Welcome, welcome to Round Trip Death where we
have conversations with people who have died,
experienced a glimpse of the other side, and
return to talk about it. What can we learn from
these experiences? How can a belief in the afterlife
provide hope for your life right now? In this
episode, imagine having a heart attack, seeing
the light, and fighting to stay here. What did
Stephen learn and how did it focus his life on
his true mission? It's all coming up next. I'd
like to welcome to the show today Stephen LaRusso
coming to us from the Reno area. How are you
Stephen? I'm good Eric. Thank you. Appreciate
it. Thanks for having me. Well, thank you. We've
been communicating for a while. I'm so happy
to finally have you on the show and to hear your
whole story. And I'm just going to give people
kind of a heads up. This one's going to be unusual.
I shouldn't say that because I say that all the
time, which makes them usual. But we don't very
often talk about something that would be known
as a shared near death experience. We've talked
about shared death. We've talked about near -death
experiences all the time. Combining the two is
going to be kind of fun. So that's the direction
we're going to go today. But before we jump into
it, Stephen, if you wouldn't mind, just tell
us a little bit about you so we can get to know
you. Yes. Well, thank you, Eric. My name is Steve
LaRusso. I'm a what they call a master spiritual
coach. I like to call myself a conscious coach.
And my story is pretty basic up until a few years
ago, you know, honestly. I spent a big deal of
my life working in the manufacturing field. I
worked for Toyota and GM for about 14 years in
Northern California. Married, have a son, you
know, dabbled in some real estate and whatnot
and having residential properties and then commercial
real estate. Moved to the Reno area not too long
ago to be closer to family. My wife and I and
son did a stint in Dallas for about seven or
eight years, but we're originally from the California
Bay area. So we're back closer to family here
in Reno. And like I said, up until about four
or five years ago, that's when things really
started to get turned upside down for me. Give
us a little idea of what was going on with your
health that led up to this event. Well, it's
funny because there was nothing is going. on
with my health leading up to the near -death
experience. I had never had any chest pains,
you know, because that's what happened during
my NDE. It was an onslaught of a heart attack.
I had never had any prior symptoms of a heart
attack or pain like that, and I haven't had any
since. So I know that this event was purely a
spiritual event, not a medical or physical one.
Wow. And you're not old enough to have a heart
attack anyway. Well, I'm 54. So I mean, I guess
I qualify Okay So how long ago was this and and
just jump in with what happened to you? This
was in October of 2024 so Basically make long
story short, you know with a lot of NDE's from
my experience What I've researched and know is
that a lot of NDE's start a spiritual awakening
and they start the onslaught of a shift in consciousness.
Mine was a little different. I had already gone
through a spiritual awakening, what they call
dark night of the soul and whatnot, and made
that shift. My NDE was basically brought on through
limiting myself, fear. After I got my certificate
to become a master spiritual coach and studied
quantum physics and people like Dolores Cannon
and Brian Wise and Michael Dudin and spiritual
leaders and whatnot, I was basically told, okay,
Steve, it's time for you to get out there and...
do what you're supposed to do. You can't hide
behind a computer and a book shirt the rest of
your life. It's time. You know, a lot of times
we don't step into our calling. We have fear.
So I start to have fear and doubt and wondering,
can I do it? And it seems like a big burden.
And how do I navigate this? My wife and I, let's
skip forward, my wife and I took a trip to Tahoe
to kind of reconnect spiritually, go to the beach,
do some grounding, meditation, whatnot. It started
in our hotel room. It was about seven or so,
eight at night. We were talking, we were coherent,
we weren't asleep. It wasn't middle of the night
type thing. The TV was playing in the background.
I was laying on my back on the bed. She was standing
near the bed. That's when I began to get severe
pain, sharpshooting pain right here on the side
of my neck, going down through my arm and going
into my chest. My breathing started to pick up.
My heart... I could feel it like it was going
to pound through my chest or explode. I was beginning
to have problems breathing and whatnot. So I
turned to my wife at this time and told her that
I'm having a heart attack. I think I'm dying.
