A WOMAN has claimed to have visited heaven after a bout of bad luck which saw her have four near-death experiences.
Sharon Milliman believes it’s a “miracle” that she’s still here today and reveals that she won’t be scared when her time finally comes.
Sharon pictured at the age of 13 had her first near-death experience after drowning in a pool[/caption]
Now she’s seen death four times she’s no longer afraid and knows what to expect in heaven[/caption]
The published author says she has suffered two life-threatening health complications as well as being seconds away from drowning and being struck by lightning while on the phone with a friend.
Though it appears death can’t wait to pay her a visit, the 62-year-old has fought back each time.
Now, she’s sharing her experience of the “other side” and what heaven is really like.
Pearly Gates
“I felt my spirit leave my body and [suddenly] I was hovering over it,” the public speaker told NeedToKnow.
“Then, I saw a beautiful, radiant light descending towards me; it enveloped me in a warm, comforting embrace.
“As [the light] approached, it seemed to expand, and in that moment, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace, compelling me to surrender to it.
“I was swept through clouds of pink and gold, before entering a garden.
“There, to my astonishment, stood my two younger brothers who had passed.”
She claims her brothers walked her through a city made of marble and gold before she got to a podium on which rested a giant gold book titled ‘The Book of Life’ with an ancient language written inside.
Recalling her experience in ‘heaven’ Sharon said: “All the colours were rich, the sounds of laughter were vibrant and the smell of wildflowers was intense; it left me in a state of awe.”
Sharon, from West Virginia, US, says there were halls filled with mentors and teachers guiding souls on their spiritual quests; along with a banquet of luxurious foods. But there was an important message waiting for her.
“It’s such a beautiful thing and when the time does come, I’ll be ready and waiting to finally embrace the other side fully,” she continued.
Near-Death Experiences
The public speaker was just 13 when she had her first near-death experience.
“I was with my mum who had taken me to swimming lessons,” she said. “But suddenly, I forgot how to swim and started sinking deeper into the bottom of the pool.
“Panic set in as I struggled against the surface, quickly sinking and inhaling water. I remember the reaction around me was total chaos as I lay 10ft underwater.
“I felt neither pain, nor fear, as I lay there quiet, unmoving, and no longer breathing. I was able to see and hear everything happening around the pool, though, through my spirit floating above me.
“Lifeguards jumped in and pulled me to the side, while others lifted me out and started performing CPR. It was very touch-and-go, but then I regained my breath.”
The public speaker never went swimming again and 30 years later she had another encounter with death himself.
At the age of 43, she was struck by lightening when she was chatting on her phone on her front porch. “I saw a lightning flash and suddenly, a silver bolt snaked down from the sky and hit my right arm,” she said.
“I screamed as I felt an agonising burning and searing pain while my heart stopped, before my spirit, once again, was peeled from my body. My body was lying dead at the base of the charred stairs and as I floated, I found myself back in heaven.
“My daughter arrived right after the strike and brought me back to consciousness. I was so confused as I tried to figure out my surroundings, but then I spotted the phone, which was burnt and blackened.
“Drenched in sweat and unable to move, paramedics soon arrived and I was rushed to hospital, where extensive tests were carried out. It was found I had a right blockage in my heart and due to being struck, had developed a seizure disorder. I thought the worst had happened, but I was totally wrong.”
Sharon had cheated death once more and the third occasion came in November 2016, when she underwent emergency surgery following a bowel obstruction. She ended up aspirating on the breathing tube and found herself in the realms of heaven.
Exactly how it feels as you die
YOU wouldn’t be alone in pondering what it feels like when you die.
Death is something we will all experience some day, but for many of us it feels like the great unknown.
Now, a doctor has shared exactly what happens to your body as you edge slowly towards death.
1. Your heart slows
Firstly, your heart will begin to beat more slowly – in turn, your blood will be pumped around your body more slowly and your blood pressure will fall, palliative medicine specialist Dr Kathryn Mannix wrote in Science Focus.
2. Your breathing changes
Your breathing will follow automatic patterns generated by the respiratory centre in the brain stem, Dr Kathryn wrote.
It could get heavier and noisier – some people lose the sense of their mouth and throat. But this happens without apparent distress, the doctor said.
You may also start to breath more slowly and shallowly. Your breath could move from deep to shallow and from fast to slow in repeating cycles.
There might be pauses and, eventually, it will come to a halt. Your heart will stop after a few minutes, as it is no longer being supplied with oxygen.
3. Dipping in and out of consciousness
You’ll spend progressively less time awake, Dr Kathryn said.
It might look like sleep from the outside, but you’ll gradually drift into consciousness for longer periods of time as you near the end, maybe without noticing it.
Dr Kathryn wrote: “On waking, people report having slept peacefully, with no sense of having been unconscious.”
Research published earlier this year indicates that you could even enter a meditative state.
Scientists accidentally captured our most complex organ as it shut down, showing an astonishing snapshot into death.
A patient with epilepsy was hooked up to an electroencephalogram (EEG) before having a heart attack.
This meant the 15 minutes around his death was recorded on the EEG.
In the 30 seconds either side of the patient’s final heartbeat, an increase in very specific brain waves were spotted.
These waves, known as gamma oscillations, are linked to things like memory retrieval, meditation and dreaming.
This could mean – although many more studies would need to take place – we might see a sort of film reel of our best memories as we die.
The parts of the brain that were activated in this study also suggests we could enter a peaceful dreamlike state that feels similar to meditation.
4. You might respond to sound
Researchers think you might still be able to hear sounds in your final moments, despite seeming unresponsive.
Looking at brain activity in coma patients in 2019, they predicted that some form of awareness could be possible at the end.
While you might be able to hear, you may not necessarily be able to make sense of what is going on.
But Dr Kathryn said: “We have no proven way to investigate what people experience during dying.
“Recent research shows that, even close to death, the unconscious brain responds to noises in the room.
“We don’t know how much sense music or voices make to a dying person, however.”
A year later, the public speaker had an adverse reaction to her seizure medication, which caused her to stop breathing. She says she rose up out of her body and found herself among the stars and planets, where there was no sense of time.
“I believe each near-death experience was an act of God,” said Sharon. “Because of this, I have been given the strength and the understanding of why things happen in my life.”
“During my times in heaven, I was also greeted by a beagle puppy, whom I didn’t recognise,” she added. “As I returned and told my daughter about the experience, she said that the very same day, a beagle had died on our road – and this answered the question as to whether our pets go to heaven; they most certainly do.
“I’ve also had visits from Jesus on multiple occasions, who comes to remind me that I’m never alone and that I don’t need to be afraid. They’ve absolutely helped me with my life overall and I wouldn’t change a thing.”
