Beyond the Brink: Stories of Life After Death

One of the most fascinating questions humanity grapples with is, "What happens at the moment of death?" Everyone is curious about what they will experience as they leave this world and what will happen when the soul detaches from the body.

Miri Michaeli from 'Channel 13 News' sought to explore this topic by speaking with three women who hovered close to death, visited the afterlife, and returned to share their stories.

Shirley Lupo: "I Felt Between Two Worlds"

Shirley Lupo, who helps care for infants, faced a critical situation after the birth of her first child. While in the delivery room, she required an urgent cesarean section. The baby was safely born, but Shirley began to hemorrhage massively. At one point, her family was told she had only 15 minutes to live with just one more transfusion available.

Describing her ordeal, Shirley said, "I felt like I was between two worlds. My soul left my body and kept wanting to return. A great light, full of love and kindness, poured over my eyelids. I saw snapshots from my past, even the tiniest moments, like playing with dolls with my parents, feeling so much love from them. I was shown I wasn't going to die, yet I perceived the situation from above, even seeing how the doctors felt. I remember thinking, 'How can this be real? I can't believe what's happening here.'"

(Photo: Shutterstock)

Regarding the moments after, Shirley shared, "My soul began reciting 'Shir LaMa'alot.' It wasn't a prayer I knew by heart; it just came out of me. As I finished, I heard, 'Now you go down and return to the world.'"

"My life has changed since," she concludes. "I live with an awareness every day, knowing that when this scene plays out again, I want to be ready."

Maayan Sabag: "I Wanted to Be a Mom Again"

Maayan Sabag is a survivor of the 2008 earthquake in China. Back then, she was in the Sichuan province, interning in Chinese medicine. The quake struck while she was dining with a friend.

Maayan recounted, "We couldn't exit; we fell, and the restaurant's roof collapsed on us. I was unconscious, pushed myself through debris, and emerged into a flipped world. With massive bleeding, I wandered for a day and night, then felt my soul rise as my body had no grip."

"At this point, I heard a voice guiding me, urging me to listen and gather strength. I met a Chinese man who walked with me for twelve hours, crossing two mountains with collapsed bridges."

"Finally," Maayan added, "I reached a hospital and underwent an eight-hour surgery to reconstruct my jawbones. During surgery, I felt my grip on my body slipping, ascending to a realm of belonging, warmth, and love, feeling like home. Then I heard the voice ask, 'Do you want to return to your body or move on?'"

"I felt I wanted to return to life and be a mother. I told the voice, 'I want to return, but I lack the strength after the twelve-hour walk...' Then I saw a horse form, my soul rode it, and it galloped away..."

(Photo: Shutterstock)

Visibly moved, Maayan said, "I woke up and saw the doctors, tears in their eyes, not believing I was alive."

To this day, Maayan feels she received a great gift. "The experience made me feel like I transcended all limits, making me want to connect with people and love the world even more."

Hila Baruch: "I Saw Everyone I Had Hurt"

Hila Baruch's near-death moment occurred during a routine surgery to remove a cyst six years ago. Although the operation went well, a bleeding incident due to an oversight led to her system collapsing.

She described the operating room moments: "I floated through the room, passing through walls, and ended up with my mom, who was reading Tehillim in disbelief, thinking her daughter might die. I tried to reassure her, saying, 'Mom, I made it home,' but she couldn't hear me."

Her story continued: "I was brought back to the operating room and saw my late great-grandmother and two aunts. I knew we were heading upward, with them guiding me. After leaving the world, I saw my entire life in an instant, a life review. I saw everyone I had hurt and felt their pain."

"The experience profoundly changed me. Since then, I strive to help others who have gone through similar experiences, realizing that life doesn't end; it continues, and we never truly die."