinically dead, their blood circulation or heart activity suddenly resumes. This is an extremely rare occurrence.
Among these extraordinary cases of recovery, the experience of Velma Thomas, a woman from Virginia, stands out. In 2008, Velma was rushed to the hospital after suffering a sudden fatal heart attack.
She subsequently suffered another heart attack, was transferred to the intensive care unit, and placed on life support. During this critical period, Velma’s heart stopped beating three times.
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After her heart stopped functioning and doctors detected no brain activity, Velma was declared clinically dead. Remarkably, she remained in this state for a full 17 hours.
What happened next defied medical expectations and was hailed by doctors as a “miracle.” Just 10 minutes after life support was turned off, as doctors were preparing to remove her organs for donation, Velma miraculously regained consciousness.
Upon waking, Velma’s first request was to see her son, Tim. Her sudden recovery of consciousness after such an extended period of clinical death makes her case particularly significant, with reports suggesting she may have set a new record for the longest recovery from clinical death.
The term “Lazarus syndrome” itself has deep religious roots, originating from the account of Lazarus in the Gospel of John in the New Testament. Lazarus was a man from Bethany who was raised from the dead by Jesus Christ in the Gospel of John.
Healthline notes that this syndrome is considered “extremely rare” and typically occurs only after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). They also discuss potential medical explanations for the phenomenon.
According to Healthline, “Many doctors believe that air retention caused by excessive ventilation during CPR is the most likely cause.” This provides a potential physiological mechanism for the spontaneous restoration of circulation.
Given the possibility of Lazarus syndrome, doctors are advised to take preventive measures. Healthline notes that doctors can avoid prematurely declaring death by “observing the patient for at least 10 minutes after CPR is stopped.” This observation period accounts for the extremely low likelihood of spontaneous recovery.
The experiences of individuals like Tina Hines and Velma Thomas serve as powerful testimonies to the enduring mysteries surrounding death and consciousness. While science continues to explore the underlying physiological mechanisms, these personal accounts offer glimpses into realities that transcend our current understanding.
When we reflect on these stories of survival in desperate circumstances and the extraordinary perspectives and experiences they contain, we cannot help but feel awe and admiration. As profound and personal reflections, these stories point directly to humanity’s age-old questions about the nature of existence and its potential continuity, and are deeply inspiring.
Related posts:
Woman left spine chilling message about what she saw after being ‘dead’ for 27 minutes
Woman who died for nearly 30 minutes reveals what she saw on the other side that ‘was so real’
‘Lazarus syndrome’ explained after woman who was clinically dead for 17 hours woke up suddenly with one emotional request
