Dr. Mary — a spinal surgeon and mother of four. During a kayaking accident, she drowned, and her heart stopped. Underwater, she felt an overwhelming sense of peace and had an experience where she left her body and saw another realm — a place, she says, where souls go after death. She even witnessed her own body being rescued — and after she was brought back to life, she described it all with shocking accuracy... and even that wasn’t the most astonishing part... Mary was sent back from the “world of souls” with a message — something awful about her future...

The Power of Reason and Strict Rationality in Life

Dr. Mary lived by the clock. Surgeries began exactly at 6:30, gloves on her hands — like a ritual, scalpel in her hand — like an extension of her thought. She believed only in what could be measured, proven, and confirmed. God? Fate? A miracle? She didn’t believe in any of it.

— You’re too cold-hearted, her mother sometimes told her.
— I just don’t build illusions, Mary always replied.
Medical practice, four children, a husband who loved extreme sports, morning runs, evening rounds — her life was a strict schedule to get everything done, and she had no time for philosophizing.
Until one January. Until one river...

The Fuy River. Thirty Minutes Before Death...

Chile greeted them with hot sun. The water in the Fuy River shone like a mirror. In the group were experienced rafters — James and Laura, owners of a rafting company, her husband Bill, and two friends.

— Look how it flows! Bill shouted joyfully, putting his arm around her shoulders.
— We haven’t relaxed like this in a long time, Mary agreed, adjusting her helmet and pushing strands away from her face.
They had been on the water for half an hour when something went wrong...

Something Feels Strange...

Mary was the first to sense something was wrong. She sat in the kayak, squinting from the bright sun, looking at the water surface. Outwardly — everything seemed normal. But under the surface... something was off.
— Bill... she said quietly, more to herself than to her husband. The current is too fast today. Don’t you feel it?

@DrMaryNeal/facebook.com

— Hey, everything’s fine! Bill laughed, paddling. You’re just out of practice. It’s the Fuy, it’s always like this!
— No... Mary frowned. I know this current. It’s different. More broken. And — faster. We shouldn’t be here in water like this.
Ahead, James and Laura were waving their arms, calling them on. Waves of joyful laughter, splashes of water. A normal day on the river — but not today...

Her Warnings Were Not Taken Seriously! 

She tried to believe them — to relax, to let go of the anxiety, like they teach in all practices. Inhale — Exhale. Everything will be fine...
But her mind — like a true surgeon’s, logical, tested in extreme situations — was already screaming that things were bad!

Mary carefully looked at the banks. They were changing too quickly. And the depth? The water became murkier, heavier... She tried to straighten her course — and realized she was slowly being pulled sideways...

Alone with the Element

— Bill?! Mary shouted, straining her voice. It’s pulling me away!
— What? her husband turned, Swim after us! — but the next moment, he disappeared behind a huge rock.

— Bill! she shouted louder. It’s pulling me! Do you hear me?! — but no one heard her anymore. The roar of the water thundered in her ears, drowning out all her screams... She was left alone...

Trying to Activate Cold Reason

Her heart pounded like crazy. Panic was rising like a tide. But Mary was not one to give up.
— Breathe. Focus. Analyze, she ordered herself.
The boat was tossed side to side, each hit against a wave knocking the breath out of her lungs. 

She began mentally making a plan. If she got pulled into a rapid — she had to jump out. Or hold to the right bank. Or... But she didn’t have time to finish...

A Sudden Impact!

One wrong paddle stroke — and her kayak flew down a ten-foot waterfall.
Mary did not scream. She instinctively tensed up, like a surgeon during a machine failure.
— Boom!

@raft/reddit.com

The boat slammed with a dull thud into underwater rocks, sharply tilting. Mary’s whole body struck the rocks, her shoulder pierced by an excruciating pain. And then — silence...

Underwater

Mary opened her eyes. Everything was green, distorted. She couldn’t move. The spray skirt tightly held her in the cockpit. Rocks, water, weight — everything pressed on her chest like a concrete slab.
— God... for the first time in her life, she didn’t just pray — she entrusted her fate to Him. 

