This happened to me when I was a really young little girl.

This memory is so vivid that it can only be described as a gift from God himself. I did not understand what had happened to me and this memory has been living inside of me as a mystery up until i saw a video about NDE experiences. I remember a story about a lady who said the "voice" came through my head because everything was communicated telepathically. I realized that the mystery behind the man who helped me from drowning was not just an over-active 5-year-old imagination. I can't even imagine a 5-year-old coming up with this in the first place.

I woke up early in the morning when my mother and little brother (3 years old) were still asleep. I was around 5 years old. I had this strong desire to go swimming. I left our apartment and headed for the apartment pool. Back in the 1970's it was not mandated that pools should have gates. The pool was open to just jump on in. I proceeded to get into the pool. My mom would always say to stay on the shallow side because she did not know how to swim so we usually were stuck to play by the stairs of the shallow side. I decided to hold onto the walls of the pool and circle around towards the deep end of the pool. When I reached the deep side of the pool, I let go and I sank to the bottom. I clearly did not know what I was supposed to do. I was standing underwater at the deep end. I looked at the pool drain, and then I looked up. I could see the reflection of the buildings around me and they were bright white, more bright than I would call normal. Then all of a sudden, thru the top of my head a "voice" came to me. I could not see anything or who this voice was, except that I did not feel alone. A presence was with me. It said to me, "Mary Jo, I need you to jump. Can you do this for me? Come on, jump. Follow me and jump. I kept jumping and following this voice. I cannot determine the length of time this was happening. It just kept encouraging me in a loving voice to follow him and to keep jumping. As I was jumping, I noticed that I was heading towards the stairs of the shallow side. I kept jumping until my head would momentarily pop out and I was able to get air. By the time I got to the stairs of the pool, the male voice that was loving and nurturing said in a stern voice, like a father to a child, "NOW GO HOME!" I remember feeling a little hurt because I just got yelled at by something and I could not even comprehend what the heck happened in the first place.  And this is all I remember, as clear as day. This memory stays with me.

After this happened, I put this in the back of my mind because I never understood it. I just would say to myself that it was me that saved myself. But in my heart I just didn't know what an NDE experience was until I starting watching the IANDS videos on YouTube. I made the mistake of telling a Christian Sister and she looked at me like i was lying, so I never said anything again until now.