UK Woman Describes Her Near-Death Experience: "I Didn't See Anything"

The mystery of death and what follows remains a deeply personal and complex question, with various perspectives offering insights but no definitive answers. Recently, a 32-year-old UK woman who was left in a coma after a change in her epilepsy medication claims she experienced what lies beyond life. Nicola Hodges, who was rushed to William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, Kent, said there are no Pearly Gates on the other side.

According to a report by Mirror, Ms Hodges was put on 24-hour dialysis and fell into a coma. Her family gathered at her bedside after being told her chances of survival were slim, with doctors estimating only a 20% chance of recovery.

She said, "My family were hearing all those awful words you hear in medical documentaries, that the doctors are doing all they can, for example. They've all said it scared the living hell out of them and showed how serious it all was. I wasn't expected to make it through the night, but I did, luckily."

"My family were warned that if I woke up, I was going to be very different. This wasn't the type of thing you can get over quickly," she added.

Ms Hodges described her coma experience as a near-death experience, but it wasn't what she had expected or heard. Instead of vivid imagery, she felt warm and was surrounded by an amber light, with no pearly white gates or other typical associations.

"The only way I can describe the coma is as a near-death experience. But it wasn't like all those things you hear, there were no pearly white gates. I didn't see anything, I just remember feeling warm and an amber light. But that gave me the feeling that there must be something after death, a life or an energy, and that's where the basis of the idea was born," Ms Hodges noted. 

After unexpectedly waking from the coma, she was left disoriented and struggling to process her experience. However, her recovery was soon complicated when she suffered a fall during a seizure six months later, resulting in four separate brain haemorrhages from hitting her head.

"It wasn't anything that could be fixed overnight. I just changed. The only way I can describe it is feeling like my head was wrapped in cotton wool. I used to be very quick, funny, and witty. I'd done lots of different things and never struggled, but then I couldn't remember what day it was at first," she added. 

She experienced persistent confusion and growing isolation. She found it unsettling to feel like she had no control over her mind, despite her efforts. Even family gatherings became a source of anxiety for her.

At family events, she would often sit at the adult table feeling lost and struggling to follow conversations, which made her feel more like she was stupid than isolated. To cope, she would often move to the kids' table, where she could engage with them and feel more at ease, avoiding the pressure of trying to keep up with adult discussions.

Her life has been marked by ongoing health struggles, including migraines, sensory overload, and seizures. Due to safety concerns, she's unable to live independently and currently resides with her parents in Folkestone. A series of accidents, including a fall down the stairs that left her deaf in one ear and a near-drowning incident in a swimming pool during a seizure, have further complicated her life. 

However, she refused to give in to her struggles. Instead, she created a list of goals to accomplish before turning 40, with her most ambitious aspiration being to write a book despite the challenges posed by her brain injury.