— Thy will be done.
Minutes dragged on. She lost orientation, air, hope... Her lungs quickly filled with water. Her heart beat more and more faintly...

She Couldn’t Have Just Fallen Behind

While Mary was suffocating underwater, pinned by her kayak, losing strength with every passing second, everything above the surface still seemed normal. But suddenly, Bill tensed.

He was paddling on autopilot when something deep inside him flinched. Inhale… Exhale… and then — a cold stab in the chest.
— Guys... I haven’t seen Mary in a while, he said casually but his eyes were already darting across the river. His voice trembled with unease...

The Wrong Kind of Joke

— Oh come on, one of the friends laughed. She probably stopped to admire the waterfall. You know her — always zoning out at the view.
— Maybe she got out on shore, Laura added. Or just fell behind. Wouldn’t be the first time…

But Bill didn’t laugh. On his face appeared that unmistakable expression — the one of someone who just sensed something was terribly wrong… without knowing why… but no longer able to ignore it.

A Fear That Won’t Let Go

Another five minutes passed. Silent… strained. Bill didn’t take his eyes off the place where Mary should have been. He kept glancing around, over and over. But the river was empty. No kayak. No helmet. No bright life vest… His head whipped faster now, reacting to every sound… every ripple.

— Listen, he said sharply. I’m serious. She’s not here. Something happened. We need to look for Mary. Right now.
And what his friends said next… stunned him.

The Answer That Cuts Deep

— Bill, James started calmly, you know we can’t just turn back. There’s no paddling upstream here — you know that. We’ve gone too far…
— I don’t care! Bill snapped. I’m turning around! We have to check!

— You can’t, Laura shook her head. The current’s too strong. You’ll get yourself killed… and what help would that be? I’m sure she’s fine!

Panic Leaves No Room for Logic

But there was no stopping Bill now. His face turned pale, lips trembling, eyes blazing with panic and resolve.
— I’m not leaving her out there alone…
He was already scanning the bank for a place to turn. His kayak rocked dangerously, current hammering the side but he began maneuvering.

His friends shouted, pleaded, warned — but he didn’t hear a word. Every nerve in him screamed just one thing:
She’s in trouble… I can feel it… I’m going to be too late…
At that very moment, at the bottom of the green river, Mary’s heart was already slowing down...

A Race Against Death

Bill, risking a capsize, barely managed to steer the kayak to shore. The paddle slipped from his hands, current slammed him sideways but he clung on like it was life itself. When the boat crashed against the rocks, he leapt out without even looking back.

His friends, seeing he’d actually made it out, followed in panic. They didn’t need any more convincing — Mary had been missing too long. And now… they all felt it. No more jokes. No more logic. Only one thought remained: where is she?!

If Only They Knew…

If only they knew that Mary had already been unconscious for several minutes… That the water had long stolen her air… That her heart still beat — but just barely…
That being one minute late might cost her life… or leave her forever lost in a coma.

They scrambled down the slope, stumbling, grabbing at branches. Bill ran first, tearing his hands open, screaming:
— Mary!!! Mary!!!
No answer… Only the roar of water. The sound of the river — so peaceful on the surface… so merciless underneath.

The Sight That Freezes the Blood

When they reached the bend, it all became clear.
Below, beneath the churning waterfall, caught between the rocks, swaying like a forgotten toy… was a kayak. Her kayak. Upside down...
— Oh God… whispered Laura.

— No… no… Bill breathed, and took off running.
Getting down there meant going around… and every second now was torture. He sprinted, stumbled, ran again. In his ears echoed: make it… please, make it…
If only he’d known that at that exact moment, his beloved wife had just died…

Her Heart Stopped!

Below the surface, all had gone still. The last weak signal shivered through her chest… The last breath — long gone… And then… Mary’s heart made its final beat. And fell silent… She drowned.

