1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,680 One of life's greatest questions is what happens to us after we die? 2 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:09,520 Is death the end or a new beginning? 3 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:11,640 Welcome to the Round Trip Death Podcast. 4 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:16,240 In this show, we listen to firsthand accounts of people who have gone beyond the veil and 5 00:00:16,240 --> 00:00:19,640 return to talk about it. 6 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:26,640 Anyway, we are so happy to have with us today, Crystal Merzlach. 7 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:29,000 I hope I pronounced that properly, Crystal. 8 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:30,520 Yes, you did. 9 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:31,840 How are you doing today? 10 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:32,840 I'm doing good. 11 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:33,840 Thank you. 12 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:37,360 And you live in one of the most beautiful places in the continental U.S. 13 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:39,360 Do you want to tell us where that is? 14 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:50,520 So I live in Star Valley, Wyoming, and it is pretty close to the Idaho border on the 15 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:54,040 west side of the state. 16 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:57,600 And when I go to Jackson Hall, you're right on the way. 17 00:00:57,600 --> 00:00:58,600 Yes. 18 00:00:58,600 --> 00:00:59,600 Okay. 19 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:02,640 Tell us a little bit about you. 20 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:09,920 So I am a clinical director of a mental health agency here. 21 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:19,460 I've been working, living and working here for eight years, eight and a half years. 22 00:01:19,460 --> 00:01:28,560 Just living my life as a mom and I don't know, a friend, probably just, I don't know, I try 23 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:29,560 to go see my family. 24 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:34,280 I'm a big family person, so I have to always go do that. 25 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:37,600 They're in Idaho and Pocatello. 26 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:39,920 So a couple hours away, roughly, right? 27 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:40,920 Yeah. 28 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:48,320 Well, I heard your story first at the IANS conference in Salt Lake City, and you were 29 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:50,160 famous when you were younger. 30 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:51,760 I'm not saying you're not anymore. 31 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:54,480 No, no, no, that's okay. 32 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:55,760 That's okay. 33 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:59,040 You were very famous back then. 34 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:04,160 And why don't you tell us a little bit about your story leading up to your NDE? 35 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:05,160 What happened? 36 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:07,520 What were you doing that particular day? 37 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:14,120 So I went to a swimming or sorry, a birthday party that day. 38 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:18,200 And all of this is are things that are told to me because I don't remember any part of 39 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:21,640 this, but I went to a birthday party. 40 00:02:21,640 --> 00:02:24,520 My parents dropped me off. 41 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:26,720 We didn't know that I was going swimming. 42 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:28,960 And so borrowed a swimsuit and all that. 43 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:32,760 And off we went to the local swimming pool. 44 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:34,200 And were you a good swimmer? 45 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:36,960 I know. 46 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:39,420 I had just learned how to swim. 47 00:02:39,420 --> 00:02:45,100 So in my elementary school, they took us as a class to get swimming lessons. 48 00:02:45,100 --> 00:02:46,360 And I just learned. 49 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:48,560 How old did you say you were again? 50 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:49,560 Seven. 51 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:50,560 Seven. 52 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:51,560 Okay. 53 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:55,480 So I'm going to jump ahead. 54 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:56,680 We've teased that a little bit. 55 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:58,880 Let's jump ahead to the famous part. 56 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:01,640 How did you become famous after this happened? 57 00:03:01,640 --> 00:03:02,640 How did I become? 58 00:03:02,640 --> 00:03:04,480 I never thought I was famous. 59 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,480 So and but then again, I was so young. 60 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:08,900 I don't know what was happening. 61 00:03:08,900 --> 00:03:11,160 My parents kind of took over. 62 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:15,560 But the famous part, what do you mean the famous part? 63 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:20,080 Well, I believe you were on TV and some things like that. 64 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:25,160 There was quite a bit of news around what happened with your situation. 65 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:26,160 There was. 66 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:37,160 So locally, I kind of did some meetings and I was honored by the Lions Club when I was 67 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:40,340 probably eight or nine. 68 00:03:40,340 --> 00:03:46,680 But then after that, when I was a teenager, I went on to the Phil Donahue show. 69 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:51,400 And then I think near death experiences were just starting really to kind of take off in 70 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:53,440 popularity. 