And her response threw me off guard because she
was standing there. And she began to lay on the
bed next to me on her back. So in my mind, I'm
thinking. Why doesn't she call a 9 -1 -1 or why
does she call them the paramedics? She just she
didn't behave Like I thought anybody would in
this situation later on after the event We talked
we kind of put the piece of the puzzle together
and it made sense. So I'm laying on the bed She's
laying on the bed holding my or holding each
other's arms hands were interlocked like this
You know with a fist clutching each other like
this the pain intensifies. I start to black out
I go into complete blackness that blackness transcends
into space and stars and in the distance I'm
seeing a white light and you know I like I said
I'd already been through my transformation I
did a lot of study and a lot of reading on near
-death experiences so I was familiar with what
this was just because I was immersed in it so
as this white light is approaching getting closer
the first time I heard the voice in my head which
was which was God was it's saying you've wasted
enough time and I'm telling you when you when
you when you know, you're calling a purpose and
you hear God the universe the light the creator
However, you define it source say that to you.
You really you really start evaluating yourself
So I begin praying to God asking for another
chance, you know, God, please don't do this.
I'm gonna fulfill it. I mean really Begging for
my life. I can hear my wife. Here's here's the
crazy part But you know logic doesn't apply when
you're talking about the spirit realm and how
it operates. It doesn't you know our logic can't
comprehend these things. I start hearing her
voice in my head telepathically. I can hear her
talking to me, and I'm talking to her. She can
hear me praying in my head to God. Like I said,
I was out in space. I was in pain. I was convulsing.
I was trembling. So I'm praying to God. I'm constantly
going closer to the light. As I go closer to
the light, I can feel my life force being drained.
I can feel my soul weakening. I can feel myself
Pulling away from this reality. Okay dying basically
I have some interactions with God begging me
begging basically There was one point where God
said to me all this wisdom that I've given you
and this is what you're doing with it which was
actually nothing because I was running from my
calling we had we had that exchange I I was getting
closer. My wife had later told me after we talked
about it that she too was in space She felt herself
transcending. She was in darkness in space. Also.
She said I didn't see the light but she said
I was there with you. I was actually there experiencing
it with you. And I know that doesn't make sense,
but a lot of things in the spirit realm don't,
believe me. So we're talking everything. We're
communicating telepathically. I'm begging God,
continuously approaching the light getting weaker.
There was a point where I said, okay, I'm just
gonna give up. I'm just gonna give in. Maybe
it's my time. So I basically told myself, okay,
let me just release. As soon as I told myself...
that in my head. My wife says to me telepathically,
Steve, don't give up. Keep fighting. Fight, fight,
fight. Don't give up. That gave me a second wind.
It continued. I have no idea how long this went
on. Time is not a concept or a reality in the
spirit realm, not the way we look at it. Towards
the end, as I'm on the brink of the white light,
I literally feel like I'm 90 % gone. I say this
and I don't even know why I said it. It doesn't
even make sense. But I said, Wanda, help me.
my wife. I said, Wanda, help me. At that moment,
she sat up in the bed. Now at this point, this
was audible. She starts speaking in tongues or
light language. We have a Christian background.
They used to call it tongues, light language.
So I vaguely hear this, and it didn't surprise
me because I've heard her do that a couple of
times in the past. So as I'm still in the spirit
realm, begging for my life for God, God says
to me, Stephen, in my head says, Stephen, be
quiet. and listen to your wife. He wanted me,
what I realized afterwards, that he wanted me
to be witness to what was about to happen. So
instantly then, I got some awareness back, I
got some calm back, and I looked over to the
right. And at that moment, she started speaking
in other languages. She spoke in two African
languages, and then she spoke in an Indian language.
Now, you know, I don't know how to speak Italian.
or Spanish, but you know it when you hear it.
So I knew what the languages were, but I obviously
didn't decipher. I assumed it was praying, obviously,
considering the situation. As she starts to speak
in these other languages, that's when my awareness
is brought back. That's when I'm brought back
from the spirit realm and encountering the light
and being in that state, and I'm brought back
into the physical. That's when I got up, did
a bunch of pacing. I looked over at my wife.
She was there with this daze on her face, like
she was asleep with her eyes open, just like...
So I didn't want to say anything to her. I didn't
know what she was going through I I I tried to
remain calm and afterwards when she snapped out
of it She didn't remember that she spoke in these
languages. She didn't remember it first It took
it it took it a while for her to be able to recollect
it to figure it out And I asked her what I said,
what were you saying? She says I have no idea
what I was saying I don't speak those languages.
