This paranormal experience was submitted by Janie:
I was 9 years old and attending my uncle’s wedding in Texas with my family. The evening we arrived, we met up with other family members at the hotel pool.
I was just 3 feet back, from the edge of the pool near the deep end, when all of a sudden my cousin pushed me in. I hit my big toe on the concrete edge of the pool and then I hit the water.
I remember feeling sheer terror and was fighting to keep my head above the water. Then I stopped fighting and found myself standing on the bottom of the swimming pool, totally calm and peaceful, looking up at my sister who was reaching out for me with this look of horror and panic on her face.
My brother was there as well, yelling at me, but I could not hear their voices. I could only see their frightened faces looking at me.
I had no sensation of fear. I was watching them and felt sorry that they were sad.
Then suddenly I didn’t have sight of the world anymore. They were gone, I was gone, and I was in this warm bright light that made me feel like I was being pulled up. It surrounded me and protected me, at least that’s how it felt. It was like a tunnel, which I know sounds cliché, but that’s exactly what it felt like.
During this time I experienced a feeling of absolute peace and great joy. I can barely describe it, but I have never forgotten how profound the feelings were.
The next thing I know, I’m standing in this area that felt like a room but it didn’t have any walls, doors, or a ceiling. It was just all white-grey in color and I couldn’t tell you if there was even a floor.
I didn’t have the sensation of having a physical body. I wasn’t feeling wet from the pool, but i felt like I was walking forward and I looked around at my surroundings like anyone might.
I walked a little further into the large open area and stopped because I was unsure what to do. I looked around and I could see something but didn’t quite know what it was. There was a large, tall, stone-like chair facing away from me with someone sitting in it. Next to the chair was a very tall, light colored individual.
Just then, very strongly, I felt or heard, “You shouldn’t be here, go back.” This voice was without sound, but it felt very stern.
Then in that instant, and completely void of the sensations of being pulled, I was back in the pool on top of the water, fighting and screaming.
My brother dove in and pulled me to the edge. I told my sister I saw her when I was standing on the bottom of the pool, and I told her what I saw her doing. She told me that my head never went under the water and that I was fighting so hard I looked like a duck trying to fly off a pond.
Once I was out of the pool I realized that my big toe was broken and that no one believed a single word of my story.
Afterwards, I didn’t speak of it again until I was a mature adult, and only with others who have experienced a similar event.
Erin’s Comments:
Janie, this is a classic near death experience. You were probably out of your body standing on the bottom of the pool. During times of trauma and life or death situations, sometimes the soul pops out of the body. People often report not being in their body at the time of death.
Once you got to the other side, a very wise being sent you back. That is also a common theme in near death experiences.
I’m glad you made it back and had a chance to share your tale.