71 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:54,720 People wondering what they were. 72 00:03:54,720 --> 00:04:00,720 So then I was on Sally, Jesse, Raphael and Oprah and Unsolved Mysteries. 73 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:03,160 It doesn't get any bigger than Oprah. 74 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:05,480 It doesn't get any bigger than Oprah. 75 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:07,940 You might as well stop there. 76 00:04:07,940 --> 00:04:10,700 I was on 60 Minutes Australia. 77 00:04:10,700 --> 00:04:12,600 So you were not just huge here. 78 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:15,200 You were famous in Australia, too. 79 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:16,320 Okay. 80 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:22,720 And I didn't ever understand why I actually had to ask someone. 81 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:25,620 And I said, why are you so interested in my story? 82 00:04:25,620 --> 00:04:28,340 Why is everyone interested? 83 00:04:28,340 --> 00:04:36,320 And I didn't know that I was the youngest near death experience and the most I don't 84 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:43,880 know, thorough is the word near death experience that was out there or that that people knew 85 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:44,880 of. 86 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:45,880 How did it get out there? 87 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:48,240 Dr. Morris that kind of put it out there? 88 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:49,240 Yeah. 89 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:53,280 So I think it all came out with Raymond Moody's first book. 90 00:04:53,280 --> 00:04:57,320 I think it was Life After Life, something like that. 91 00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:02,920 And he's of course, very, very close to Dr. Morris. 92 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:06,720 And Dr. Morris kind of led me into that. 93 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:09,880 And actually, Raymond, I was in Raymond Moody's book. 94 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:19,400 I didn't know, but my name is Katie in that book to protect my innocence, I guess, protect 95 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:22,440 me from publicity or whatever. 96 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:27,280 That's nice of them to leave it up to you to eventually want to use your real name or 97 00:05:27,280 --> 00:05:28,280 not. 98 00:05:28,280 --> 00:05:29,280 Yes. 99 00:05:29,280 --> 00:05:30,280 Yes. 100 00:05:30,280 --> 00:05:31,280 So. 101 00:05:31,280 --> 00:05:32,280 Okay. 102 00:05:32,280 --> 00:05:33,760 Well, and Dr. Morris, I've talked to him. 103 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:38,520 We're going to have him on this show here in a couple of weeks also. 104 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:44,240 And I think people will find him very interesting because he's a medical professional who has 105 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:46,480 studied this topic. 106 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:48,200 And I'll save the rest of that for later. 107 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:49,200 All right. 108 00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:50,920 Go back to when you were seven years old. 109 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:51,920 You're at the birthday party. 110 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:52,960 You head to the pool. 111 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:53,960 What happened? 112 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:54,960 Okay. 113 00:05:54,960 --> 00:06:01,040 So I was waiting down the side of the pool, you know, just, you know, moving with my hands. 114 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:03,640 And I wanted to get out. 115 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:09,200 And I got out, was walking down to the deep end. 116 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:14,240 As I got down to the deep end, I was pushed in. 117 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:15,520 I think there was a group of boys. 118 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:17,960 They were just playing, pushing each other. 119 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:22,840 I don't think anybody just spitefully pushed me in, but I got pushed into the pool. 120 00:06:22,840 --> 00:06:27,560 The other interesting fact is the pool was overpopulated, overrun. 121 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:36,600 There were too many people than what the fire code would allow, I guess, would call it now. 122 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:39,160 That makes it more difficult too for a lifeguard. 123 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:40,560 Was there a lifeguard there? 124 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:41,560 There were two lifeguards. 125 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:42,560 Okay. 126 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:46,160 But it makes it more difficult to keep track of everybody, I would think. 127 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:47,160 Yeah. 128 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:48,160 Yeah. 129 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:53,680 So as soon as I was pushed in, I was scared. 130 00:06:53,680 --> 00:07:01,080 I lost all thought of even trying to swim, except to try to get up into the water and 131 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:03,640 breathe. 132 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:13,360 And all of a sudden I was in a state of blackness and I heard seven sounds that scared me. 133 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:20,400 And still to this day, I don't remember exactly what those are or compare them to something 134 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:22,160 else. 135 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:29,200 And then I found myself sitting in a tunnel. 136 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:34,520 And this tunnel was very bright. 137 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:41,520 It was a colorful tunnel, meaning there were some large bricks on the wall and it's like 138 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:46,960 they were shining light through the back of the bricks with fluorescent colors coming 139 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:48,280 through. 