Dying and Returning to Life | Peter Riese's Near Death Experience
What Researchers Found
The Story
Mr. Riese, a man with heart issues, had a near-death experience on October 15, 2012, from cardiac arrest at 12:05 p.m. in the hospital. He was there for a procedure on blocked coronary arteries and flatlined for 20 minutes before resuscitation. During the NDE, he suddenly entered a universe and merged with it, feeling huge and all-powerful. He could swim through galaxies, minimize himself, and empathize with people's thoughts. Events happened simultaneously without time passing. The universe pulsed like a living bubble. At its edge, he saw hazy figures and heard indescribable, wonderful sounds. He gained unlimited knowledge of existence but lost most memories after returning. No out-of-body view or light appeared, and he returned suddenly without choice. After the NDE, he discovered a prior unnoticed heart attack and focused on exercise to build collateral arteries. He trained for a marathon despite pain and hating running. He quit smoking earlier and now promotes movement to fight fear, support heart health, and enjoy family life with his wife and children. His fear of death lessened, but zest for living grew.
“I then fell over and at 12:25 they brought me back to life again. Reanimation. I then looked up and 20 or 15, or 15 to 20 people”
No veridical perception claims present; the experiencer describes seeing a flatline while still conscious and hearing resuscitation efforts upon revival, with no impossible sensory access or verified details during unconsciousness. The NDE is entirely internal and cosmic, lacking any specific, verifiable perceptions of the physical environment.
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
No veridical perception claims present; the experiencer describes seeing a flatline while still conscious and hearing resuscitation efforts upon revival, with no impossible sensory access or verified details during unconsciousness. The NDE is entirely internal and cosmic, lacking any specific, verifiable perceptions of the physical environment.
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.