Darren’s Near-Death Experience

My Interview with Darren after his life changing event

Darren asks “How do you describe perfect.” Darren found himself in the “perfect” place, or lack thereof after collapsing at home. Let me tell you about Darren. I’ve been acquainted with him for over 8 years. He was a slender, white-haired man in his early 60’s. He was a quick moving, helpful, dedicated worker a at big box store. If he didn’t know, he’d find out, he seemingly was everywhere at once. All co-workers liked him, all customers knew him. He’s a genuine, helpful, gentle man.

I hadn’t see him for months on end, and you know how it is, you get busy with your own life and you forget. I forgot until I happened to see Darren almost a year later, at the big box store on a motorized cart. He had gained weight substantially, so I almost didn’t recognize him. I was caught off guard and thankfully Darren volunteered about his ordeal. ”I died almost a year ago and had to learn how to walk and talk again.” I was astounded, he went on – “I had something happen while I was dead, everyone here knows about it.” He agreed to make sometime a few weeks later, to tell me his story in detail.

His Story begins mid-pandemic. He wore many hats at the big box store – and he was enlisted to clean the floors with a sterilizing solution. He had a sinus reaction, and after struggling at work, he finally had to go home early. He went home, sat in his comfortable chair – and collapsed. His wife found him unresponsive and called 911.

Darren was on a ventilator for 12 days. Unbeknownst to him, he had a brain deformity, a fluke which caused a stemic stroke, no bleeding. He was induced into a coma, and due to his sinus blockage, a feeding port was put into his stomach.

Darren is not a believer in God. He hopes there is a God. Nor is he familiar with near-death experiences. ”Someone told me that what they are called.” Darren found himself in total darkness. A black place. He couldn’t see or hear anyone or thing. Time does not exist there. It was infinite. ”It was perfect. Peaceful. Love. No need for anything.” Darren continues;” Felt a presence, felt everything was all good. There was no fear. I didn’t even care about my wife or family – they’ll be fine.” Amazed still as he recounts what happened, “No questions – no stress, just peaceful.”

Darren’s a real worker and on the side, he installed carpet with his friend. His friend was diagnosed with rectal cancer. He went through chemo/radiation, and he felt okay. But his doctors wanted surgery. In Darren’s experience, if the doctors don’t get it all – it spreads. His buddy went through the surgery. Later on a carpet job, his friend told him he didn’t feel well. Darren told him to go, he’ll finish. The next morning he called him. His daughter answered and told Darren he’d passed. He was 59. Darren was shocked. In the darkness (I called it the void) Darren knew he was there with him. He felt his mother (who died at 94) and others, but couldn’t see them. No one spoke. ”It was contentment.”

When Darren awoke – he was fighting the staff, he was so angry to be removed from the “perfect” place he had to be restrained. Initially, all memory was lost upon waking, but it came flooding back to him once he got his bearings. Hospital doctors and staff were dismissive about his ordeal. They insisted it was drug induced. The VA doctors listened. His therapist listened, too. He told everyone who’d listen at the hospital. They said all scans/monitors looked fine. They couldn’t place him as clinically dead.

Gradually he had to learn all of his motor skills again. It took one week before rising from bed. Two weeks before swallowing. Three months on a feeding port. Months going to a speech therapist. He ate ice cream through a feeding tube. All of his food came in boxes from Nestle. He had ordeals with the local VA hospital yanking his tube which released air.

What He’s learned. This has changed his perspective. “Money means nothing.” Everything in modesty, temperance. His mother was a RN. “She smoked two packs of cigarettes a day. She died at 94. She said many times that people choose how they will die. Let them pass either easy or hard.”

Darren has contemplated his experience extensively. He’s not afraid of death, he knows what’s coming. He believes in reincarnation. “Everything is matter. It doesn’t die.” He promised me that when the real time comes, he’ll think of God and look for a light. ”I’ll promise I’ll think about it.”