140 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:52,160 It's very vibrant, very bright. 141 00:07:52,160 --> 00:08:00,040 And at the end, I saw the light and I thought, I don't know what that is. 142 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:02,720 I need to get to this light. 143 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:10,080 And so I tried to get up on my feet and start walking. 144 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:13,120 And the ground was very unstable to me. 145 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:18,840 So I got down on my hands and my knees and I started crawling toward the light. 146 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:24,840 I could feel so much love radiating from this light that there was no other. 147 00:08:24,840 --> 00:08:30,360 It was drawing me to it is kind of what I felt. 148 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:37,040 As I crawled a little way, I saw the figure of a woman coming from the light and coming 149 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:38,760 to me. 150 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:45,720 And I saw that she was a woman, dark brown hair and wearing all white. 151 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:50,000 And when she got to me, she said, Crystal, my name is Elizabeth. 152 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:54,920 I am your guardian angel and I'm here to help you. 153 00:08:54,920 --> 00:09:03,960 And from that point, she took my hand and I stood up and we walked to the light together. 154 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:06,160 After that point, the ground was stable. 155 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:11,680 You know, I wasn't afraid to fall any longer. 156 00:09:11,680 --> 00:09:16,080 And we walked in through the light into what I believe is heaven. 157 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:17,080 Okay. 158 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:19,000 And take your time. 159 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:20,720 We want lots of detail. 160 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:24,100 You want lots of detail. 161 00:09:24,100 --> 00:09:28,040 So from that point, I just kind of looked around. 162 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:29,040 Well, I did. 163 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:38,600 I looked around and could not in one point, I could not believe what I was seeing. 164 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:45,040 The other point, I felt totally at home with where I was and knew where I was and what 165 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:48,040 I was doing. 166 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:56,080 And what I saw was beautiful green, like a beautiful green meadow. 167 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:59,960 Or more of now, that's how I described it when I was seven. 168 00:09:59,960 --> 00:10:05,840 But I would more describe it as more of a rainforest type of place with these green, 169 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:12,080 big, luscious plants that were over, you know, they could be overflowing. 170 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:13,980 There was a waterfall. 171 00:10:13,980 --> 00:10:20,840 As I turned left and I always, always see that when I describe it, but I turned left 172 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:27,200 and there was a some water running through like a small river. 173 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:31,120 And there was a bridge that went across that. 174 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:34,760 And on the other side, there was a tree. 175 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:41,600 And what was interesting about this tree to me is it had white fruit that came from it. 176 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:46,520 And it was just very beautiful, very big, very vibrant as well. 177 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:49,560 I've never heard of a tree with white fruit. 178 00:10:49,560 --> 00:10:52,240 Yeah, that's fascinating. 179 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:53,240 Okay. 180 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:56,360 What else did you see? 181 00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:59,240 What else did I see? 182 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:03,600 I saw I was greeted by people I'd known in the past. 183 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:13,800 Relatives, my grandpa was there, an aunt that had died just previous to this. 184 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:20,880 Some other relatives that I'd never met before, like my great grandma, Dora. 185 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:23,640 And my grandpa had a friend with him. 186 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:26,680 He said that his name was George. 187 00:11:26,680 --> 00:11:30,760 I have no idea who he was, but he was very nice. 188 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:37,000 And they just welcomed me and said they were so glad that I was there. 189 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:44,280 I can't remember everything or the content of what we said, but it seemed to be that 190 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:47,200 we were talking for a few minutes. 191 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:56,620 And I don't remember the sequence of events necessarily, but I do remember I had a chance 192 00:11:56,620 --> 00:11:58,360 to look down on my body. 193 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:04,800 And when I say look, I just kind of turned my head and seemed like I could see myself, 194 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:08,960 my physical form that is. 195 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:12,680 And I was lying on an operating table. 196 00:12:12,680 --> 00:12:19,840 There were a lot of doctors that were around me at that time wearing white coats. 197 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:25,920 It was like I was looking down from them, but I was in heaven looking at them, not like 198 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:29,720 hovering above, anything like that. 199 00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:42,120 And they were putting something up my nose and trying to put different things in my wrist 200 00:12:42,120 --> 00:12:44,760 to help with whatever. 