During these weird times, many might be feeling worried and scared. Hopefully my experience can offer you some form of comfort and answers!

My short bio: I was in a motorcycle accident. My first "clinical death": immediately after the accident my body shut down from the pain and physical damages on my body. No pulse, no breathing and no consciousness

Second "clinical death": I was in agonizing pain after surgery so I received loads of pain killers. The pain, coupled with an immense amount of pain killers, caused my pulse to drop to around 10bpm and my respiratory system shut down.

My old AMA post: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2wzg62/iama_man_that_was_dead_twice_about_2_minutes_at_a/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

My Proof: http://redd.it/2x4mqm

http://i.imgur.com/Ef42Iai.png?1

http://i.imgur.com/hEfShwN.png?1

http://i.imgur.com/uazFonp.png?1

http://i.imgur.com/PyE3Lzk.png?1 One of the doctor notes I found

Comments: 819 • Responses: 86  • Date: 

whiteWaterOR597 karma

What did "coming back" feel like? Was it like waking up from a deep sleep?

r00tdude913 karma

Yes, exactly like that, or like a nap. You wake up not really knowing wtf is going on, not sure if you're dreaming or actually awake, everything is foggy. As times passes by, you slowly come to. Kinda like the movie "Limitless", coming back up is like taking the pill and everything gets enhanced haha

snappyjones566 karma

The man who cried wolf, huh? Next time you flatline, they’ll be like “Oh don’t worry, it’s just classic Bob. He’ll be fine.”

r00tdude361 karma

Haha I sure hope not! The only reason I didn't die in both cases was because I got help quickly. Otherwise I would've either been deda or suffered brain damage

55045699 karma

Sounds like you might have some brain damage

r00tdude100 karma

hahaha omg

BlamelessMoop375 karma

How does it feel to die? since you expirianced it twice, did you know you died ? Like that meme that says "aww shit here we go again"

r00tdude425 karma

Haha well not really, the second time I was at the hospital so it didn't feel like I was actually in any real risk of dying. While the MC-accident was more "oh shit, I could've actually died"

BlamelessMoop102 karma

Like when u died, u thought that or you thought that in the half second u were in the air

r00tdude245 karma

No, all these thoughts and reflections happened a while after the accident. I was in too much pain to be thinking about these things.

It was once I was back at home, in rehab, that I was able to reflect on my accident and that's when these thoughts started popping up in my head.

BlamelessMoop58 karma

You couldnt even think for hours? I cant even imagine. From 0-100 how bad was it? Did you get scared like "fuck im gona die and i promissed my gf a date, no one knows where i am/ idk where my phone is, will anyone call emergency services? Or my fav what if i die? Is there somthing in the after world? Will i go to hell?"

r00tdude141 karma

Well that accident itselft happened within seconds, so the only thing I remember thinking was "oh fuck" when I was losing control of my motorcycle. Then the next time I could actually think normally was the day after. Right after the accident, I woke up with medics surrounding me and I remember the ride in the ambulance, calling my parents from the emergency room, etc. But all I knew is that I had been in an accident, I had no idea about my injuries or that I was clinically dead.

So 0-100, the experience itself was probably like 10. I only had a brief moment while laying on the highway where I realized the severity of the situation and was scared, but then the medication kicked in and I was pretty happy

BlamelessMoop45 karma

How did you find your phone? Were there people near by where you crashed?

r00tdude361 karma

In the emergency room, the doctors asked if I had a phone and I said that it was in my pocket. So they fetched it and asked if I was able to call my parents, so that's what I did. But being high and an idiot, I asked if I could take a selfie first. The look on the doctor's face was priceless haha

This is the selfie I took right before I called my parents:

http://i.imgur.com/hEfShwN.png?1

ChristopherRobert1162 karma

Hahahhaaaaa you’re a fuckin idiot. I like you.

r00tdude63 karma

Yes sir ;) I blame the morphine I was on

BlamelessMoop49 karma

Lmao your one tough guy haha

r00tdude85 karma

*idiot ;) hahah

Halventica31 karma

So during your deaths, you couldn't think of anything. No activity going on in mind but you could feel pain. Am I correct?

