I don’t really know where to start, so I will start at the beginning. An American-Greek family adopted me at the age of four. I was raised as an only child, so I never contemplated the possibility there was anyone alive who shared my DNA.

My parents were always very honest with me and took me to the island of my birth, Corfu-Kerkyra, Greece, throughout my life, even showing me the orphanage and foster home, where I once lived. Jump forward, and I was in the hospital unable to understand why, for the 42nd time in my life, I was fighting what had always been diagnosed as walking pneumonia. Only, this time I was worse than before, so I called 911 and was rushed to the CICU ward of the hospital. Not long after arriving, my heart stopped.

As if I blinked, I was no longer in a hospital bed but in a vast bluish/white infinity that radiated such peace and beauty. The vastness consumed me but expanded everywhere and all around.I simply stood, or I felt as if I were standing and took in the peacefulness and immense beauty. Then, as if I awoke from absence, I realized I had died. A feeling of sadness overwhelmed me as I thought of everyone I just left behind and questioned who would care for them?

At the same moment, I felt another present with me. A man, (for lack of better terms), stood on my right side. I could hear him but I have absolutely no recollection of his speaking or I ever speaking. It was more as if I could hear his thoughts and he could hear mine. He heard my concern and said, “Do not worry. All is well.” With those words, I felt the weight of the world, indeed the world; simply, (again, for lack of better terms), roll away, as unbelievable peace and complete acceptance engulfed my very essence.

I turned toward my right to face him and he immediately stated, “Do not look me in the face.” I did as he instructed. He then said, “Look beyond.” I did and the vastness appeared to dissipate giving view to the abundance and enormity of the term "Cosmos", (Koine: Greek word and understanding). All around, I could see Suns and planets and galaxies and (how I wish I had the words to truly describe), universes each teaming with a radiance of life, no words could truly define. Not life as we define life but an energy, vibration, rejoicing ambiance, in which we are all a part and of the whole. I hope that makes sense. After, what in the concept of time appeared as hours of observation, the vastness of peaceful/bluish/white returned. He then pointed into the abyss of the vastness and I saw something truly unexpected:

I saw the silhouette of a young man, (and I know many will think this part crazy), standing before me, holding what appeared to be a cat in his arms. I could feel his LOVE, his smile, his beauty, his rejoicing. I can’t explain, but I knew I knew him, I knew I was connected to him, I knew he was a part of me! I was so engrossed in the magnitude of the moment that the desire to run toward him and grab him and hug him overtook my very spirit. Suddenly, the one standing next to me raised his hand before what I can only equate as, my face, stopping me from running forward. He said, “You must go back. You have much to accomplish.” I didn’t want to come back but knew I must do as he directed. He then told me a secret that he stated would be kept hidden deep within my soul-core-being, until it is time. He then waved his hand past my face-core-essence and I was suddenly enthralled by the draping of a long sleeve, like that worn on the robes of a judge or high ranking religious official, as it followed the flow of his arm. From it, colors that I have never seen nor know the names of, began to radiate all around and I was surrounded in a bouquet of brilliant, beautiful colors.

The next thing I can remember, I was standing in the hospital room, watching people work on someone in a hospital bed. I watched one female doctor and noticed her the most because under her doctor’s coat, she wore a fuchsia blouse that stood out from the other grey and white colors. Two days later, when I opened my eyes, She was standing over me and I asked her what happened to my roommate. I told her I watched her working on my roommate and told her all that she did. I asked her if my roommate died. She gathered the nurses and doctors who had been present and I told them what I witnessed and it was then they told me I never had a roommate and that it was I they were working on. They then told me my heart stopped for over 5 minutes. I argued the fact for the next two weeks!

THE SEARCH:

Once I recovered, I kept thinking about the colors that shot from the sleeve of my guide and the silhouette I saw in the vastness. I don’t know what drove me, but I gathered my adoption papers from the security box, opened a Facebook account, found everyone on the island of Corfu with the last name of my biological mother and sent each a friend request. As they accepted, I wrote them who I was and why I was looking for this woman. Immediately, the people responded that they knew or had heard about me, since I was born in a small village to a woman, out of wedlock, which was a scandal for the villagers. One who lives in Athens read my request and he found my biological mother through people he knows and he called her and told her, “Someone is looking for you on Facebook.”

A few days later, I received a friend request from someone who used a code name. Since I was on a search at the time, I accepted. He then sent a number and tells me to call it. I called a cousin of mine in Greece and asked him to call the number since I was uncertain if it was a scam or what to think. My cousin calls me back and tells me the most shocking story, this little only child could have ever heard. He said, “I just hung up the phone from speaking with your brother and I know he is your brother for I know him. I grew up with him and know the entire family.” Once we made contact, they sent pictures of themselves.

MY BROTHER:

When they sent the pictures, I was told that I had four younger brothers but was not told that one was dead. In the pictures, they sent a picture of my one brother and under his picture they wrote, “He Die.” In the picture, he is holding a cat in his arms. Also, and this may appear weird to some but in Greek custom, people are often named after someone who is no longer living or assumed dead. Since 17 years had past and they never heard a word about me, they assumed I was dead and named this brother Spyro as well. He is now my spiritual safe guard, protector and very, very close in my heart and often, around my being. In 2009, I flew to the island and met my three living brothers, my biological mother, all my nieces and nephew for the first time, after 47 years of separation. I also went to the cemetery and greeted the resting place of my guardian angel.

PRESENT:

I am not out of the woods since it was never walking pneumonia I had but viral cardio myopathy. A virus had settled in my heart and went undetected throughout my life. I have been on the heart transplant list for 7 years and continuing, I have been beating the odds. I guess, in truth, it is still not my time...