201 00:12:44,760 --> 00:12:47,680 And I didn't like it, so I looked away. 202 00:12:47,680 --> 00:12:58,360 And when I looked away outside the operating room, that is, I saw my parents. 203 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:01,000 And they were so worried about me. 204 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:06,520 I didn't spend a lot of time really looking at them, but I just remember thinking, don't 205 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:07,520 worry about me. 206 00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:08,880 I'm in a good place. 207 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:10,360 I'm safe. 208 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:12,720 There's no reason for you to worry. 209 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:21,360 Do you know, while you're thinking about that, did you find out was Elizabeth a relative? 210 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:24,920 I never did find out who Elizabeth was. 211 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:29,680 There are some Elisabeths that are in my genealogy. 212 00:13:29,680 --> 00:13:35,840 But she also said that she, and I don't think it's one of them, because she also told me 213 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:40,060 that she was going to be born, that she had not been born yet. 214 00:13:40,060 --> 00:13:43,080 So she wouldn't really be in your genealogy at this point. 215 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:49,480 No, no, but it's always fun to come back and look and see what Elisabeths were there. 216 00:13:49,480 --> 00:13:51,640 But no, there wasn't. 217 00:13:51,640 --> 00:13:58,840 And I don't really think I don't know if I've met her on this earth or not. 218 00:13:58,840 --> 00:13:59,840 That's interesting. 219 00:13:59,840 --> 00:14:07,800 And I think there is something to learn from that about about the fact that people pre-birth 220 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:11,640 and people post-death may be in the same place. 221 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:12,640 True. 222 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:14,440 At least your experience was. 223 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:16,040 In my experience, it was. 224 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:17,040 Yeah. 225 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:19,800 And Elizabeth was with me through this whole time. 226 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:23,180 So she didn't just appear and disappear or that kind of thing. 227 00:14:23,180 --> 00:14:25,280 She was with me. 228 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:29,520 So yeah, definitely. 229 00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:34,040 And I love to hear your feedback and your thoughts about all of this, too. 230 00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:36,760 It just helps me further process. 231 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:37,760 Yeah. 232 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:42,480 Well, I don't want to try to interpret it until we well, I really don't want to try 233 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:45,320 to interpret it, but I do want to hear. 234 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:47,360 But I do want to hear what else happened. 235 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:49,520 What can you remember what happened next? 236 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:50,520 Yes. 237 00:14:50,520 --> 00:14:54,680 So after I saw my parents. 238 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:58,600 I remember looking a different way. 239 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:06,080 And I could see like my baby sister and she was just playing with some toys at home. 240 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:12,280 About then she would have probably been six, seven months old, just remembering how much 241 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:14,600 I loved her. 242 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:19,800 And I think that's about all I really saw when I looked down on Earth is just my body, 243 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:26,560 my parents and my sister, which was interesting because they're all very different locations. 244 00:15:26,560 --> 00:15:27,560 You know, sure. 245 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:29,600 And that's OK. 246 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:34,400 Anything else that you saw there in that heavenly place where you were? 247 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:35,480 I yes. 248 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:49,320 So I had I had the chance to meet two girls and I saw them as my playmates in heaven. 249 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:53,340 Their names were Heather and Melissa. 250 00:15:53,340 --> 00:15:58,840 And what was interesting about them is they also said that they were going to be born 251 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:00,500 soon. 252 00:16:00,500 --> 00:16:01,500 I don't remember. 253 00:16:01,500 --> 00:16:03,760 I didn't think anything about it. 254 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:06,920 It was just something that was normal. 255 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:13,480 And I don't remember talking about too much, just playing. 256 00:16:13,480 --> 00:16:16,680 What was interesting about that is. 257 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:24,680 I saw myself and them as as girls about my age, you know, seven, eight years old, same 258 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:25,680 height. 259 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:32,240 But the rest of the time when I was there, I could see eye to eye with everybody that 260 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:36,520 was there, which was a big deal to me when I was seven, because I wanted to be grown 261 00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:37,520 up. 262 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:39,640 I wanted to be as big as everyone else. 263 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:42,520 And I was as big as everyone else. 264 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:44,440 And even the kids that I was playing with. 265 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:46,840 So just interesting to me. 266 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:51,560 I felt like I was a child when I was playing with them from there. 