This took place when I was 39. I mention my age as it becomes important later.

In late July 2010, our family was gathered at my father’s house for my sister and her family’s going-away party. Her Air Force husband was being stationed in England and my sister and the kids were just finishing up a month-long visit home before heading overseas. As you can imagine there was a pretty good party going and the alcohol was flowing freely.

The next-door neighbors [who weren’t home at the time] had a trampoline with a net. I’ve always loved trampolines and we made the decision to go over and have a jump. It wasn’t exceptionally large but we somehow managed to cram 7 adults-myself included-and my niece on to it. Most folks stayed over at the party but we had a few spectators. I am going to mention one of the adults jumping, my uncle Dan by name as he is important in this story and the one I will immediately follow up with. He was my step-uncle and we were only 5 years apart in age. His wife Debbie was one of the people watching.

Now picture 6 adults and one kid jumping-this became a game of 'Popcorn'. One person [or a few depending on the size of the trampoline] is curled in a ball holding their legs while everyone else jumps-and because I wasn’t fast enough I became the popcorn. While this was fun I really wanted to be on my feet. I stood up and triumphantly announced I was up! They took that as a challenge and everyone else jumped into the air and came down on the trampoline at the same time, except for me-and since I knew I wasn’t going to land back on my feet and partially because of the limited space, I curled back into a ball and felt myself being propelled at a high rate of speed at the net. No worries, I told myself-the net will bounce me right back and I can have another go.

That is NOT what happened.

It was at this point time that time slowed, almost stopping completely. I heard the sound of the net ripping and knew I was going out, but oddly everything else was silent. As I did a somersault through the air I knew it wasn’t going to end well and I was amazed at all the time I had to think: I was glad I didn’t hit Debbie on the way out; I saw mentally saw the faces of my husband and children and was extremely sad that I would not be seeing them again. There was a brief instance of different things in my life 'flashing before my eyes' but it was too quick to comprehend. I knew the way I was flying that I would be landing on the top of my head, crushing my cervical vertebrae-either it would result in me being a quadriplegic or dying on impact.

In the fraction of a second left before I landed I heard a Voice. It seemed loud to me because it was coming from the inside of my head, from the middle. It simply said 'THROW YOUR LEGS OUT' and there was no disobeying it-I did so immediately and managed to land on the back right side of my neck/shoulder. I laid there for a minute assessing the situation, making sure I could feel my extremities. Uncle Dan yelled my name and ran over to me-when I opened my eyes he gave a huge sigh of relief, telling me he thought I was dead. I didn’t ask if anyone there told me to throw my legs out, because I’d heard that Voice once before when it told me who I was and more importantly WHAT I was. While it seemed loud, it wasn’t a yell; there was no gender inflection either. I’ve heard it once more since then, but that’s not a tale for now-probably not ever.

As a once-practicing Wiccan I worked hard to develop what most people consider 'supernatural' senses: knowing who’s on the other end of the phone without looking; being aware that a car was going to run the red light in front of me-things of that nature. I had had a premonition years before this that I would die before my 40th birthday. And before this event I’ve heard and/or felt my loved ones as they pass, but I received the best gift of all from Uncle Dan.

In February 2015 Dan was diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic cancer. Between treatments and a strong will to live, managed another year before passing in February 2016. The number of friends he had was a testament to his warm and loving personality. Dan never seemed to have a bad day nor did he speak ill of anyone. He was the party planner and truly enjoyed bringing people together for a good time.

We visited Dan on a Sunday about a week before he died [this is late January], and I told my mother to have my sister come sooner if she could [she is now living in Colorado] because time was short. I hadn’t meant for Debbie to find this out but my mom told her what I’d said-and naturally she wanted to know how I knew when Dan was leaving us. To me, it was simple: he’d already started the disassociation from life…I could see it in his face.

I went to see him on my own the following Saturday, and he was now in hospice. Dan was in and out of consciousness, due to the heavy painkillers he was on. I hadn’t been able to tell him I loved him on my previous visit and I did so now, also saying that he didn’t have to be afraid, everything would be ok and he was going to be in very good hands. He whispered that he loved me back. I am glad I went and told him, and didn’t miss the opportunity.

Due to previous long-term health issues that went undiagnosed for many years, I had developed [what I fear is a life-long] chemical imbalance that causes major depressive episodes. On Wednesday the 3rd, I was standing in the shower bawling. I knew this was the day Danny was going to die…but then a wonderful thing happened: he died. Not only did he die, but he/his spirit passed through me. Not fast, not slow but long enough for me to feel an overwhelming sense of peace and love. 'Utter' is the spoken word that comes closest but is still falls so short of the emotion. In exchange for reassuring him at the end, he had now come to me during his new beginning to reassure me and show me what waited. I am profoundly grateful for that brief but amazing feeling. I am permanently disabled from the fall, having one cervical vertebrae that was twisted and jammed into place, pressing on my spinal cord. Subsequent surgery (and another spectacular fall, would you believe it) helped but there is major nerve damage. Despite this I have no fear going forward-after this experience and reading through so many of the stories on this site I know that no matter what happens everything is as it is meant to be.

At the time of your experience was there an associated life-threatening event?   Yes  I was launched from a trampoline at a high rate of speed and was going to land on the top of my head.

Was the experience difficult to express in words?  No    

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness?           When I realized that the net wasn't going to hold.

