I asked folks, “What’s the closest brush with death you’ve ever had?” Here are 22 death-defying stories.
RYAN
Age: 34. Occupation: Operations coordinator at a nonprofit.
What’s the closest brush with death you’ve ever had?
Ryan: "I put a marker in the peephole of my dorm room and forgot about it. And, I had an obsessive-compulsive neighbor and I always would stare at him through the peephole to watch him unlock his door and lock it repeatedly.
“I heard him doing it, and I ran, and the marker hit my eye. I hit the ground. Afterwards, it was more kind of like, it was scary, it didn’t really hurt that bad, and I didn’t really almost die, but... I thought I would. Like, thinking, ‘I can’t believe I didn’t stab myself in the brain.’”
STEVE
Age: 28. Occupation: Bartender.
What’s the closest brush with death you’ve ever had?
Steve: "Nine years ago, August 3rd, 2003, I had brain surgery. My skull collapsed, I had three plates put in my head, fell into a coma, damn near pronounced dead at the scene. That’s what happened. While serving with the US Marines.
“Yeah, they told my parents I wasn’t going to make it, and I survived anyway. ‘Cause I’m very stubborn. I was in great shape. Either way, whatever the reason was, I’m still here. But, I got discharged from the Marine Core ‘cause of it, after four years, and I’ve been bartending ever since.”
CHARLES
Age: 30. Occupation: Team leader for School on Wheels.
What’s the closest brush with death you’ve ever had?
Charles: "When I was 22, I was shot at, and I got shot in the foot.”
CHRISTINA
Age: 33. Occupation: Stylist.
What’s the closest brush with death you’ve ever had?
Christina: "There’s actually been quite a few. Huh. Well, I did tell you how I had spinal meningitis - I actually did die. So, I crossed over, and I saw my grandmother. I was happy to see her. She literally told me, ‘It’s not your time. You have to go back.’ And I was like, ‘No. Why? I want to stay here with you!’ And she said, ‘No. It’s just not your time. You have a lot to do. You have to go back.’ And I said, ‘I don’t want to go back.’ And she said, ‘You have to go back.’ And then she and the light went away, and I woke up, in tears.
“How I died: I ‘bradied’ down. Basically what that means is that my heart rate dropped so low that I was technically still alive, but at the point where I wasn’t getting enough oxygen, so that I actually did cross over. But since I still had some sort of a heart rate kind of going, they put a cold press on me, and that’s what jump-kicked me back into... that brought me back. I totally had - I raised up out of my body, looked down, I could see myself laying there, and went up, saw the light, saw my grandmother, and she said ‘Absolutely not. It’s not your time to go. You have to go back. You have too much to do.’”
