After glimpses of what they describe as heaven, several individuals say they were torn from peace and unwillingly thrust back to life.

According to the Daily Mail, Survivors of near-death experiences recently shared vivid recollections of a serene, light-filled afterlife and how being forced to return has left a lasting emotional impact.

According to researchers and anecdotal reports, as many as 15 percent of people worldwide have had a near-death experience—an event where they come close to dying but survive, often with profound stories. Many report seeing divine light, scenic beauty, or encountering spiritual guides. These accounts, though deeply subjective, share striking similarities and continue to attract public and scientific interest.

In the May episode of the “Outer Limits of Inner Truth Reborn” podcast, several near-death experiencers discussed what they saw, felt, and endured during their temporary passage into what they believe was the afterlife. Podcast host Ryan McCormick, who has chronicled many of these cases, said many participants express longing to return to what they felt was their true home. He noted that while the experiences were peaceful, returning was often involuntary and traumatic.

“I spoke to multiple individuals who have had profound near-death experiences where they describe reaching a light, or a physical afterlife, and then being forced reluctantly back into their bodies,” McCormick said. “Some of these near-death experiencers have spent many years yearning to return – but also hoping to share the knowledge they have gained with others.”

California man recalls watching his death.

One of the people featured was Peter Bedard, a former dancer from California. He described being hit by a truck and, before impact, feeling his soul separate from his body. He recounted moving through what he called a spinning tunnel of white light and watching his own body from above.

In this altered state, Bedard said he encountered a being who guided him and explained that it wasn’t his time to stay. The words stuck with him, and moments later, he returned to his battered body, beginning a long journey of pain and healing. At one point, he considered ending his life but hesitated, fearing rejection from the realm he once visited.

Eventually, Bedard found a way to channel his experiences into helping others. Today, he works as a hypnotherapist, specializing in emotional, psychological, and physical recovery. He says his understanding of his near-death journey helps him connect with those seeking healing.

A moment of peace turned into a lifetime of perspective

Vincent Tolman’s near-death experience began under vastly different circumstances. After taking a bodybuilding supplement while at a restaurant, he collapsed in the bathroom. He was later declared clinically dead and remained so until unexpectedly regaining life.

Tolman described meeting a man in white who acted as a guide and then being shown what he believed was heaven. He felt a powerful connection not only to the spiritual surroundings but also to the natural elements, like grass and water, which seemed to radiate emotion and awareness.

“I connected to the space. I connected to the grass,” he said, describing the emotional resonance of his surroundings. “It’s odd to say, but I felt a tremendous love and peace and serenity.”

Pulled from peace and placed in survival

Despite the tranquility, Tolman said he was abruptly told he had to go back. “It felt as if I was pulled away from that heavenly state, and I was forced back into my body,” he said. The return, he recalled, was jarring and painful. He spent three days in a coma before awakening with a new outlook on life.

Following his recovery, Tolman married and began speaking publicly about his experience. He now considers himself changed for life and continues to anticipate his eventual return to what he views as a greater spiritual existence.

In another case, Andy Petro recounted a traumatic event from 1955. While on a school picnic in Detroit, he developed a cramp while swimming and sank to the lake’s bottom. Stuck in the mud and unable to breathe, Petro said he suddenly detached from his body.

A 1955 drowning survivor shares insights on human emotion.

Petro remembered moving toward what he called a blinding light, stronger than a thousand suns, while observing his earthly body left behind. Like others, he felt comfort in the spiritual plane but found himself sent back to resume life. This, he believes, was to experience emotions like hatred, fear, and separation—feelings he claims do not exist in the afterlife.

“I turned the other direction, and there’s this giant, beautiful, fantastic light,” Petro said. “The reason I came down here was to experience fear, separation, hatred... In the light, we are all one. There is no hierarchy, there is nobody in charge.”

He emphasized that humans are all part of that same powerful light, each soul making up a larger whole. Although Petro longs to return to that state, he continues sharing his story as part of what he believes is his earthly responsibility.

The stories from Bedard, Tolman, Petro, and others illustrate the recurring themes in near-death experiences: a profound sense of peace and unity, encounters with guiding presences, and a painful departure from that tranquil realm. While their interpretations vary, most express a shared belief that their experiences were real and transformative.

Though deeply personal, these accounts offer insight into how death—and the unknown beyond—can shape the life that continues. For those who have returned, the message is often one of hope, healing, and a broader understanding of purpose.