0
0
Dannion Brinkley, a 75-year-old former US Marine from Nevada, says he has experienced death three times and now believes he knows what happens after life ends.
Brinkley’s first near-death experience occurred in 1975 when he was struck by lightning. According to him, the bolt entered through the side of his head, traveled down his spine, and left him temporarily paralyzed. The force reportedly welded the nails in his shoes to the floor and threw him across the room. He was later declared dead by paramedics but regained consciousness 28 minutes later in a morgue.
During that time, Brinkley claims he moved through a tunnel, reviewed his life, and encountered 13 “silver-blue spirit beings” in what he described as a “crystal city.” He says these beings showed him visions of Earth’s future.
His second near-death experience happened in 1989 during open-heart surgery while he was being treated for pneumonia. Brinkley says he left his body and reconnected with the same spiritual beings from his first experience. He believes they helped him uncover abilities to assist those who are dying or in distress.
The third incident occurred in 1997 during brain surgery. Following this final experience, Brinkley says he fully accepted the idea that death is not the end.
Brinkley went on to co-found The Twilight Brigade, a program in partnership with the Veterans Administration that supports terminally ill veterans. He also started the Brinkley Center Foundation to provide resources for grief and caregiving. He has authored several books, including Saved by the Light, At Peace in the Light, and The Secrets of the Light.
While Brinkley’s accounts have drawn attention, scientists suggest near-death experiences can often be explained by brain activity at or near the time of death. Research has documented spikes in neural activity after cardiac arrest, which may produce sensations such as tunnels, bright lights, or life reviews reported by many NDE survivors.