r00tdude100 karma

Yeah exactly, just like a dreamless nap. When you wake up, you're aware that you had that experience but the experience itself was nothing.

tehmlem310 karma

You ever get the urge to punch Sean Connery in the mouth for his lying 1967 propaganda piece "You Only Live Twice"?

r00tdude180 karma

Haha I should ;) I have a feeling that our will to live can greatly affect the amount of lives we get. Sometimes death is the best option and people choose to take that route instead of the possibility of having to endure more suffering

Aikarion265 karma

Did you call any companies you owed debts to and tell them you no longer owed the debt since you had technically died?

r00tdude276 karma

Never thought of that haha I should've taken a bunch of loans before my accident...

polysterene229 karma

Are you more or less scared of death now?

How have you conciously altered who you are or your behavior because of what you endured...twice?

Do you feel any sort of closer connection with the deceased now that you have technically "crossed over"

These are all obscure/cheesy questions but I am asking in full sincerity, not often you get to meet someone whom has had that second chance twice!

Edit: spelling /misuse of word.

r00tdude324 karma

Definitely less scared. I used to quite cautious and scared of "what ifs". Now my thought process is more assessing the situation at face value and deciding whether the risk is worth it or not. Like Ivan Drago said, "if he dies, he dies"

No connection with the dead unfortunately ;)

No questions are cheesy, fun to answer new questions that I haven't heard before!

VitorMaGon47 karma

Just checking, when you say less afraid, you mean of risking your life, like speeding on a highway, or taking chances like writing a book, opening a business or getting married?

Also, will/have you gotten in the bike again? Was the accident your fault?

r00tdude102 karma

I'd say all things that could provoke fear. But yeah, mostly life threatening thins don't phase me anymore. Job interviews, first dates, etc. can still scare me shitless haha

I want to but won't yet, promised my parents I wouldn't. While there's definitely things I could've done differently, my accident was due to road contruction that didn't have warning signs. So I came into a curve on the highway not knowing that my lane would be blocked.

VitorMaGon19 karma

That is scary. I'm guessing this was in Germany? Is it considered governmental fault?

r00tdude56 karma

Nope, in Sweden. The case was put down so not sure who's to blame. But it doesn't matter, I made it out alright and that's what matters!

Ultra-noob201 karma

Did you see an afterlife?

r00tdude380 karma

Nope, I didn't see anything

-_-MaGma-_-190 karma

What timespan where between those two deaths?

r00tdude219 karma

Hmm probably 5-10 days, not 100% sure. The second time was after my third surgery and I was in great pain, that's why I was on so much medication that eventually shut down my body.

HoltbyIsMyBae3 karma

Did they give you a nerve block? It's scary to think there are time when nothing can help such immense pain. Do you find pain killers generally aren't as effective for you? I'm a redhead so it's been frustrating for me.

r00tdude7 karma

Yes, they gave me a nerve block for my leg and my shoulder. Yeah, medication didn't really have much of an effect in terms of pain relief so eventually I got nerve blocks. They were amazing and helped a lot. But I could only have them for a short period of time because they wanted me to feel my leg in order to judge whether or not I still had bloodflow. So I didn't really have much to ease my pain

ntnmrndn145 karma

Is that an humongous dick they are trying to cover with the sheet ?

r00tdude182 karma

It's a common phenomenon to get a boner when you die ;)

mr_chanderson38 karma

Woah, I've heard about that... How about the one where your body just expels all the waste... You know, poop?

r00tdude66 karma

Want pictures?

Alicecold140 karma

For the people not blessed with Swedish: The doctors note says "Patient unconscious and does not breathe. Time 16:00. Shaken to consciousness and hyperventilates initially. Adequate and GCS 15 after that." (GCS = Glasgow Coma Scale. 15 means in principle 100% awake: The patient speaks, moves and responds to stimuli as normal)

I just gotta love that very scientific "shaken to consciousness" part...

My question:

Do you still drive your motorbike?

EDIT: GCS Clarification

r00tdude98 karma

Thanks for the clarification, even though I know Swedish I didn't know what that GCS meant

Haha well that's what they did, shook me and slapped my face I believe.

