It was about ten o'clock on Saturday morning February 28, 1987, when I had an experience that changed the rest of my life! This day was different than any other because after I left my home, I would not be back for months.

As I waited outside for my ride to work to pick me up, I heard the sound of someone whistling in my backyard. I walked toward my backyard and found out that it was my good friend Russell in his backyard, walking around with his cockatiel and his shoulder. We sat on our adjacent fence, which divided our residential lots, and talked a while and played with his bird to pass time. After about fifteen minutes had passed, Buddy flew up into a nearby tree. We both knew that Buddy could not fly far because his wings were clipped, but we had to get him down from the tree. Since Buddy was in a tree that hung in my yard, I first began to net him with a swimming pool pole. The harder I tried however, the higher up Buddy flew. When Buddy flew out of the pole's reach, I grabbed a ladder to boost me up higher. After climbing about 25 feet in the air while on a second story extension ladder, I again tried to get Buddy. But after one end of the pool pole got within 22 to 24 inches of a high tension power line, the electricity arced across the air, and used me as a ground. At first I did not know what was going on. Everywhere I looked was RED! I did not see scenery; it was like someone put a red wall in front of my eyes. And in one direction I could see a flash of light coming toward me at a tremendous speed. I tried to get out of its way but I was helpless. I clenched my teeth and tried to face this wall of light head on. And as it got closer, I could hear a 60 Hz hum increase in volume. Finally I screamed as it overtook me and then I watched it leave in the distance.

Then I saw another flash. I needed help but I was doomed for its execution. The flash of light approached closer and closer; the hum roared through my ears. I lost complete bodily control over my hands, legs, arms, and mouth. I prepared to accept the second flash. But once again I screamed in pain as it plowed over me like I was not there. I thought I was dead, but in the distance I saw a third flash of light waiting to approach me. I franticly looked around for an escape route, but all I saw was a wall of red. There was nothing I could do and no where I could go. I had run out of options. I believed that I struggled for freedom as much this time as I did the first, but everything was happening too fast to remember. Then everything went black. There was no time . . . there was no sound . . . there was no light . . . time had just stopped! 

I opened up my eyes and saw Russ over me, but he could not hear me. It was like a pane of glass separated us and I was frozen in time. I could not move a muscle. Then everything began to go black again. I was scared, I wanted so much to say, "Hey" but the situation progressed without me. My life faded to black and again I felt no pain . . . there was no time . . . there was no sound . . . and there was no light! Time had just stopped! I can't say how much time passed but later I opened my eyes again. I remember seeing my eyes under that glass pane. I saw Russ hard at work trying to save my life. But when I looked up and around, I noticed that I was not on the ground anymore. I was sitting on the fence watching the accident from a bird's eye view. On the ground I was hurting, but I felt no pain, no pressure. I heard no sound, and saw everything like it was ten minutes ago. And in the blink of an eye my environment changed.

I was in a large white room that had no walls. The white light in this room everywhere was so bright, that there were no shadows or darkness. In the distance I could see hundreds of human-shaped figures walking towards me. I felt scared and began to run. And as I started running, a figure came out of the crowd, and like a javelin thrower, it threw a bolt of light that was about three feet long into the air. The light came down and struck me in my back as I was running away. After it hit me, I could not move a muscle. With all of my strength I struggled to move. The figures walked closer, I saw that the figures had no facial features: it was almost like they were an outline of a solid transparent mass. But, than about seven to ten seconds later, I broke free! I can't explain what happened but I was free! I ran until I dropped. I ran as far as I could until I came upon something. The new surface that I saw was different than what I was on before. It moved! It was the same color as the ground I was on, (white) but this was almost like water! Of course, the "water" was white in color, but it was different. The figures were continuing in my direction, so I had two choices. I could deal with them or run like a coward. I choose to run! When I took my first step onto this new ground, I fell in and could not stay afloat. I was not worried about breathing, but once I fell in this water, I opened my eyes on the ground and saw my backyard as I left it. 

To this day I'm not sure where I was. What had happened? Imagine going different places without your control. Being pulled, pushed, and afraid. The only thing I do know is the difference between something real and a dream, and this was real! I don't talk about it because it makes people uncomfortable.