Despite centuries of inquiry, what happens after death remains a mystery. While no one returns from true death to explain it, near-death experiences offer rare insights.
Victoria Thomas, 35, collapsed at a gym in Gloucester, UK, after feeling dizzy. She went into cardiac arrest and had no pulse for 17 minutes. During that time, she says, “everything went black” until she became aware of floating above her body, watching paramedics. “I didn’t see a light or feel peace. I was just watching, seeing the yellow machines around me.”
Paramedics revived her and placed her in a coma for three days. Doctors later diagnosed her with Danon disease, a rare genetic disorder affecting the heart, muscles, and organs. Her heart function eventually dropped to just 11%—a terminal level.
In 2023, she received a heart transplant that saved her life. Now 41, Victoria reflects on her unique experience.
Her account challenges traditional near-death narratives of light and peace. Instead, her awareness during clinical death suggests there may be more to death—and consciousness—than we understand.
