Back from the Brink: A Scientist's Near-Death Revelation

For years, British neurologist Peter Fenwick studied the phenomenon of clinical death—situations where people are revived after their brains received no oxygen and were deemed 'clinically dead.' "It's a very common occurrence. A Gallup survey in the US found that 15% of the American population experienced clinical death. Out of those, 5%, which is a million people, described being in what they called 'the light.' That's an incredible number of people."

What exactly do these people see and feel? It is often described as leaving one's body and seeing events unfold beneath them, like an 'accident' scene. Then, they enter a tunnel—an intriguing phenomenon sometimes described as a black hole through which a person floats, or even an actual tunnel. 

"You see a point of light at the end of the tunnel that grows bigger and bigger. Once you enter it, the light is described as breathtakingly bright, yet not blinding—akin to 'universal love.'"

"You Perceive the Thoughts Inside Their Minds"

"It happened in June 1976, while I was still working as a scientist for the Soviet Union. One day, I was rushed to the hospital after being struck by a car. Taken to the operating room, I was soon after declared dead," recalls George Rodonya, who shared his story on a Discovery Science special. "I felt fear, a profound fear of non-existence. There was an overwhelming pressure and I felt surrounded by dark colors. Every possible shade of black the brain can imagine, but that black is beyond imagination."

Rodonya's body was placed in refrigeration, awaiting autopsy, yet he continued to 'exist' in what he called 'inner life consciousness.' "In my spirit, I wandered home and saw my wife crying and mourning my death," Rodonya recounts. "My wife, so young, with a child, was pondering, 'What will I do now?' And the most marvelous thing that happened to me was being able to see her thoughts."

This ability, Rodonya explains, was telepathic, and it happened not only with his wife but with anyone else. "You don't perceive it in images but rather grasp what's occurring inside their mind," he explains. 

The Baby Explained Why She Was Crying

One of the most astounding events that followed was when Rodonya's mind journeyed to another nearby hospital, where his best friend’s wife had just given birth to a newborn girl in poor health. "The baby wouldn't stop crying," Rodonya recalls. "I approached her and asked, 'Why are you crying?' and she replied, 'Because I have a broken hip.'"

How could he help her? Wait until you hear how crucial this knowledge became just days later. 

Three days after being refrigerated, doctors came to take him to the operating room for the autopsy. His death certificate was signed, and his family was poised to await the release of his body for burial. "The pathologist took his scalpel and made the first incision," Rodonya remembers, feeling everything. "I opened my eyes and looked at him."

When the pathologist noticed, the scalpel fell from his hand as he shouted, "My God! He is alive!"

"Suddenly, air rushed out of me. My lungs collapsed, and I struggled to move anything. At that moment, people realized I was alive; they rushed and shouted..."

Shortly afterward, Rodonya recovered from his ordeal but couldn't forget his friend's newborn daughter. "I went to the hospital where she was still admitted and asked to speak to her doctor. I was hesitant to explain how I knew something was wrong but suggested they check on it. I said, 'You see how she's crying. Why not do something about it?' He replied they've tried everything but couldn't figure it out, and then he left. Later, it turned out my diagnosis was correct—the baby had a complicated fractured hip."