In a recent video interview, pioneer cardiac surgeon Dr. Lloyd Rudy tells the story of a patient who came back to life after being declared dead, and what he told him. After emergency heart surgery, the patient could not be resuscitated and the doctors turned off the bypass equipment. For at least 20 minutes the patient had no heart beat or blood pressure. However, the patient's heart slowly started up on its own and the patient was revived. He reported an NDE with remarkable veridical (real and verified) perceptions of the persons present and unusual details of the operating room, during the time he had no heart beat or blood pressure. Several NDE researchers are looking into this case.

Dr. Rudy recounts a second story of a patient whose bleeding during surgery miraculously stopped when a "presence" was felt in the room.