By Kanika Saini

Copyright inquisitr

The concept of the afterlife is quite fascinating and could almost pull anyone’s attention. Many individuals who have gone through a near-death event often claim to have briefly seen what humans possibly experience once they die. Some claim to have seen a bright light, while others say that everything went pitch black when they were temporarily hung between life and death. Some say that they see their loved ones, while for some, past memories run through them in a fast-forward fashion.

Lauren Canaday is one of the few individuals who were able to briefly experience the afterlife before being brought back to life. In February 2023, the woman who had been living with epilepsy for many years suffered a cardiac arrest. During an interview with Newsweek, the 40-year-old woman from Virginia told she was at her home when she suffered a grand mal seizure. She claims that she lost consciousness while adding that she had stopped breathing and turned blue.

Her husband, who was right across the hall, immediately called 911. In the meantime, he performed CPR, which played a crucial role in saving her life.

Lauren Canaday was declared “clinically dead” after her heart stopped beating for 24 minutes.
“I went into sudden cardiac arrest at home this past February (2023).”
“Paramedics attributed her cardiac arrest to complications from COVID-19” (mRNA Vaccine)#DiedSuddenly pic.twitter.com/KkojJDvNTC
— William Makis (McGill Medicine) (@MakisMedicine) February 21, 2024

She was declared “clinically dead” as her heart stopped beating for more than 20 minutes.

” It took 24 minutes and four defibrillator shocks to restore her heartbeat,” the woman revealed. She was in the ICU for nine days before she was finally declared “cognitively intact” and had no brain damage.

Her health episode made people curious to know if she experienced or saw anything during the moments when she was “clinically dead.” Although she said that she doesn’t recall seeing any specific visions or shapes, she added that she felt positive overall.

“I have this gut feeling that it was friendly and peaceful,” Canaday said. “I feel like I dissolved, and it was just really nice,” she further explained.

Though she pointed out that she has no clear memory of what she felt or thought during those 24 minutes, she noted, “What I have is a strong sensation of peace about that time when I was out of consciousness.”

After her full recovery, she believes that it is her second chance at life. The incident has led to a positive shift in her mindset. She told the portal, “I remember a lot of very serene moments in and after the hospital, like none of the worries I used to have mattered, and I got insanely excited about things like cheeseburgers. Things just felt very simple.”

“In my first life, I was very individualistic and strong. In this life, I have a completely different worldview and am comfortable—mostly—with depending on others,” she further explained.

More than social status and career, she now believes that survival needs, comfort, and helping others are her main priorities. She added, “I honestly feel like I’m here to love my husband and make life a little easier, if I can, for those I meet along my own path.”

Recently, a similar incident came to light when a woman “who died for 11 minutes” claimed to have seen heaven and hell. Charlotte Holmes had an out-of-body experience when she had a stroke and doctors performed chest compression on her.

The 68-year-old woman was clinically dead for 11 minutes as her heart stopped beating. She said during an interview with The 700 Club, “I could see them, all the nurses around, I could smell the most beautiful flowers I’ve ever smelled and then I heard music. When I opened my eyes I knew where I was. I knew I was in heaven.”

She added, “I can’t convey to you what heaven looked like because it’s so above what we can even imagine, a million times. There’s no fear. It’s like pure joy when the angels takes over there’s no fear when you’re going home. It’s pure joy.”

She also told that she saw some of her deceased relatives, including her parents. Holmes said, “Standing behind mom and dad was a light so bright I couldn’t look upon it. It was so bright but I knew it was my heavenly father.”

Holmes also recalled seeing a toddler and said, “I can remember thinking who is this and I heard my heavenly father said to me, it’s your child. I lost that child when I was five and a half months pregnant.”

Within those 11 minutes, Holmes also claimed to have briefly witnessed hell. She said, “God took me to hell. I looked down and the smell and then rotten flesh, that’s what it smelled like and screams. After seeing the beauty of heaven the contrast to seeing hell is almost unbearable.”

Even after massive advancements in the field of science, the concept of the afterlife is still a mystery.