Nope, promised my parents I wouldn't. My joy for riding isn't worth their turmoil. But heopfully, one day, I'll be able to ride again!

SkorpianEnigma89 karma

You may have died twice on the outside, but how about the inside?

r00tdude127 karma

I'd say that I never died on the inside, but I did have an internal rebirth of some sort. Cliché as it sounds, my experience changed my life completely in a positive way!

jumperforwarmth79 karma

Did you experience anything regarding what is next? Or just blackness and the end?

r00tdude186 karma

Yeah, pretty much nothing. I would explain it as blackness but in reality, it was more just a lack of experience, nothingness

CrunkSammich20 karma

But you were aware of the feeling of lack of experience?

Basti52522100 karma

My guess is that it's like when you go to sleep but don't dream anything, you're just unconscious, but after you become conscious you're aware of the lack of consciousness you just were in.

r00tdude68 karma

Just like Basti said!

snarky-nurse41 karma

Hi, trauma ICU nurse in Chicago here. As I have thankfully never been in an accident requiring a hospital admission, I don’t have any experience on the other side of the situation. Do you have any advice for a nurse caring for a young patient who has just been in an accident/trauma? What kind of things did your nurses do that you hated or that made a positive difference on your stay in the hospital? What can I do to make this whole situation easier on my patients? Thank you and I hope you’re doing well now :)

r00tdude34 karma

I hope you're doing well in these times, stay strong!

Hmm I think the best thing you can develop is a better understanding of people. Everyone is different and what works for me might not work for someone else. For me, I just wanted the facts and nothing else. I don't need the emotional support of hearing "you're gonna be fine" etc. Just tell me what the situation is and I'll adjust accordingly and do what I have to do.

But this method will probably not work on most patients. So bottomline is just try to understand what your patient needs and do your best to help them. I'm sure this is nothing new to you but hope that helps! ^

Force_USN32 karma

You need to stop dying, man.

Are you still riding?

r00tdude23 karma

Workin on it!

Nope, promised my parents that I wouldn't. But I want to!

Theotokos12330 karma

How would you describe the experience of dying. Any images that you saw during your deaths, and did your experience change your point of view about dying?

r00tdude65 karma

I would describe the experience prior to dying kinda like when you're falling asleep. You know that feeling right before you fall and wake up, you're kinda in between awake and asleep.

And then the actual period when I was clinically dead was basically just nothingness. I didn't experience anything, it was only afterwards when I woke up that I noticed some form of experience of nothingness.

strange_days128 karma

My boyfriend was stabbed twice a year ago. on the neck and chest. On the way to the hospital he died in the ambulance for a minute I believe and when he came back they told him that he had died and he said that he saw nothing that it was emptiness, that he couldn't really describe it but he was disappointed.

r00tdude7 karma

Oh damn, that sucks. I hope he's doing fine now and you too! Yeah sounds like what I experienced, not glorious but still reassuring in some way

capri717 karma

Are you a bit miffed about not having the classic near death experience when others talking about tunnels of light and seeing an afterlife?

r00tdude35 karma

The way my mind works, even if I would have seen Jesus or a light at the end of a tunnel, I would have found a scientific explanation as to why it happened. Like the tunnel light would probably have been due to the iris relaxing its muscles letting in more light, which the foggy brain might interpret as a light at the end of the tunnel.

But for sure, meeting God or something would've been a much more exciting experience than experiencing absolutely nothing haha

capri718 karma

The reason I ask is that there are some very interest accounts of people who could see and hear things outside of their body. Even bizarre details like a training shoe that was on the hospital roof. Also, people that were blind and able to "see" whilst in that state.

r00tdude15 karma

Yeah I get that, but just take some shrooms or anything that messes with your mind a bit and you'll see stuff as well. Doesn't mean you actually saw it ;)

BitPoet21 karma

What's your favorite taco filling?

r00tdude47 karma

Hard to pick a favorite, a taco is a taco, they're all beautiful <3

wetpoprocks20 karma

Did you sustain any form of brain damage or any other long term injuries from these events?

r00tdude40 karma

No brain damage, thanks to my helmet.

