My son was born 2 days after my 18th birthday.  We had a very strong spiritual bond.  I knew, he must be taken away from our hometown or he would die.  I first moved with him out of state when he was 6.  Circumstances took us back to the same hometown.  I moved out of state with him again when he was 12.  At age 14, his father took me to court, and our son chose to live in the hometown with his dad.  My sensations were strong and stifling.  I told a friend of my fears, and asked that she monitor and let me know if I needed to come get him. 

I told him his entire life, that nothing good happens after midnight, and that he should always be home before then. 

Long story short, my son, joined the US Marine Corps, against my wishes at age 17.  He served in Afghanistan as the youngest Marine in the entire Corps.  Prior to his going, we discussed his death, his will, organ donation, etc.  He too felt an impending early death.  He survived that.   

However, at age 25, at 3:30 in the morning, he was stabbed by an acquaintance, with his own knife.  The murderer was walking with him and allegedly was attempting to rob him.  A 2nd perpetrator was there, and at least one more drove the get away vehicle.  Although this is felony murder, only the murderer was prosecuted. 

After his death, while on the other side of the planet, I had to make my way home for his funeral.  It is then that I had my first "encounter."  An man sat beside me on the plane, and hadn't been through Dubai, which at the time was the only entry for civilians into Afghanistan.  He stayed with me while I was in Dubai during the 8 hour layover.  He went with me to buy a gold necklace that I planned to have my sons ashes put into.  He selected it.  He helped me put it on.  His fingers on the back of my neck had an intense sensation that I have no words for, even though it was simply an instantaneous brush. 

Since the murder, I have reoccurring nightmare where it is me who being attacked.  Someone is holding my arms firmly behind me, up high so that there is great pain and only my toes are on the ground.  I am then stabbed in the chest.  I taste blood in my mouth.  I feel the knife come out with a sickening sound.  I see the murderer screaming in my face.  Then, blackness, no sound, awareness, and relief. 

At his coffin, the friend to whom I had mentioned the strong fear / sensation of my sons death so many years before came up.  I asked her if she remembered.  Of course she did. 

I had no will to live after my son's death.  I drank and cried for 1 1/2 years every day, all day, until his murderer was sentenced.  He gave no explanation. He looked extremely bored and openly hostile while I addressed the court for his sentencing.  He muttered a very insincere, indirect apology, and his attorney requested 2 years in a juvenile facility even though he was 23 at the time.  He's eligible for parole in 10 years. 

I can now feel my son kiss my right cheek from time to time.  No rhythm or required situation. 

I don't know if your research includes the psychic ripple effects of death on people who are close to a deceased or not.  However, I feel compelled to share this with you, and to see if you have had others report anything similar.

At the time of your experience was there an associated life-threatening event?   Yes   When my son was murdered, I was a contractor in Afghanistan, and there were recent mortar round attacks.  I had an impending "doom" sensation in my psyche, and each morning when I would awake for 2 weeks prior, my arms felt as if they were dead tree limbs with great amounts of pain.

Was the experience difficult to express in words?....Yes....As I write, particularly about him visiting me in plane, I am highly distraught and filled with grief.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness?....More consciousness and alertness than normal    I have very strong vibrations.  It has been life long.  During my son's murder, I would have been finishing my work day.  The nightmares where I had arm pain preceded the murder by 2 weeks and occurred nightly.  On my flight from Dubai back to the US, I felt his presence.  He came to me, at about age 4-5 put his hands on my knees, and said, "don't worry, I'm fine" and he left.  He hasn't been back like that since.....Due to the mortar attacks occurring in Bagram airbase at the time, I wrongly perceived it was my own impending death, but it was pervasive and constant for 2 weeks prior.

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience.    Dreams before and after are very graphic, and as if they are happening at the time.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience.    I can hear the murderer screaming, and the sound of the knife coming out of my chest.

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 have never heard an account of the murder.  Just that he was stabbed during an attempted robbery.

What emotions did you feel during the experience?....Anguish, betrayal, after the awareness and blackness, complete calm and surrendering.  

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?....No   

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings?....Yes    See box 20.

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

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world?....No....It was a wonderful forest, but not too dissimilar to Cooper's Rock State Forrest, where I took him often as a child.

Did time seem to speed up or slow down?....No....

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything?....No....

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure?....Yes....Edge of the Forrest.

Did you come to a border or point of no return?....No....It was a vision of what I expect, will be my crossing over point, when I one day go to Heaven.

Did scenes from the future come to you?....Scenes from my personal future....Strong and pervasive precognition.

Did you have a sense of knowing special knowledge or purpose?....Yes....Precognition was a calling to my soul to keep my son from harm. I was indefatigable in that effort, but I still failed.

Discuss any changes that might have occurred in your life after your experience:....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?    No    

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience?....Uncertain    

Have you ever shared this experience with others?   Yes  

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience?....Yes     The movie beyond and back narrated by Orson Wells when I was 12 had a profound impact on my spirit and spiritual awareness.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened:....Experience was definitely real   

What do you believe about the reality of your experience at the current time:....Experience was definitely real....

Have your relationships changed specifically as a result of your experience?....Yes....

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?....No