My mother had been in Hospice at home for her stage IV Lung Cancer and for almost a week all four of her children had been in her home taking care of her as her health declined when we moved her to this skilled nursing facility.  She got there at 6pm.  By the next day, she was in a bed by a window on an unusually warm January day with 10 of her loved ones gathered around her when she passed away.  Approximately thirty minutes after she passed away I smelled a very sweet, very pretty, smell of roses and asked out loud if any one else smelled any thing, and others said yes, roses.  My mother's favorite flower was a rose.

Was this experience difficult to express in words?  No

Did you ONLY sense an awareness of presence of the deceased without actually seeing, hearing, feeling or smelling them?            No

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?            No

Did you see the deceased?         No

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

            What smell, scent, fragrance or odor did you smell?           Roses

            Was the smell, scent, fragrance or odor familiar?     yes, my mother's favorite flower was a rose.

            Was anything communicated by the smell?   That she was ok.

            Is there any possibility that the smell, scent, fragrance or odor was from any other source present in the surroundings at the time of your experience?        no.

How long did the experience last?        about a minute.

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

Could you sense the emotions or mood of the deceased?           Yes

That she was ok.

How do you currently view the reality of your experience?           Experience was definitely real

            Was the experience dream like in any way?   No

Describe in detail your feelings/emotions during the experience:           I was very sad and grieving because my mother had just died.  I didn't want my mom to die.  I felt angry that cancer had stolen many many many years of time  spent together away from us.  To smell the roses at that moment made me smile and thank my mom for letting us know she was ok.  I told her again I loved her.  It was like a drop of water in a dry throat.

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

In a small way there was.  It helped to know she was ok and that her soul went forward to be with God.

What was the best and worst part of your experience?      That my mother died.

Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience?         No      

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?   No       Did the experience give you any spiritual understandings such as life, death, afterlife, God, etc.?  Yes            Just reaffirms life after death for me.

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 sister and I often joked with our mom that she would do this to us.  I guess you could say she did it.

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?            Sadness.  Grieving.  She was gone.

Was the experience witnessed or experienced by others?           Yes

Approximately thirty minutes after she passed away I smelled a very sweet very pretty smell of roses and asked out loud if any one else smelled any thing and others said yes roses...

Did you have any sense of altered space or time?   No

Did you have a sense of knowing, special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?    No

Did you become aware of future events?       No

Did you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience that you did not have prior to the experience?         No

Did you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body?     No

Did you meet or see any other beings other than the deceased?            No

Did you see a light?           No

Did any part of your experience seem to occur in a place other than the location described above?            No

Have you shared this experience with others?         Yes     They thought it was beautiful.

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 you ever in your life have a near-death experience, out of body experience or other spiritual event?           No 

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