My nephew who was the same age as myself was murdered. We are in our twenties. The first night of the wake, while everyone was viewing my nephew's body, i had a very distinct feeling that he was there, somewhere in the room, but not where his body was. I stood near his body with my family for quite a long time, and i felt this distinctly. I had the impression that although he looked like him, that i didn't feel a connection to his body, but all over the rest of the room I could sense him.

The second night of the wake, i went into the room where he was by myself. I placed a rose on his casket. It had since been closed. I looked at a picture of him that was placed on his casket. Almost immediately i sensed his presence and i knew it was him. This time i felt him at my right side and slightly upward of me. I did not see, hear, feel, or smell anything, but i knew where he was and that he was there. Then we communicated, but it was not out loud or in English words. IT was like telepathy without words. It took me a while to figure out how to say what was communicated in words to most accurately describe it.

Basically it went like this....He said to me "can you believe this?" His tone was as though he were joking or chuckling. My internal response was "wweeellll.....no" and my tone was surprised and intrigued. Then it was like he reached out and pinched my elbow, laughing. Like as though we were at a party in real life joking around. He seemed to calm and happy. I felt surreal, yet totally aware. He then said "If only you could see what i see now...I am so happy. Then you would know that all this carrying on (crying and sorrow at the funeral) isn't necessary because we will all be together again."   Then separately he said "we will all laugh together again", and i felt those statements to be Truth.

I turned to walk away, but i stopped and stood a few seconds longer to internalize this. Then i went to another room where other family was and began the process of trying to explain in English words to myself what was communicated to me because i had "felt" and "known" it but didn't have a way to express it in words yet. I told my mother at about 1am that morning, and she told me she had felt him as well, and that he told her that she would be the strong rock in our family. I was not looking for a communication or knew much about that sort of thing, but i am positive that there was a communication, and not just my imagination. I just know.

Did you ONLY sense an awareness of presence of the deceased without actually seeing, hearing, feeling or smelling them?           

Yes

Did you hear the deceased or hear something associated with the deceased?         

No

Did you feel a touch or experience any physical contact from the deceased?           

Yes

I did not FEEL it physically but knew that he reached out and pinch my arm near my elbow, sort of in a joking way.

            Was the touch familiar or unfamiliar?  

neither

            Was anything communicated by the touch? 

I think it was a way of validating the experience.

            Is there any possibility what you felt was from any other source present in the surroundings at the time of your experience? 

None.

Did you see the deceased?        

No

Did you smell a distinct smell, scent, fragrance or odor associated with the deceased?     

No

How long did the experience last?       

1 minute

Was the beginning and end of the experience gradual or more sudden?        

He was suddenly there, and then it was suddenly over.

Could you sense the emotions or mood of the deceased?          

Yes

He was happy and jovial, like he was joking about how trivial it was for us all to be carrying on in sorrow. I also had the impression that we are backwards here on earth, we grieve when we should feel joyful. That sounds so backwards, but i felt that to be Truth during my communication.

How do you currently view the reality of your experience?          

Experience was definitely real

            Please explain why you view the reality of your experience as real or not real:         

It felt definitely real because i distinctly sensed a presence, knew the location of it, and the communication was like a "feeling" conversation where i could not have made up the statements of the other person.

            Was the experience dream like in any way?  

No

Describe in detail your feelings/emotions during the experience:          

When it first started i felt acutely aware of a presence. Then when i realized his tone was happy and jovial, i let out a little giggle, which i felt slightly guilty about because i was at his wake, but since i was alone it was ok. And i felt very peaceful and 'OK" in that moment, and like i understood better.

Was there any emotional healing in any way following the experience?          

Yes

I was certain he was fulfilling his purpose on earth because of his death, and that it was only a matter of our (the family) lifetimes until we see him again.

What was the best and worst part of your experience?     

The best was KNOWING spiritual existence is real, and that we know who each other is in spiritual form. I wouldn't say there is a worst part.

Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience?        

Yes                 Describe:     

I have begun reading the bible looking for references to my experiences, and viewing others as spirits working to fulfill their life missions, and much more aware of my daily interactions in choosing love as my main theme.

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?   Yes     Stronger belief in life after death with certainty.

Did the experience give you any spiritual understandings such as life, death, afterlife, God, etc.?            Yes     The first night when i sensed him everywhere but in the spot of his physical body i knew that we are all spirits, just inside our body until it break down and cant function, then we are still us and in existence in our spiritual form.

Death Compacts are when two or more living people promise among themselves that whoever dies first will try to contact the other(s).  Have you ever made such a compact?        Yes

My husband and i have talked about this briefly with each other, but i was not in any compact with my nephew.

Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience that could be verified later?          No
What emotions did you feel during the experience?            Peaceful. Later i cried more than i had before because i knew it was real and that i would miss him dearly in this life. But, i took comfort because of the words in his message.

Did you have a sense of knowing, special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?    Yes

Only that who we are is not defined but what form we are in.

Have you shared this experience with others?        

Yes     I have told everyone who knows me even somewhat well. I really don't care if they think I am crazy because i know what happened. However, I have had nothing but positive reactions, and also sharing of experiences from others or people they knew who had experiences. Fear of ridicule isn't really a non motivator for me as people view me as rational, and they can take it or leave it because i know what happened.

Have you shared this experience formally or informally with any other researcher or web site?   No

Were there any associated medications or substances with the potential to affect the experience?            No

Following the experience, have you had any other events in your life, medications or substances which reproduced any part of the experience?         No 

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