She said it wasn't even me talking. It wasn't
me I was like I was taken over by the spirit
or God. It wasn't me so I'm still, you know,
because it wasn't that long ago. I'm still processing
it and I'm still dealing with it. But yeah, that
was my experience in a nutshell. Okay. Let's
dig into some of this. If you don't mind, I love
to ask questions and just learn more that way.
I'm not sure where to jump in, except, well,
one of the first things that came to mind as
you were telling this is going to the light.
It seems like that's very common and almost a
cliche kind of thing. But actually, I mean, I've
interviewed hundreds of people and it's not as
common as you would think. It happens. It's certainly
not even half of NDEs, not even close. I don't
know what the percentage is. And most people
feel so drawn to it. that I think it's interesting
and unusual that you felt almost like, no, no,
no, no, no, I don't want to go. I don't want
to die yet. That kind of thing. Is that how you
were feeling? And can you explain that a little
more? Yes. The reason behind that wasn't because,
you know, I was scared of death or any way or
what's going to happen after this trend, you
know, we transcend this lifetime, nothing like
that. For me, it was the the notion of not completing.
What i'm supposed to do here. That's why I didn't
I didn't I wasn't ready to die knowing now what
my mission was and what i'm supposed to do and
I wasn't ready to leave for that reason not because
I was Scared of death or any anything like that.
So for me it was okay. This near -death experience
is about me Running from my path purpose my calling
what I chose or what I chose to do before I came
here or what? God assigned me however, we look
at it and for me it was like I didn't want to
live with myself if this makes sense. This was
my thought. I didn't want to live with myself
knowing that I hadn't completed that and go back
to the spirit realm and have to face whatever.
I knew I had to stay here and try to finish this
or do what I'm supposed to do. So you were taught
a very clear lesson and given a very clear mission
that you sort of already knew, right? and it
was, hey, go back and do what you've already
been told what to do kind of thing. Everybody
has something to learn from their NDE's. These
aren't just for entertainment purposes. Yours
was super clear, it sounds like. I want to learn
a little bit more about your interaction with
this voice. Was it difficult to know immediately
that this was God talking or was it so clear
you're not mistaken? hear God talk, I'll speak
for me. There's no confusion or distortion. So
for me, it was crystal clear that it was God,
and it was crystal clear why I was going through
it. Yeah, I had someone ask me an interesting
question once, and I love interesting questions
because I love to challenge myself. I believe
anything and everything is possible, and I believe
that we have to stay unlimited in order to connect
to an unlimited realm and source. He asked me,
he said, well, do you think that was your higher
self speaking to you, expressing guilt for not
doing or getting off track of what you're supposed
to do? And I never thought about that. And I
said, well, actually, no. And the reason why
is because not only did I hear the voice, my
wife heard the voice. My wife and I spoke telepathically.
My wife spoke in different languages. My higher
self can't accomplish those things. Those were
acts of God, not my higher self. So for those
reasons... It's a good question, I told him,
but it wasn't my higher self because of those
reasons, those events that happened. I agree
with you on that. And God didn't have to do some
kind of introduction. Hey Steve. No. This is
God. Right. And I'm sorry, I don't mean to make,
I don't mean to make light of it, but... No.
But when God, when I heard God in my, telepathically
or in my head, however you want to describe it,
heard my wife also and you know Eric this is
not something easy to explain it's not something
to go through every day but I can you could tell
who's who and you just know and I completely
agree with you that that wasn't just you or some
kind of higher self of you was there anything
else that he said or communicated think of detail
here here here's what here's exactly what happened
he said he said three things to me And he said
two things to my wife Okay, one of which I left
out. There's a lot to the story But the first
thing he said to me when it on the onslaught
he said you've wasted too. You've wasted enough
time That's what he said That's what I heard.
You've wasted enough time later on. I don't know
I have no idea how long this ordeal went on.
Like I said, he said all this information You've
been given and this is what you do with it And
and and I have it, you know a lot of information
all this the spiritual text and studying quantum
physics and you know You're getting my certificates
to be a master coach and learning the universal
laws of oneness and Bob all that stuff You're
basically saying you've got information that
a lot of people are privy to and this is what
you're doing with it which was actually nothing
the third time is when he told me Stephen be
quiet and Listen to your wife when when she began
speaking in the languages and tongues and whatnot.
