I had ended my time in service (US Army). My husband had PCS'd to Egypt for a one year hardship tour. Hardship meaning that myself and the kids could not accompany him there. We had to stay in Killeen, TX. while he was away. My mom had passed on, in March of 1994. One night after the kids and I had lain down for the night, I felt someone watching me. By the way, I had my kids in the bed with me. I looked into the hallway and there I saw the brightest light. I was afraid that someone had broken into the house on us. I got up to check it out. As I got up, I saw a figure of a lady, wearing what I perceived to be a wedding dress, going up the hallway. It went into my living room and disappeared. I went back to bed. Suddenly, I felt someone watching me again. I got out of bed again, went to the hallway bathroom and checked the window to see if it was open, because the light was so bright. I found that the shower curtain was closed and so was the shade at the window. At the bathroom window, I had a room darkening shade, which means the bathroom was very dark. I wondered where the very bright light was coming from. I checked the house throughout, to find that no one was there except my kids and I. I went into the closet and took out my handgun, loaded it, put it under my pillow, said a prayer and laid back down again. As I got comfortable, again I felt someone watching me. Again I looked into the hallway and saw the figure of a woman standing there facing my room. I then thought of my mom and said, "Linda, if that is you, you can go. The kids and I are alright. As I said that, she turned and proceeded to go up the hallway toward the living room. The light coming from her spirit was so bright that it illuminated the whole house. I followed her into the living room and she disappeared. I then felt so protected. After that experience, I know she is still with me and watching over us.

At the time of your experience was there an associated life-threatening event?   No 

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?    The whole time. I didn't get to sleep 'til after she disappeared.

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness?      Normal consciousness and alertness   No difference. I've had other experiences of the afterlife, though one was worse than the rest.

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience.   I've never seen light as bright as that without having to wear sunglasses.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience.   No difference.

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?   No  

What emotions did you feel during the experience?   At first, I was afraid until I realized that the presence was my mom watching over us, then I just missed her and felt safe.  

Did you pass into or through a tunnel?   No  

Did you see an unearthly light?   Uncertain   Not sure if you would call it unearthly or not. I just know that it was extremely bright.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice?   No
I just know that it was my mom.

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.)?   No  

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings?   Yes   My mom.

Did you become aware of past events in your life during your experience?   No  

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

Did time seem to speed up or slow down?   No
The house just seem to go from hot to cold repeatedly.

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything?   Everything about myself or others
Just that my mom's spirit was there.

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)?   Uncertain   I already know that spirits walk the earth. I experienced my grandfather's spirit after he passed, which was years prior to my mom's passing, so I already knew of walking spirits.

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness that God or a supreme being either does (or does not) exist?   Uncertain   I already know og God's existence also. The bible tells us that.

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 lifes meaning or purpose?   No  

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness regarding earthly lifes difficulties, challenges, or hardships?   Uncertain  

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness regarding love?   Uncertain   My mom came to watch over us while my spouse was out of the country. That's nothing but love.

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?   Uncertain   It just lets me know that when it's my time to go home with God, that I can still look over my children as well.

Did you have a sense of knowing special knowledge or purpose?   No  

What occurred during your experience included:   Content that was entirely consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience   I have always believed that there is life after death.

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 the experience   Seeing the light is an experience that I've never had before. I've never thought about it until I started reading books on Life after Death.  

My experience directly resulted in:   Slight 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?   No  

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience?   Uncertain   I've been told that I do because I have often told a friend of things that were going to happen in his life at given times, and they actually happened. I was told that one guy that I liked, broke up with me because he became afraid of me because when I told him something was going to happen, it did every time. I didn't know what to make of it. The person who told me that, I told her that if he didn't want to know something, then he should not have asked me.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you?     Just the fact that when her spirit was there, she lit up the whole house, and it was dark outside, and I always sleep with all the lights off and blinds, shades and curtains closed. I have to have complete darkness to sleep, but she illuminated the whole place. The light was so bright that it was extraordinarily beautiful.

Have you ever shared this experience with others?   Yes  I told my aunt about it the next day.She also told me that it was my mom, because my mom came to her after her death also. The difference was, my mom knew that I was afraid of seeing the dead, so she never lifted her veil to show me her face, but she lifted it to tell my aunt goodbye. She also smiled at my aunt. My mom visits me in my dreams. Also the first child I was pregnant with, came to me in my dreams for years. After my mom passed on, they both came to me in a dream. My mom was holding my baby on her left side. She told him to wave goodbye to mummy, (Me). He did, and he said, "bye bye mummy", and I haven't dreamed about him since, although I would really like to. I miss seeing him in my dreams and playing with him. I miscarried him at 2 1/2 months, which means I didn't get to name him. Now that I know that I will see him again in heaven, I've chosen a name for him, (Terrence Keith Jolly). Mummy miss and love you TJ.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience?   No  

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened:   Experience was definitely real   I just know that it happened because my aunt told me of her experiences with my mom's spirit as well as others.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience at the current time:   Experience was definitely real   After reading books about heaven, God and the afterlife, I know that it really happened.

Have your relationships changed specifically as a result of your experience?   No  

Have your religious beliefs/spiritual practices changed specifically as a result of your experience?   No  

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience?   Uncertain   It replays in my mind from time to time, that's all.

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience?   I think I have a better understanding of the experience since I've been reading about the afterlife.

Did the questions asked and information that you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience?   Yes   As best that I can explain. I wish I wasn't afraid of seeing the dead, because I would like to see, hug and talk to my mom, my brother, my baby and a few other loved ones whom have passed on.

What could a national organization with an interest in near death experience (NDE) do that would be of interest to you?        I would like to speak to a real medium whom could help me to communicate with my mom, baby, brother and an ex-boyfriend.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience?                  Add to the options list, being visited by a spirit and seeing the light.