But I broke a lot of stuff in the accident. I took control of my rehab and did my research and ignored the pain (at least the pain that doctor's ensured was only pain and nothing damaging). Eventually, most of my injuries turned out fine. The only long term effects I have are that I can't bend my right knee all the way and then I have some chronic pain, but it's pretty easy to ignore.

coswoofster10 karma

When my son broke his leg and had to have surgery to reattach his Patellar tendon to the front of his knee, the doctor had him moving very soon after. He told him that if he wanted full motion he had to move through the pain and not be afraid of reinjury. It was painful to watch him in so much pain, but he never gave into it and now has full motion and healed great. I can’t imagine how much pain you had to push through. Good for you for listening and doing the hard work. Congrats.

r00tdude5 karma

Must have been hard to watch your son do that, but I'm glad he did and that you let him! Unfortunately, with these severe injuries you have to endure a lot of pain and suffering and push yourself through even more pain in order to achieve results. Happy to hear that he recovered that well, strong kid!

TrueFigure119 karma

Did it change your sexuality? Like each time you died, you were straight then turned gay, then you died again and you went straight again?

r00tdude36 karma

Haahah first time I've heard that question. I'm pretty sure I didn't cuz when I was at the hospital, laying there naked, getting scrubbed down by female nurses, with a catheter shoved up my dick, I still got horny. Pretty sure my sexuality stayed the same

Thejade198718 karma

Have you experienced any life glitches since coming back twice?

r00tdude42 karma

This year is glitching quite a bit!

Jokes aside, not really. Only that I seem to end up in freak accidents a lot since my accident, which could be glitches I guess

Yerwun4 karma

What kind of accidents?

r00tdude21 karma

cut off the tip of my finger, had a dude jump from 5 meters and land on my head, cut myself on glass, just a bunch of random accidents haha

Oh_Tassos28 karma

"had a dude jump from 5 meters and land on my head" you're making that sound too normal

r00tdude7 karma

to me it's pretty normal ^

nowandthen8313 karma

Well for 1, the selfie you took before you called your parents is awesome! Haha. I hadn't read your story 5 years ago, but I just skimmed through it and my mind is going a hundred miles an hour... also, congrats on your outlook and stance on life. I can appreciate that :)

What you describe as your experience or lack of is exactly how I've imagined death to be. Now I'm just freaking out a bit because whyyyy?? What is all of this and why do we have to experience it? Because people can't stop procreating?!

No god, no higher power or entity that created all of this and no heaven nor hell or any type of after life. Those are things that I accepted long ago and have no worries or fear regarding them. I'm at peace with it, but the why is what gets me and brings me to a breaking point.

Obviously you don't have the answers haha. You just made me do some unwanted thinking very early in the morning.

Thanks twice deadman!

*Edited to add: me.

r00tdude13 karma

Haha I agree! My parents don't....

Yeah it's some tricky mindfuck questions to answer but it's worth the effort. I wouldn't say that you arrive at answer, you probably never will, but the practise of questioning things and trying to figure stuff out and accepting that there might not be an answer is super beneficial for all aspects in life. Always ask why, then you'll find yourself always improving and growing as a person!

You're welcome for solving your quarantine boredom with some annoying questions without answers haha

Recyclonaught11 karma

When you overdosed on the pain meds, did they use Narcan or Naloxone on you to reverse it? And how long were you not breathing for?

r00tdude29 karma

I don't think they needed to use anything.

My parents were the ones who found me unconscious and called for the doctors. I think my parents said that they shook me and slapped me and that was enough to reboot my system.

Sesulargefish11 karma

Would you do it again?

r00tdude33 karma

I'm fine with waiting a few decades until it happens again

Mistah_Blue6 karma

Do you ever worry that the you that died is different than the you that you are now?

Like if our brain was a computer, the original program that was you got shut down when you died, but since the original programming was intact, a new one was started, identical to the last, when your body came back online?

r00tdude9 karma

Hmm not really, the me today is a 100000x more than the me before the accident. In every way. Even looking at it physically, my injured and broken body today is way stronger than what it was before my accident. So if "me" was switched out, at least it was an upgrade!