So those were the three times I heard his voice.
My wife heard the voice twice. Once where she
was told to lay down and get in position because
if she wasn't told that and God didn't have her
under a calm to be able to lay down and go get
into the position for the event to experience
this, she would have been on the phone with 911.
Paramedics would have been there in two or three
minutes and that would have interrupted the event.
So that's what I learned later on was the purpose
of that. God didn't want this event interrupted
by her calling 9 -1 -1 So he told her to lay
down the second time. There was a point during
this Where God said to her and it's interesting.
Here's the interesting thing. I Could hear my
wife telepathically. I could hear God telepathically,
but my wife Wasn't allowed to hear what God was
saying to me and I couldn't hear what God was
saying with her what was said to her By God was
for her. I never heard it what god said to me
my wife didn't hear it if that that makes sense,
so God said to her one lay down get in position
and two there was a time During it where he said
to her and why should I leave you here? And she
said once again telepathically she said jordan,
which is our son You know, and she said that
she said those are only two times. I heard the
voice during during the uh event Want to know
what you were feeling what kind of emotions were
going through you as you're hearing this? Hearing
you mean my wife speak or the voice or God's
God's voice hearing hearing God speak to you.
What did it make you feel I felt I actually That's
a good question. I actually felt disappointed
in myself. It wasn't a thing or where God was
judging or God was disappointed and you better
do this or else My disappointment was in myself
for doubting everything I had been through, kind
of like my spiritual awakening, my dark night
of the soul, doubting my purpose and letting
that fear and that that limitation creep in,
which keeps so many people disconnected from
who they are and their purpose. Am I good enough?
What do I know? What are people worried about?
What people are going to think worried about?
This is too much of a burden. All right. There's
no way I can do this. Convince talking myself
out of it. And God wanted to show that you are
supported. This is your calling to me. I'm putting
you through this so you can know and understand
this. I didn't feel forced. It wasn't a do it
or else. You're going to hell or you better do
it or else. You are supported. You are enough.
I'm giving you this to get over those limited
feelings, thoughts, and emotions and perspectives
that are keeping you trapped. How you choose
to go on and do from here is still up to you,
basically. Most people, when they have an experience
with God in this realm, feel an intense love.
Love that they just really have a hard time explaining
Your sounds like you had a little bit of a different
kind of experience When he's pointing out these
things that you should have been doing Were you
feeling some kind of guilt shame or was it in
such a loving way? That it came through a lot
better than maybe a parent putting you down for
making a mistake You know what? I I got some
Answered this question before and I got a little
flack off of this answer But you know, I'm gonna
describe this the best way I can just be honest.
Don't be honest. Don't worry about flat No, no,
no, right. No, everybody goes through their experience
for their reason for their path of purpose what
they need to realize what they need to come into
maybe something they need to transcend loops
we need to break things we need to learn so for
me and I'll say this real quick About six or
seven months prior. I had an out -of -body experience.
It wasn't a near -death experience It wasn't
a dream was out -of -body experience where I
saw I was in the light, but it was totally different
That's why I felt the euphoria the love the love
was so intense. It was so strong And it had me
in in the fetal position crying Like it was the
end of the world or something. I mean, you know
and and when I went through that It was so intense
I had to ask god to ease up on it because I couldn't
take it and as soon as I said that it subsided.
So I went through that feeling before, prior
to the NDE. During this NDE, I didn't feel any
of that again. I didn't feel, and I kind of said
it the way, but I have to explain it. I didn't
feel that love. I felt it at a different time.
This wasn't about feeling God's love. For me,
it was about getting over limited thoughts, perceptions,
and beliefs that I had that was keeping me from
stepping into my purpose. So it was it was I'll
describe it kind of like I have this funny little
thing. I describe it as a spiritual spanking
You know what I mean? And god's saying look you
are enough. You are supported like we all are
there's nothing special about me We're all enough
and we're all supported for whatever we're here
to do So I I took it as a parent Coming in the
room like a father. I love you, but you need
this Just when I think i've heard it all you
say spiritual spanking Right. Come on That's
what it felt like. That's what it felt like.