Silence wrapped around her body. The river no longer seemed hostile. Bill didn’t know yet — he was still running, every step filled with desperation. He still hoped… while her heart had already gone quiet…

The Last Chance

They scrambled down to the waterfall as fast as they could, slipping on wet rocks, tearing the skin from their palms. Bill was the first to throw himself into the water. Mary’s body was stuck under the overturned kayak — her hair tangled, her face unnaturally pale, lips turning blue. 

She felt terrifyingly light when he pulled her out… and at the same time heavy, like dead weight. He dragged her onto the shore, barely managed to lay her on her back, gripped her wrist — nothing. No pulse…— Breathe… please, just breathe…

Refusing Reality

Laura ran up behind, dropped to her knees, pressed her fingers to Mary’s neck. Silence. She exhaled with a trembling voice: — There’s no pulse. Bill… But he was already leaning over her face, pinching her nose, blowing air into her mouth again and again. 

Then — hands on her chest, compressing her ribs hard and rhythmically, the way they teach in CPR classes, the way he’d seen on TV, as if the whole world depended on it. Because it did. Right now, his whole world — was her. — One… two… three… breathe… one… two… three… Mary, BREATHE!!!

When Faith Beats Logic

Five minutes passed. Then ten. Then fifteen. Laura stood nearby, no longer interfering, silently crying. — Bill… please… she’s already gone… He turned abruptly, eyes full of tears, his voice breaking into a scream: — No! You don’t get it! She’s strong! She couldn’t… she couldn’t… 

He kept pressing her chest, breathing for her. Her face stayed still, lips blue, hands cold. But he didn’t stop… and Mary knew it even then — because she was watching from the side as her soul floated into another dimension… but we’ll come back to that soon…

Thirty Minutes Without Air

Still, Bill wouldn’t stop. His arms trembled from exhaustion, his voice cracked from sobbing but he kept pushing down on Mary’s chest. Everyone around already understood — she’d been underwater far too long… but he didn’t know how long. 

Later, the doctors would say she’d been under for about thirty minutes. Thirty! In conditions of almost total hypoxia, with zero chance of survival. People don’t come back from that. Practically no one… But just when it seemed like it was truly over… she suddenly coughed.

A Rebirth

It was a harsh, raspy sound — as if something deep inside had reawakened. Mary jerked, her mouth opened, her body arched in a spasm — and she started coughing up water.

Then came the first gasping breath… Air rushed into her lungs — ragged, broken, like a newborn. Her heart gave one beat. Then another. Laura screamed. Bill froze — then collapsed beside her, pulling her to him like he’d never let go again. She’s alive. She really came back. But what she said next stunned everyone…

I Saw Them…

Mary opened her eyes — unfocused, confused. — Where… am I? What… happened? Her voice was faint, barely audible but full of awe. — How did I come back?.. I saw them. I… saw them… No one understood. Who did she mean? 

What was she talking about? But Mary couldn’t explain it then. She just quietly repeated — “I saw them”, like a mantra. No one yet realized she was speaking of a world her soul had entered… a world few ever return from…

Mary Needed Help — Fast!

She was too weak to say more. Her consciousness kept slipping away. Bill picked her up like a child and, without listening to anyone, started running to the road. Their friends ran beside him, shouting for help, trying to flag down a car to get her to a hospital. 

He never let go of her, holding her close, whispering: — You’ll make it. Do you hear me, Mary? You’re with us. You’re strong! And when a doctor finally examined her, what he said stunned them all.

The Doctors Were Shocked

When they burst into the emergency room, everything felt like a dream. Nurses rushed to Mary, shouted into radios, gently placed her on a stretcher — and then the OR doors slammed shut. Bill stood frozen in the hallway — soaked, bleeding, eyes full of horror and hope. Twenty minutes passed. Then another fifteen. Finally, a doctor came out. His face looked strange — not tired, not detached… but confused. 

He removed his glasses, wiped his forehead, and said: — I don’t know how this is possible…— What’s wrong with her?! — Bill jumped up. — Is she alive?! — She’s not just alive… — the doctor paused. — She survived clinical death… for over thirty minutes. That should’ve left permanent damage. Brain swelling. Coma. Paralysis... Anything… but she… Bill shouted: — What happened to her?? Tell me the truth!

