While death is the end for most people, there are some lucky individuals that have managed to come back to life after their heart has stopped, and one man has shared how it changed his life forever.
Some people have spent years and an extortionate amount of money in an attempt to cheat death through some rather unconventional methods, yet for a select few it came naturally — although they did actually have to die to realize that.
One man managed to somehow survive death after being struck by lightning, and another woman wrote a heartbreaking message when she miraculously woke up after having her heart stop for a period of time.
That exact same thing happened to survival evasion resistance and escape instructor Chase Skylar DeMayo, who briefly passed away on April 1, 2008 before coming back to life with a changed outlook.
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As reported by the Metro, Chase's fellow soldiers at Langley Air Force Base noticed that he hadn't made it to work in the morning, and were shocked to find him unconscious in the dorm room.
He was quickly rushed to hospital where tests and x-rays were immediately administered, yet his vision suddenly became blurry and an air embolism entering his IV drip caused him to have a cardiac arrest.
"The last thing I heard was alarms going off, a calming voice told me that it would be OK, and I felt no fear at all — only peace," he explained, recalling the situation just before he 'died' in an interview with Coming Home on YouTube.
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He then recalls floating into the air immediately after his heart stopped, at which point he was greeted by Jesus Christ himself, and found himself in a "vibrant garden with colors brighter than anything here on Earth."
He was also playing with a child that appeared to be a younger version of himself, adding that "we connected without words. He told me to go back and spread love, laughter, light, and joy, and reminded me of my true purpose on Earth beyond everyday struggles. No matter my past, I had light to chase and stare."
It was clear that it wasn't his time to die, and he recalled having an understanding that his time 'wasn't done' back on Earth, waking up shortly after in a different hospital in Hampton, Virginia.
"I was discharged quickly, with tests showing no damage," Chase recalled following the miracle, and despite technically dying it was almost like nothing had happened.
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While his body seemingly saw no changes, his mind underwent significant ones as it spurred him onto a completely new career path and purpose in life, retiring from the army and completing a doctorate in holistic counselling.
"It's changed everything for me, I chase forgotten joys and I live with a reminder each day to live with purpose, chasing light in the dark times," Chase illustrated, adding that he feels "grateful and transformed."