When I was seven years old, I developed a high fever and had to stay home from school.

My father worked afternoons, and my mother — who rarely if ever missed a day of work — worked during the day. So, as I lay in my bed with a severe fever my older sister, who was 10 years older than me, attended my needs.

I remember my sister placing a cool cloth on my forehead. At some point, I began to feel the bed spinning in circles, which was an obvious symptom of the fever. However, soon thereafter, I felt my spirit lift from my body and come face to face with a male presence that glowed brightly.

The presence didn’t speak and he sat in a large glowing throne. Although he had no features I could see that he was masculine and wore a long white gown. His feet were bare and he seemed to have long white hair and a long white beard— although I could not clearly see this because he appeared to be glowing. Yet, I had a strong sense of his appearance. Beside him was a large glowing bucket that contained more glowing power. Silently, he reached down and picked up a ball of energy and hurled it towards me. I remember clearly saying to my sister that I would now be fine “because Jesus was giving me power to make me better.”

Soon thereafter, a curtain appeared before me, or rather a roller blind with a string and ball to lift it. As it lifted another male figure appeared in front of me. This time I could see him clearly. He was someone that I didn’t know, yet he smiled at me lovingly. In his arms and on his shoulders sat dozens of small babies or cherubs. He pointed at me, and they all seemed very interested to see me. I remember wondering who he was and who the children were. Eventually, he pulled the blind down and they all disappeared. On a side note: Days or weeks later, after recovering, I found what appeared to be a marble-sized bulge on the wall where I had seen the string and ball hanging from the blind. It had never been there before but only appeared after my NDE.  

After the man and cherubs disappeared behind the blind I found myself floating outside of the window in my bedroom. What I saw before me was a world that was completely destroyed as if from a nuclear bomb. Everything was burnt and lay in rubble. Suddenly, a large crucifix raised from the rubble with Jesus on the cross. The crucifix and Jesus stood miles high.

After a moment the crucifix sunk into the ground. Soon thereafter, the world began to replenish and grow. Trees began to bloom and everything turned green before my eyes. Even monkeys appeared and swung from the trees. And that’s all I remembered.

I was later told that during this time, my mother was called home from work and I was taken to the hospital. I have no recollection of the trip or the time I spent there. And I can’t say for sure if the images I saw happened during the time I was at the hospital or in my bed.

It took me years to try to figure out what the images were that I saw. Only recently did I realize that rather than seeing dooms day, I was more likely given the message that life as we know it is cyclical. I’ve often wondered if the time will come when humans will completely destroy the earth. And then through divine intervention it will all begin again.