That's awesome. All right. You've had time to
think about this. It's been what roughly a year
and a half since this happened. I don't totally
understand the whole speaking in different languages.
Why do you think your wife was doing that? How
and why? How was obviously a God. the universe
that that that that that allowed her to it or
put that spirit into it to allow her now the
why I've wondered about that and Here's here's
my thought on that because I always I'm a logical
thinker. I Believe that when he told me Stephen
be quiet and listen to your wife That's when
it happened to me. I feel that he wanted to give
some proof that this Event this situation is
real I was given all my awareness back as soon
as he said, Steven, be quiet, listen to your
wife. I was able to focus on her and I guess
he wanted me to hear that so I wouldn't doubt
it. Cause you know, a lot of people have NDEs,
outer body experience or experiences, astral
projections, and they doubt it. Oh, maybe, maybe
I was a dream. Maybe I was hallucinating. Oh,
that couldn't be real. For me, he wanted to leave
no doubt. That's what I was thinking. So that
was how you knew that. Did you have any understanding
of what she was saying? No, no, because like
I said, my wife and I have been married 25 years.
The only language we know is English. So how
she was able to speak in two African languages
and speak in an Indian language, we know it wasn't
her, because she doesn't have that ability. Only
thing I can assume, because neither one of us
knew what she was saying, is that she was praying.
Now, what the exact words were, I don't know,
but I assume it was definitely some kind of prayer,
because she was speaking and she also did some
chanting also. Did you hear about this speaking
in tongues from time to time? And just me personally,
and you were talking about blowback a minute
ago, I'm going to get some right now. It doesn't
make sense to me that someone would speak in
tongues if someone else can't interpret what
is being said. Right. Right. I don't see the
point unless that half of the equation happens.
Anyway, but I'm not I'm not disparaging in any
way shape or form what happened This is just
me personally something I don't get and and that's
okay Well, you know, I'll say this real quick
quote unquote the question the Christian definition
or reason for this and I'm not saying it's true
I'm just just saying what they say because I
was in the Christian church pretty heavily Speaking
in tongues is is quote unquote allowed by God
So that the devil Doesn't hear your prayers now.
That's not something I believe That's that's
the christian way of thinking if you believe
that fine. That's just not my personal belief.
I I believe For this incident and I don't know
if it's every that she was allowed to To do this
to kind of showed me that this is not her this
is of god and this is real You know, especially
not so much the tongues, but especially the speaking
in other languages. You know what I mean? So
like I tell my clients Sometimes we can't figure
out there's all these mysteries and theories
and principles Spiritual principles that we all
argue and debate over try to figure out and some
things we just have to be okay with the unknown
Sometimes I realize we don't have answers for
everything necessarily. We have theories and
thoughts and beliefs Yeah, it's part of living
by faith. We don't get all the answers. It's
okay. No, no All right. Let's shift gears You
mentioned quantum physics early on I want to
hear how this all fits in with quantum physics
Well, you know, it's it's just the it's just
for me is studying the fact how science is starting
to catch up with spirituality and principles
and theories that used to be looked at as impossible
and go against the law of physics or gravity
or or or whatnot that are just Becoming real
the fact that everything is connected the fact
that everything You know, you can separate two
molecules and do something to one and it affects
the other after they've been separated. Stuff
like that. And the biggest thing to me about
it is showing the connectivity that every living
thing has in how it's connected. How water, when
they play certain music for water, it makes these
beautiful patterns, the vibrations, you know,
bring out the best of the water, high vibrational
feelings and emotions out the water. And when
you play something dreadful, or consider a lower
vibration frequency, the water splits and becomes
ugly and disformed. So, you know, those little
things right there that they're starting to see
that scientific evidence of, science is catching
up to spiritual theories that were known to philosophers
thousands of years ago. What else did you learn
from all of this? You know, learning that we're
not separate. Learning how limited beliefs and
perceptions keep us hindered keep us keep us
blocked realizing that For me for 50 years I
was under a false identity of thinking some thinking
I was someone that I wasn't in Realizing it wasn't
me doing it for all the wrong reasons We go with
the programming and the constructs because we
don't want to be looked at as different or crazy
or wrong Or be judged and we need people's approval
all of these things that keep up static And they
block and hinder our ability to connect and get
all these answers that everybody everybody wants
And a lot of people are doing thing doing thing
consciously and especially unconsciously That
they don't even realize Is hindering their connection
a lot of people look for all these outside sources
in order to connect and get aligned and get it
tuned I'm going to go i'm going to go to a yoga
class. I'm going to go earthing I'm going to
look at the stars. I'm going to go to a sound
bath All that stuff is great and I do it all
but until you deal with The external thoughts
feelings emotions perceptions and limited beliefs
that are hindering you You can go into a crystal
shop and buy every crystal but you're still gonna
have that static when it comes to Connect and
get in tune and get get a line with one your
authenticity and who you are And I believe that's
a big reason why people can't connect to the
universe because you're not truly connected to
yourself first Did your NDE change how much fear
of death you have? No It didn't it didn't and
the main reason or the main thing that I got
out of the NDE and the main thing that Changed
about me was the limited beliefs Fear that I'm
not enough Fear that you know, I won't be listened
to or taken serious or fear about what people
think It doesn't matter and I had to realize
for a long time after the NDE. I was very ultra
serious I wouldn't have fun. Everything was business.
