My first NDE happened at the age of around 13. I experienced something that I had no words for. I was taking swimming lessons at the YMCA in the town I grew up in. On that particular day, the young man who was our teacher told us we were ready to learn how to dive head first into the 10 ft side of the pool. I did not have a good feeling about this at all. I stood back and watched all the other kids in my class do this dive and they all came out of the pool just fine. But, when it came to my turn, I told the teacher I wasn’t ready for this
and I didn’t want to do it . I just had a strong sense of foreboding about doing this and I couldn’t figure out why. The teacher told me, “you will do this dive or I will throw you in”. I walked to the side of the pool to do as I was told; but, I just couldn’t bring myself to dive head first into the water. The next thing that happened was I felt his hands on me and he shoved me into the pool. I was scared and began fighting the water. I was sinking and taking a lot of water into my lungs. Finally after what seemed like hours, because time seemed to stand still, or was suspended or no longer existed, I sank to the bottom of the pool. It was very strange, I felt no pain, or fear. I just laid there on the bottom. I don’t know how it was possible, but I could see clearly my mother who was on the balcony on the opposite end of the pool and she was screaming and watching all this happening. I could see the terror and helplessness on her face. I also saw the face of a young woman lifeguard/teacher who was on the other end of the pool with younger children. I could hear other people screaming. The young woman screamed at my teacher to dive in and get me, but I could see he was frozen, stunned and frightened. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t come in and get me. Then, I looked up and saw the top of the water rippling and moving.

I saw a bright light right above me. It was moving, slowly coming towards me and I felt so warm and safe and so loved. Such deep love poured from this light. The light did not hurt my eyes, although it was very bright and beautiful. It seemed to move faster and faster the closer it came to me. The light became bigger and bigger the closer it came. It made me feel warm and protected. I felt safe and loved. I felt no pain, no fear, and no worries. In that moment, I felt such peace and surrender. I was completely enveloped by this amazing, warm light. In the background I could still hear people screaming, but the light kept coming closer and closer. I was totally embraced by the enormous love radiating from the light. This light was about to touch me when, all of a sudden, I heard what sounded like a metal door slamming shut, and I felt a sudden pain in my chest. The pain was excruciating. One of the other lifeguards had jumped into the water and was pulling me out of the pool. I was in agony, coughing and throwing up all the water I had taken into my lungs. I was so frightened. I started to shake all over uncontrollably and I felt such pain in my chest and stomach. The lifeguard pulled me to the side of the pool and I felt other hands pulling me out of the water. I was still coughing up water and I felt so confused. After a few minutes of him working with me, I began to breathe normal again. I knew I was going to be just fine. But, I was still confused about all that I had seen and felt, and that beautiful light. What was that? Where did it come from? At that young age, I had no idea what had happened to me, nor did I even know how to talk about it. I never told anyone, not even my parents about what I had experienced that day, but I did have an “inner knowing “that whatever it was, it was big, and I had been changed forever because of it. It wasn’t until I was older that I realized exactly what had happened that day and I still marvel at the beauty, warmth and deep love that came from that light.