These Words Were Hard to Believe

The doctor was stunned:
— It feels like her heart just… left and came back, as if nothing happened. As if she hadn’t been underwater for thirty minutes...
Bill didn’t immediately grasp the meaning. He blinked, took a step back, then forward again, as if afraid to scare away reality.

— Are you saying… she’s going to be okay?
— I can’t say that from a scientific point of view, — the doctor admitted honestly. — But… as a human being? I think yes. It’s a miracle. I have no other explanation. Yes, of course, she has multiple injuries and broken legs... but all other vital signs are normal.

She Really Came Back

When Bill was finally allowed into the room, he found Mary sitting up — pale, exhausted but with a clear gaze. She looked at him… and smiled.
— You knew I’d come back, didn’t you? — she whispered.
He just nodded, unable to say a word, then dropped to his knees by her bed and buried his face in his hands. He didn’t cry — he simply couldn’t believe he was holding her hand, warm, alive, real.

— I knew everything… Bill, I saw you trying to save me… No one believed I would make it. Except you…Bill was stunned...

She Came Back… But With a Prophecy

When Bill stepped into the room, he froze for a second. Mary was leaning against the pillow, an oxygen tube in her nose, pale, almost translucent but with a sharp, conscious look in her eyes. She looked at him, and in the same instant, her lips trembled.
— You knew I’d come back, didn’t you? — she whispered.

He didn’t say anything — just slowly dropped to his knees beside her bed, took her hand, and pressed it tightly to his lips. It was warm. Alive. So familiar… He was afraid to move, afraid any word would shatter the fragile reality.
— I knew everything… — Mary added. — Bill, I saw you saving me. I heard you calling me. I heard Laura… No one believed I would return. Except you... After these words, Bill froze completely...

What Did You See, Mary?

He looked up at her.
— Where were you, Mary?.. What do you mean, “you heard”?
Mary suddenly shivered, her pupils widened slightly. She seemed to freeze in her memory, staring at the ceiling.
— I… I saw them. They were light. And voice. Everything… became clear at once.

— Who “they”? — Bill leaned in closer. — Who are you talking about?
Mary swallowed hard, started gasping weakly, as if it was painful to remember — but the more she spoke, the more her words shocked her husband...

A Terrifying Confession

— They told me… I’d be sent back. That I have to tell… to warn…
— Warn who? — Bill frowned. — About what? Mary, what are you trying to say?
 

She suddenly grabbed his hand. Her voice became oddly sharp, almost frantic:
— He will die, Bill! They said… he will die…
— Who will die? — Bill’s voice cracked. — Mary, what do you mean? Who??
Mary almost burst into tears...

Words That Won’t Let Go

Mary tried to say more but had no strength left. Her head slowly dropped to the pillow, her eyelids fluttered, and in a second — she was asleep.
Bill sat in a daze, holding her hand tightly. Those words wouldn’t leave his mind. 

He waited for her breathing to even out, then stood and left the room, not fully realizing yet that her words weren’t fantasy — but a warning. A terrifying truth waiting to happen... no matter how much he wanted to believe otherwise.

Laura’s Usual Skepticism

He found their friend Laura in the hallway. She was sitting by the window, staring into the darkness — Bill came over and sat down beside her.
— She said strange things… — he muttered. — That she saw “them.” That they sent her back to warn someone. And that someone is going to die…
Laura turned. There was worry in her eyes but she tried to smile.

— Bill… after what she went through… it’s no surprise. It could’ve been delirium. Hallucinations as her heart slowed down. It’s normal.
Laura had always been a skeptic — but this time, she was wrong. Every word Mary said was the truth. And soon, they would see it for themselves.

Bill No Longer Knew What to Believe

Bill didn’t let it go.
— But the way she spoke… it felt real.
— She was dead, — Laura said softly. — Her brain could’ve created any image just to cling to life. He nodded but something inside wouldn’t rest. 

