My Brother's Death Changed My Life
What Researchers Found
The Story
Rebecca Clawson was an occupational therapist grieving her brother David's death from AIDS in 1995. Six weeks later, while riding her horse through a Christmas tree farm, she closed her eyes and had a spiritual experience. She saw David in his human form wearing a black and red plaid shirt, dungarees, and sandals. Nearby stood her deceased grandparents Abe and Bessie, family friend Edward, friend Holly, and about two dozen other passed loved ones on a hill. Behind David was a golden arch. Her grandmother Bessie took her hand, and they skipped through the arch into a brilliant fuchsia-colored land. She heard her paternal grandfather's voice, and he took her hand to fly through the land, reminiscing happily. When her horse moved, she said she needed to return. He turned them back through the arch. She landed before David, who with the others said, 'We will always be here.' After this, Rebecca sought guidance, apprenticed with a shaman, learned Reiki, became a Reiki Master, integrated spirituality into her therapy practice, taught Reiki at conferences, and wrote a book on communicating with deceased loved ones.
This account describes a visionary experience while conscious and riding a horse, not a near-death event with compromised brain function or impossible sensory access. Perceptions involve known deceased relatives with familiar details but lack verifiable novel information, confirmation attempts, or timely pre-verification reporting.
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 experience while conscious and riding a horse, not a near-death event with compromised brain function or impossible sensory access. Perceptions involve known deceased relatives with familiar details but lack verifiable novel information, confirmation attempts, or timely pre-verification reporting.
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.