“Death is an illusion because our soul never dies”
Brianna Lafferty, a 33-year-old woman from Colorado, was battling a rare neurological disorder when her body “gave up.” Clinically dead for eight minutes—no pulse, breath, or brain activity—she later returned to life with a vivid near-death experience (NDE), reports dailymail.co.uk.
“Death is an illusion because our soul never dies. Our consciousness remains alive. And our very essence simply transforms,” Lafferty said. “I did not see or remember my human self. I was completely still, yet I felt fully alive, aware, and more myself than ever before.”
Suffering from myoclonus dystonia, a condition causing involuntary muscle jerks, Lafferty flatlined during a medical crisis. Before losing consciousness, she heard a voice asking if she was ready. Then, she described her soul “floating” above her body, entering a timeless realm.
“I was suddenly separated from my physical body,” she said. “There was no pain, just a deep sense of peace and clarity.” She claimed her thoughts shaped her surroundings: “My thoughts instantly materialized. I realized that our thoughts shape reality there.”
Revived but weakened, Lafferty relearned to walk and speak. Though fearful of another NDE, she no longer fears death: “It changed the course of my life. What I feared no longer had power over me, and what I used to chase didn’t seem important anymore.”
Her experience aligns with a recent study tracking 567 cardiac arrest patients across 25 hospitals. Published in Resuscitation, the research found nearly 40% showed brain activity linked to consciousness during CPR—some up to 60 minutes after cardiac arrest.
Dr. Sam Parnia, the study’s lead author, said these experiences reveal “a real, yet little-understood dimension of human consciousness that becomes uncovered with death.” One patient even misinterpreted medical procedures as torture in hell.
Lafferty described encountering “other beings” and a “higher intelligence” radiating “unconditional love.” “There’s a presence, or intelligence, higher than ourselves that guides and watches over us,” she said.
The study suggests consciousness may persist after clinical death. For Lafferty, her NDE brought profound clarity: “I feel empowered and trust life’s events, especially the hard ones. Everything happens for a reason.”
