It wasn't until I was listening to a podcast of the Coast to Coast interview with Diane Corcoran that I realized that a profound experience I had at age four was actually a near death experience. When I was four, I became quite ill.

I am not sure what it was because in all of the years since then, my mother has only spoken with me once about my illness. She only said that the doctors had no idea what was wrong with me, and that I almost died, but then quickly recovered.

I remember being in bed and watching the ceiling, thinking that I could walk on it if I wanted to, when I was suddenly in another realm standing there with several (what I thought were) angels. They all looked at me with such love and kindness. I had never experienced such love, and at once I felt totally safe and cared for. They explained that some very important aspects of my life had changed, something that I had not signed up for. I had the choice to stay with them and leave this life, or stay and continue on, even though it would be very challenging at times. The most difficult part of this to explain, is that when I was there with the angels, my thinking skills were not those of a four year old, and that even 55 years later I remember with exact detail what I was thinking. Somehow I understood exactly what they were telling me.

I thought of my sister, whom I have always loved dearly, and decided that no matter how hard life would be, that I wanted to return and stay with her. Then just as suddenly, I was back in my bed and wondering why my room felt so dark. But then I quickly got better, and was back to being a normal kid, except that I was (and still am) far more sensitive than anyone else I knew.

I became quite psychic in knowing what was going to happen, and how everyone else was feeling. I also became hyper sensitive to world events. I was very concerned about equality for all beings, and always wanted to help others in any way that I could. Being that my experience happened when I was so young, I don't know if I would have been like this anyway, or if it changed me.

I do know that I have never had a fear of death since then. At age 23 I was almost in a horrific car accident. I looked up and realized that in seconds I would be dead, and all I felt was complete calm and warmth. Through what I call an act-of-God, I was spared in the last split second from that accident, but I left it knowing that I have absolutely no fear of death.

Thank you so very much for this opportunity to tell my story.