Those words, That voice…The panic in her eyes… and yes, how could she know that only he believed she’d survive? Because that was exactly what happened...

A Night Beside a Miracle

By evening, all visitors had left the hospital. Laura was the first to go, the others followed later. Bill stayed behind, alone. He sat on a folding chair next to Mary’s bed, closed his eyes, and tried to rest. But sleep wouldn’t come... Her voice kept echoing in his mind. “He will die…” Who? Why? For what? And why was she the one sent back to say it?

Outside, the city buzzed with late-night traffic. Inside — only the steady beeping of monitors and Mary’s breathing. She lay quietly, as if nothing had happened. But then… something terrifying happened.

A Nightmarish Dream

Around midnight, as the hospital room sank into complete silence, Mary suddenly cried out in her sleep. Her voice pierced the darkness like a call from another world:
— My son… my son!.. Please don’t die!..

Bill jumped up from the chair. He tried to wake her, took her by the shoulders but she kept tossing and turning, as if fighting something in her dream. Her face twisted in pain, her breathing was erratic… Bill panicked. 

Something is Definitely Happening to Her! 

He got so nervous, he felt pain in his own chest. Just what they needed now!
— Mary! Wake up! It’s me, you’re in the hospital! - he nearly shouted but she wouldn’t wake. Her body seemed stuck between two worlds. 

And only after several minutes did she finally go quiet, as if falling into a deep sleep as though nothing had happened… though in truth, the memories from that other world were still chasing her.

No Sleep

After that, Bill couldn’t close his eyes. He sat there, watching every breath she took. Her words — “He will die” — echoed in his head like a warning bell. What did she mean? Who was “he”? Why did she scream about her son if Willie was fine? 

He called her mother, who was staying at home with the boy — everything was calm, the child was asleep. But that didn’t help. On the contrary, a heavy worry settled deeper inside him.

Mary Remained Unaware

When morning came, Mary opened her eyes and smiled, as if nothing had happened.
— Good morning, - she whispered.
— Do you remember what you dreamed? Bill leaned closer.
She frowned.
— No… not really. Why?

— Mary, you screamed last night. You begged your son not to die. And before that… you said someone would die. That you were shown something. Do you remember anything?
Mary slowly shook her head. Then she started crying.
— I would tell you everything, Bill… but not now. Not yet.

Returning Home

A few days later she was discharged. Bill held her hand the entire way, never letting go. She stayed silent the whole time. But when they arrived home, and five-year-old Willie stood on the porch with wide eyes and open arms — she couldn’t hold back.
— Mommy!!!

— I thought I’d never see you again…
She held him as if afraid to lose him again. And in those moments, there was nothing but love, pain, and gratitude that their little universe was still intact.

A Month That Changed Everything

Mary stayed home on sick leave for a month but every day felt like an eternity. In a few months, she tried to convince the head doctor to let her return to work.
— I feel fine, really. I just need to get back to my routine…
But the doctor was firm.
— After clinical death, the body needs more than rest. You need time to process what happened.

But understanding was the hardest part for her. Mary tried to live as before. She cooked breakfast, read fairy tales to her son, cleaned the house. On the surface, everything looked normal. But Bill felt she had changed. Not because of the tragedy — no. Something inside her had changed much deeper.

Trying to Return to Her Old Life

He carefully brought up the hospital and her strange words a few times.
— You said someone had to die. You weren’t joking, were you, Mary?
She sighed and, without looking at him, always said the same:
— Bill, it’s not time yet. I’ll tell you… but later.

— Later — when? - he whispered.
But Mary turned away, as if afraid to say too much. Or maybe afraid he simply wouldn’t understand.

A Rational World Cracks

All that time Mary spent many hours with Willie. They walked in the park, cooked together, drew, built with blocks. But even while playing, she sometimes froze as if listening to something invisible. Like a voice inside still speaking to her. Bill noticed strange things. The books on her bedside table were no longer medical or scientific. Now they were titled Proofs of Life After Death, The Transition: What Happens to the Soul, They Come to Us in Dreams.