Cucckcaz136 karma

As someone who is paranoid and obsessed with dying and all possible outcomes of an afterlife, your AMA has sorta gave me some peace to my constant anxiety. I always thought of pre-birth as us being “dead” prior to consciousness and death after life is the same feeling. I’m more scared of never being able to experience anything ever again more so than the act of dying.

Which do you fear more? The process of dying or how you will die at the end of your life , or do you feet the eternal abyss of nothingness?

Thanks for doing this. Wish you a long happy life.

r00tdude8 karma

I'm glad to hear that my AMA has had a positive impact :)

I don't fear either of them, they're just a part of life. Obviously, I would prefer not having to suffer in excruciating pain during the last moments of my life, but hey, at least there is an end to that pain eventually.

Likewise!

BringerofHope5 karma

So from reading the other comments you experienced nothingness. Did you grow up religious? Or have a preconceived notion as to what after death would be like? If so, were you disappointed to find that it was nothing like you imagined?

r00tdude27 karma

I grew up with no beliefs basically. I've always found it hard to believe in some higher power but I was never opposed to the idea. I'd say I feel the same today, I don't believe in any higher power but who knows, there might be!

What I experienced is pretty much what I expected. Not disappointing but damn, it would've been nice to have met a God or something and realize that there is a higher power and life after death. I don't believe there is an afterlife but fuck I'd love to be proved wrong!

ooololoolll5 karma

What kind of bike did/do you have? Still gonna ride?

r00tdude11 karma

I had a Yamaha XT660X, which is like a supermotard. Loved it! I had some custom exhausts that made the BRRRRP sounds intense.

Nope, I promised my parents I wouldn't ride again until they were ok with it. Which is probably never.. But I want to ride! Such an amazing and freeing feeling

BadgerMilk124 karma

Do you still build/play guitars?

r00tdude7 karma

Haha did you see my guitar build post? :D

I don't build or work on guitars anymore, that was more a hobby I had when I was doing rehab and basically stuck at home. But I do still play the guitar, not as much and not as good anymore, but occasionally I do ;)

absentwonder3 karma

What kinda bike you getting next?

r00tdude9 karma

For some reason I fell in love with the bike that Angelina Jolie rides in Salt. I think it's a Triumph Street Triple R, 2008 model. God it looks sexy af

semondemon244 karma

I had my nasty motorcycle accident on that bike.

r00tdude3 karma

Hope you made it out alright though!

absentwonder1 karma

Buddy of mine got a newer 675 triple. Man, sweet bikes. Glad to see you made it alright. And from another rider, be vigilant and keep it two wheels up

🤙🤙

r00tdude2 karma

Sweet, love the newer models too. But there's something about those old bug-eye headlights that speak to me haha

Take care!

abiblicalusername3 karma

Does this cement you the idea that there's probably nothing after you die?

r00tdude16 karma

I definitely strongly lean to this point of view, but nothing is for certain. So I guess we'll see once we die for real ;)

areyoueatingthis16 karma

please report if you die for real, we need to know

r00tdude15 karma

I'll make sure to do another AMA when that happens!

BadgerMilk123 karma

Are you less or more scared of death now?

r00tdude13 karma

Definitely less scared, it's just a part of life and something we all must deal with eventually. Better to live without fear instead of living with fear, cuz either way we're gonna die

Norgeroff3 karma

What color is your toothbrush?

r00tdude3 karma

Baby blue ;)

CharlieBluu3 karma

Did you experience any sudden and big change in taste, likings, knowledge or anything that stands out?

I hope youre doing good now, try staying out of trouble:)

r00tdude6 karma

Not really but I did notice a change in my sight after being at the hospital for such a long time. I was at the hospital for about 3 weeks and then another 3 weeks at rehab. Basically stuck in a room for 6 weeks. So when I finally got out, I noticed that my eyes had gotten accustomed to close distances and couldn't focus on longer distances. So for a while, I had troubles seeing further away, my eyes just didn't know how to focus haha

jazzp19963 karma

Were your parents informed in the moment that you died? I can’t imaging being told you died, but you’re alive again, just kidding he died, now he’s alive again.

r00tdude3 karma

Haha yeah that would suck. Nah, they weren't aware that I was dead or anything, neither was I. Found out later at the hospital

C12e2 karma

What did you see once you were dead?

r00tdude9 karma

Absolutely nothing

missnebulajones2 karma

Two part question here - in all seriousness. What do you want to be when you grow up? What is your favorite dinosaur? (And thank you for doing this AMA! I’m glad you’re still around!)

r00tdude2 karma

Haha well I'm already grown up but what I want for my future is to just be happy and to live a life with meaning and purpose. What that life is doesn't really matter.

