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Silent journey: The discovery of the near-death experience of a nonverbal adolescent.

Rick Enright

Journal of Near-Death Studies 2004 DOI: 10.17514/jnds-2004-22-3-p195-208 (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Case study Case report Peer reviewed
Sample size 1
Population A boy who had a near-death experience at age 8 and was left quadriplegic and nonverbal
Topics Near-death experience
Key findings Enabling the boy to tell and have validated his near-death experience led to significant improvements in his emotional state, helped restore personal control over his life, and contributed to a peaceful and fulfilling death.

Abstract

Abstract: This article relates to the story of a boy who had a near-death experience at the age of 8, but who, because brain trauma left him quadriplegic and nonverbal, was unable to talk about his experience until I discovered it serendipitously 6 years later. Being able to tell his story and have his experience validated brought about significant changes in his emotional state, helped return personal control over his life, and ultimately led to his peaceful and fulfilling death.

Comparable studies

Other case reports and case series on near-death experience, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Near-Death Experiences in India Individuals in India who reported near-death experiences 1986 Case study n = 16
The Near-Death Experience as a Focus of Clinical Attention Patients presenting with near-death experience-related problems 1997 Case study n = 4
A prospectively studied near-death experience with corroborated out-of-body perceptions and unexplained healing. A person who had a near-death experience 2006 Case report n = 1
Verified account of near-death experience in a physician who survived cardiac arrest. A 32-year-old female physician experiencing childbirth 2020 Case study n = 1
This is your brain on death: a comparative analysis of a near-death experience and subsequent 5-Methoxy-DMT experience. An individual who had a near-death experience during a coma caused by bacterial... 2023 Case study n = 1

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