Russell Ricks: Remember - A Little Boy's Near Death Experience
What Researchers Found
The Story
Russell Hicks was an 8-year-old boy who faced bullying at school due to social challenges from an undiagnosed brain condition. After his baptism, he prayed to God to either remove his pain or take him away, then cried himself to sleep, triggering a near-death-like experience. During the experience, he floated in darkness toward a bright loving light. He arrived on a mountaintop in a vibrant aspen grove where everything glowed with inner light and colors. He felt oneness and joy in all things. He walked a path, knelt sobbing by a stone, and met Jesus, who had white hair, a beard, and wounds from crucifixion. Jesus picked him up as a young child, flew him in a pillar of light to a golden city with temple-like buildings, and shared knowledge of the universe. They talked in a tabernacle; Jesus explained Russell's life mission, gifts, the atonement, and promised ongoing messages of love. Russell agreed to return. After the experience, Russell pursued a career as a visual artist to capture the heavenly colors and light. He gained stronger faith, served a mission for his church, and wrote a book about the event. Later confirmations, like a temple mural matching his vision, reinforced his sense of purpose and hope.
“is a god and if there is a god he that's what he does so i got on my knee”
This account describes a visionary spiritual experience during sleep with no claims of veridical perceptions of real-world events, people, or details impossible to know normally. Lacks any verifiable elements from the physical world during the NDE, such as OBEs observing medical procedures or hidden information. Post-experience interpretations like a matching mural are subjective and not tied to contemporaneous veridical claims.
Score reflects verifiable perceptions reported. A low score indicates the experience was primarily spiritual or subjective, not that it didn't occur.
Score reflects transformation as described. Domains scored 0 indicate the topic was not discussed, not that no change occurred.
Are you here because someone you love has died?
These accounts were gathered because death may not be the end. Thousands of people have experienced something beyond — and come back to tell us about it.
What Researchers Found
This account describes a visionary spiritual experience during sleep with no claims of veridical perceptions of real-world events, people, or details impossible to know normally. Lacks any verifiable elements from the physical world during the NDE, such as OBEs observing medical procedures or hidden information. Post-experience interpretations like a matching mural are subjective and not tied to contemporaneous veridical claims.
Score reflects verifiable perceptions reported. A low score indicates the experience was primarily spiritual or subjective, not that it didn't occur.
Score reflects transformation as described. Domains scored 0 indicate the topic was not discussed, not that no change occurred.