Okay, I got to do this. I was really tense. Okay
You know, I got to do blah blah blah. And then
God told me no Steve. This is have fun Relax,
don't worry about trying to save everybody. Don't
worry about trying to say the right things Be
within your authenticity those who are meant
to resonate with it and get it They will those
that weren't aren't it's okay. They may resonate
with someone else's message They may not be able
to resonate with this message at all And so for
me it was learning that you are enough which
we are all are and we're all supported which
we all are We all have a mission and purpose,
which we all do, and no mission or purpose is
bigger, better, or more significant than the
other, even though it may look like that to us,
because that's how we perceive things. It all
has a place within the collective, within the
universe. That was very well said. Thank you.
If anybody wants to get a hold of you, how do
they do that? Yes, they can get a hold of me
through my website, spiritualalignmentsl .com.
So spiritual alignment is in my initials, sl
.com. You can see some more about my story, read
more about what I do and how I help people and
how I work with people, and send me an email
if it resonates with you. I'd love to talk to
you. All right. And the last thing, and that
is we love to leave people with some kind of
message of hope here. And you've learned a lot
from all of this, I can tell, and it's changed
your life. And for someone else that maybe is
struggling with that, or struggling with, you
know, feeling some kind of loss or grief or something
else at this point in their life. What kind of
message of hope do you have for them? Well, anybody
that's feeling lost or unfulfilled or maybe having
grief for whatever reason, it's important to
understand that you are enough. You have a purpose.
No matter how small or insignificant you may
think your life or situations are, they matter.
But if you're feeling lost and unfulfilled, especially,
and you're hearing that voice that something's
not right, don't doubt it. Don't ignore it. That's
your soul knocking on the door. Give yourself
permission to get out of that box that we are
often put in by society, by religion, by friends,
by family, by parents that form us into who we
are. Challenge your perspective. Stay unlimited.
Listen. Learn. Don't ever think you have it all
figured out. Don't believe everything you think
and realize that it's okay to let go of this
version of who you are Don't fear letting go
because if you let that go That's when the universe
can open up and give you and that's when you
can receive what's meant for you and be mindful
You're gonna lose some people. You're gonna lose
some relationships. Some things are gonna change
be Okay with releasing it because if those relationships
and those people Fall to the wayside. They weren't
meant to go with you and be a part of your new
vibration in your new life, because everybody's
not going to respect your newfound authenticity
or your newfound boundaries. So it's important
to realize all that and be conscious of all that.
And that was a lot of things that I wish that
I knew when I was going through this transformation
and shift. Stephen, thank you. I appreciate you
opening up and being so frank and candid with
us and the things we've been able to learn from
you. Appreciate your time. Thank you, Eric. I
appreciate it. Thanks again for listening and
sharing this podcast. Don't forget to hit the
follow or subscribe button and sign up for our
newsletter at roundtripdeath .com. If you want
to share your near -death experience or if you
have questions or comments about the show, send
an email to eric at roundtripdeath .com. Until
then, I wish you everything good that you're
looking for in this life and the next.