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness?      More consciousness and alertness than normal   Time slowed, so much it seemed like it stopped even as I was in motion

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience.   No changes in vision

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience.   I was hyper-aware of the sound of the net ripping-beyond that there was no other noise. Everything else had gone silent as if it didn't exist.

Did you see or hear any earthly events that were occurring during a time that your consciousness / awareness was apart from your physical / earthly body?   Yes   I heard a Voice. It has to be capitalized. It seemed to come from the center of my brain. I also want to clarify the separation from my body: it was there, I was aware of it and aware that I was in it but at the same time it was like the actual accident was happening to me-not-I.

What emotions did you feel during the experience?   Extreme sadness at leaving my family behind; glad I didn't hit Debbie on the way out; a sense of 'ok, this is it, this is how I die and there's really not a lot I can do about it but watch'  

Did you pass into or through a tunnel?   No  

Did you see an unearthly light?   No  

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice?   I heard a voice I could not identify
I had heard this Voice once before. Going through an extremely rough patch of my life in 2001, I cast a circle [see Wiccan rituals] and asked what was expected of me?  If you've ever seen the intro the show LOST, where the word floats up from the dark...that's what happened here, only it said 'catalyst'. I sensed several beings in the circle and one of them said 'this is who you are; this is WHAT you are'.

The last time I heard this voice was in February 2016 when I was on my computer and considering getting on Twitter...I was told 'Get on Twitter'. That's it, that's all; I am left to interpret what it is I am to do.

Did you encounter or become aware of any beings who previously lived on earth who are described by name in religions (for example: Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, etc.)?   Uncertain   I don't know who this Voice belongs to-there's no gender inflection

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings?   Uncertain   Just a Voice

Did you become aware of past events in your life during your experience?   Yes   It was too fast to really grasp

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world?   No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down?   Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning
It seemed that as I launched off the trampoline I had a lot of time to think

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything?   No

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure?   No

Did you come to a border or point of no return?   No

Did scenes from the future come to you?  No 

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness suggesting that there either is (or is not) continued existence after earthly life (“life after death”)?   Yes   Prior to and after this event I have had friends and family who have passed and I was touched in some way as they died.

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness that God or a supreme being either does (or does not) exist?   No  

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness that you either did (or did not) exist prior to this lifetime?   No  

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness that a mystical universal connection or unity/oneness either does (or does not) exist?   No  

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness regarding earthly life’s meaning or purpose?   No  

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness regarding earthly life’s difficulties, challenges, or hardships?   No  

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness regarding love?   No  

During your experience, did you encounter any other specific information / awareness that you have not shared in other questions that is relevant to living our earthly lives?   No  

Did you have a sense of knowing special knowledge or purpose?   Yes   Described above, when I was told I was a catalyst'

What occurred during your experience included:   Content that was entirely consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience  

How accurately do you remember the experience in comparison to other life events that occurred around the time of the experience?   I remember the experience more accurately than other life events that occurred around the time of th  

Discuss any changes that might have occurred in your life after your experience:   I believe that we spend too much time in pursuit of meaningless things like wanting more money or the newest cell phone, even if it means waiting in line for days]. We also spend all this time praising God when we need to focus on each other. I believe that many faiths have bits of truth that need to be updated to reflect current verbage and consolidated into one book...a Handbook for Humanity.

My experience directly resulted in:   Moderate changes in my life

Did you have any changes in your values or beliefs after the experience that occurred as a result of the experience?   Yes   Before my experience with my uncle Dan I knew there was life after death but wasn't aware of the great peace and love that we will eventually return to. I hope to better reflect that feeling while I'm here...I'm human and mess up but I keep trying. My patience has also greatly increased, more so in this last year. Thanks to my Wiccan training I have always tried to recycle, reuse, give back and now I hope I'm doing even more and helping others to start new habits.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience?   No  

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you?     Yes. When Dan came over to make sure I was ok. Back-story: my parents were divorced and my future stepmother and her family moved in the apartment above us. Danny was 11 and I was 6 when we met. We'd go camping together and one time I sprained my ankle-Dan carried me up a very steep hill to get back to the campsite. I realized Dan had been coming to my rescue at various points in my life. I feel that we were connected in a special way and that it will be a joyous reunion one day!

Have you ever shared this experience with others?   Yes  Many are skeptical; some don't believe in life after death and/or God. Because I can't prove it happened it is discounted.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience?   Yes   Very little, I read about it many years ago and it was not an influence on me at the time.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened:   Experience was definitely real   I've heard the Voice before, during and after this event.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience at the current time:   Experience was definitely real   2 surgeries due to this accident-I know I suffered for a reason. I realize that we all DO have a purpose, maybe more than one. I feel I was saved for a purpose and I learned that purpose for sure this year [2017]. I believe that when the bible says 'the meek shall inherit the earth' it means that until we have nothing but love for each other, when we no longer want to hurt each other, when we no longer have anything to hide from one another...those who are at peace and are peaceful will inherit this planet.

Have your relationships changed specifically as a result of your experience?   Yes   I have learned more patience. I have learned the value of the random smile, the kind word, the helping hand.

Have your religious beliefs/spiritual practices changed specifically as a result of your experience?   Yes   I am more open to learning the Christian Bible without letting the man-made crap get in the way.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience?   No  

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience?   While I am not keen on pain, it seems as though it has lead to greater understanding of things in general. One of the NDEs here said in their experience they were told 'love is because of pain' and I see the truth of that.

Did the questions asked and information that you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience?   Yes