I think my favorite dinosaur is the Stegosauaras, at least when I was a kid

AlpacaJuicy1 karma

Ever since dying, do you feel like you have the obligation to live life to the fullest as best as possible?

r00tdude3 karma

Not an obligation but a will. The biggest realization I had was that this is my life and I need to take control of it and do what I believe is worth living for

couchfucker66691 karma

What did you think death would be like before you died for the first time?

r00tdude2 karma

Not really something I thought about but I'd say that I thought it was pretty much what I experienced, nothingness.

Helicopterhead1 karma

Do you renember your last thoughts before loosing conscience?

r00tdude3 karma

"oh fuck" or "oh shit", one of those two haha

TwelveSharks1 karma

Hey man. First of all, glad you didn’t die.

How do you deal with the ptsd of everything? I was in a car accident that nearly killed me almost a year ago and it’s still pretty much the only thing I can think about. I still have a lot of fear even leaving my house to go a short distance.

r00tdude2 karma

Thanks!

Sorry to hear, glad you're alive and well though! Hmm that's a tough question because I never suffered any PTSD symptoms, maybe some mild ones but nothing major. I would say that like anything negative in life, focus on the positives. Focus on the fact that you're alive, that you can go a short distance, etc. After that, you can start tackling your fear and taking control of it.
In the beginning of my rehab, I had a lot of pain in my back when I moved it, same with my knee. I was afraid that something was wrong. But eventually, that fear disappeared for everytime I proved to myself that nothing bad happened when I felt that pain. So just accept that you have this fear and that you will one day have control over it. Slowly work to prove yourself that this fear is nothing more than just a fear.

agibby51 karma

Are you learning how to stay alive?

r00tdude2 karma

I'm getting there! Been fine for the past 5 years at least ;)

Daniellll221131 karma

What did you and what did you feel?

r00tdude5 karma

Not quite sure what you mean

SME011 karma

Can you claim life insurance? As you have, technically, died

r00tdude2 karma

I wish I could!

crasher9251 karma

do you suffer any effects from your accident, either physical or mental?

r00tdude4 karma

The only physical effects I suffer is my knee and back. My knee can only bend to about 110 degrees or something, occasional pain and it gets tired pretty quick. My back feels fine but it gets tired really fast. Just sitting for a longer period makes it hard to breathe after a while.

No mental stuff, at least nothing negative!

loving-antoinette1 karma

What were your beliefs about life after death before these experiences? Have they changed at all?

r00tdude2 karma

Never really something that I had thought about a lot but basically I didn't believe in an afterlife. That life after death is just life life before being born, non-existent. And my experience kinda pushed me even more towards that view. But even though my beliefs experiences say one thing, I'm open to the idea of an afterlife since there is absolutely no way of knowing the answer

SimbaOnSteroids1 karma

how would you advise someone that is tempted to a motorcycle?

r00tdude2 karma

Just like anything else, know the risks involved and decide whether it's worth it or not. If you do something before thinking it through, you'll most likely feel some form of regret.

Luckily, I feel no regret despite my injuries and almost dying. I knew the risks and I took them. Shit happens but at least it's shit that I know might happen and that I choose to gamble with.

Riding a motorcycle is dangerous, but it is also an amazing experience! So think carefully but don't let fear decide for you

SupremeLoda-18 karma

Wouldn't it be funny if you catch Chinese virus?

ZarinStar6 karma

It's called COVID-19, get it right. No excuses.

r00tdude4 karma

Don't really think the virus is anything funny, for a handful of reasons. But if I would get it and die a third time and come back, that would be pretty insane haha