— Mary… do you really believe all this?
— he asked cautiously once.
— What if everything we never believed in before is just because we haven’t been there?
She answered calmly, without looking away from the page. He fell silent…

A Secret That Tears From Within

Mary stayed silent, not because she didn’t want to tell but because she couldn’t. Everything she had seen there changed her. It turned her world not just 180 — but 360 degrees. And how do you tell the one you love that you saw the future, souls in the afterlife… and those she loved who had already passed away? 

She didn’t know where to start. But she felt the time was coming. Something was already moving in this world. And it was her duty to be ready. Only was Bill ready for this? That was the big question.

Time To Share The Truth

Years passed since then. Mary threw herself into work, achieved even greater success as a surgeon, and gave birth to three more children! However, she never forgot the experience she went through during clinical death and was ready to share it not only with her husband but also with millions of people around the world because she understood how incredibly important it was... She decided to write about it... a book! 

Yes, a surgeon-writer sounds unusual but Mary was not one to live by stereotypes. She worked at the hospital during the day and wrote her memories at night... Her husband was shocked and did not recognize his previously rational wife. He was even more shocked when he was the first to read Mary’s book...

What Really Happened To Mary...

Let’s go back to 1999... the Fuy River and Mary, who was kayaking down a waterfall and couldn’t get out of the water... Despite the stress, she clearly remembered that moment and described it in detail in her book... She admitted that at first she panicked and tried to escape but then she was enveloped by complete calm... She began losing consciousness but at the same time her mind became clearer and sharper than ever before. 

She felt her body lying in cold water, the weight of the kayak on her hands but at the same time she understood she was somewhere else entirely. Suddenly, she heard a loud clap and felt as if she rose above everything, watching herself from above. Her soul watched as friends pulled her lifeless body from the river and started artificial respiration but she was no longer in her body...

Meeting The Shining Beings

Around her appeared glowing figures—fifteen beings who radiated joy and were so happy to see her... They did not look frightening, on the contrary—they were kind and welcoming. Mary felt their warmth and light envelop her...

These beings invited her to walk with them into a forest filled with bright colors and pleasant scents. Everything around was so alive, filled with light and peace, that Mary wanted to stay there forever...

A Review Of Her Whole Life

In the forest, she began to see her life from a new perspective. It was as if everything was unfolding before her again—moments of joy, hurt, and quarrels. But now she saw not only herself but also other familiar people who had long passed away, their feelings and reasons for their actions. 

Mary felt deep understanding and forgiveness that previously seemed impossible. This experience changed her internally—she realized that all mistakes and conflicts are part of life that must be accepted...

The Dome Of Light And A Terrible Warning

Moving further, Mary approached a glowing dome that seemed to beckon her. Inside she felt thousands of souls as if they were waiting for her. She wanted to stay there forever but the accompanying beings stopped her. They told her she must return, that her time on Earth was not yet over. 

Then they warned Mary — her eldest son, Willie, would die before reaching adulthood. It was not a punishment but part of a bigger plan that Mary had to accept... She remembered this terrible prophecy every day after she was saved...

The Blow That Broke Her Heart

When Mary finished writing the book, she was very happy and wanted to share it with her son Willie... She dialed his number to tell him how much the book meant to her and that now her story would be known to many. But instead of hearing her son’s warm voice, she received terrible news—Willie had died in an accident during training. 

@DrMaryNeal/facebook.com

It was like a blow straight to the heart. Everything went dark, and Mary could not believe what had happened. Losing a son is a pain that cannot be described in words... even though she had been warned about it when her soul was between two worlds...

The Faith That Helped Her Live On

Despite the terrible loss, Mary did not break. She believed that Willie’s soul was now in a good place, where there is no pain or fear. This thought helped her find the strength to keep living and fight her grief. 

@DrMaryNeal/facebook.com

Thanks to this faith, she was able to accept the loss and continue telling people her story and supporting others who had experienced grief. This faith became her light in the darkness and gave her the courage to move forward, even when it seemed that hope was gone…