267 00:16:51,560 --> 00:17:00,740 I I had a chance to go and I met Christ. 268 00:17:00,740 --> 00:17:10,280 And he asked me whether I wanted to stay in heaven or whether I wanted to go back and 269 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:12,560 live on earth. 270 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:18,400 And I met Heavenly Father who was with him. 271 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:21,160 But he wasn't there the whole time he was. 272 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:28,320 The Heavenly Father was there when when they first came to. 273 00:17:28,320 --> 00:17:31,480 I see it as them coming to get me. 274 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:36,760 And they kind of took me to another side of the same area that we were when and we in 275 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:42,640 my mind, we sat on a rock in this meadow and we're talking. 276 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:50,160 And at first, after they asked me if I wanted to stay or go, I thought, no, I want to stay. 277 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:56,040 The one thing I haven't talked about that you hear a lot is just this immense love that 278 00:17:56,040 --> 00:18:04,760 you feel when from the light that I saw at first and everything that's in heaven, it 279 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:09,960 is feels like the perfect space. 280 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:11,520 I thought I want to stay here. 281 00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:13,880 Why would I want to leave? 282 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:16,600 And then I thought about my mom. 283 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:19,480 I thought about how much I miss her. 284 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:23,600 And I said, no, I want to go home. 285 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:34,440 And Jesus said to me, OK, OK, remember, you you will have to live, righteously obey rules, 286 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:40,080 something like that in order to make it back here. 287 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:43,200 Basically live a good life. 288 00:18:43,200 --> 00:18:51,840 And I answered as if I knew what he was saying and said, yes, yes, of course. 289 00:18:51,840 --> 00:18:55,980 And then he told me, I remember a few things. 290 00:18:55,980 --> 00:19:06,040 He told me to obey my parents, that they were good parents, to live. 291 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:15,040 I guess my religion, my spirituality follow the examples that are given to me. 292 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:18,780 And don't forget him. 293 00:19:18,780 --> 00:19:21,200 Don't forget his sacrifice. 294 00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:23,360 I have some questions if you don't mind. 295 00:19:23,360 --> 00:19:24,440 No, go ahead. 296 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:28,920 That's really, really an amazing experience. 297 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:31,120 Just amazing. 298 00:19:31,120 --> 00:19:33,240 How did you know who they were? 299 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:37,120 Speaking of Christ and Heavenly Father, did they introduce themselves or did you just 300 00:19:37,120 --> 00:19:38,120 know? 301 00:19:38,120 --> 00:19:39,280 No, I just knew. 302 00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:42,080 So they were. 303 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:46,040 Everybody in heaven wears white. 304 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:49,800 They were brighter than everybody else. 305 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:57,640 So and their presence was unmistakable. 306 00:19:57,640 --> 00:20:04,160 And I just knew who they were. 307 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:07,640 And they communicated with you one on one? 308 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:08,640 Yes. 309 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:11,800 As if you were the only person there that mattered right then. 310 00:20:11,800 --> 00:20:12,800 Yes. 311 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:15,280 Do you remember anything else about them? 312 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:17,280 I remember their appearance. 313 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:20,600 And what was that like? 314 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:25,960 So they were both wearing white, just like everyone else. 315 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:30,920 Jesus had brown hair, no facial hair. 316 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:37,560 It was shorter than is usually displayed in pictures. 317 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:39,720 Very kind eyes. 318 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:41,960 Just very kind, peaceful eyes. 319 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:44,760 I remember that. 320 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:47,680 Very soft touch. 321 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:55,120 Heavenly Father had white hair and a white beard. 322 00:20:55,120 --> 00:20:59,160 And I don't know how else to explain him. 323 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:01,800 You don't happen to remember eye color, do you? 324 00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:05,120 That you saw in them? 325 00:21:05,120 --> 00:21:08,000 If I told you, it would just be my best guess. 326 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:09,000 And I don't. 327 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:10,000 Yeah. 328 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:11,000 So no. 329 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:12,000 Wow. 330 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:13,000 This is amazing. 331 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:14,000 Keep going. 332 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:15,000 OK. 333 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:25,120 After I was asked and decided that I wanted to go back, I don't really remember saying 334 00:21:25,120 --> 00:21:28,360 goodbye to them necessarily. 335 00:21:28,360 --> 00:21:34,120 The next thing I remember is being back with my family, the same individuals who welcomed 336 00:21:34,120 --> 00:21:37,140 me into heaven. 337 00:21:37,140 --> 00:21:41,760 And Elizabeth tapped me on the shoulder and said, Crystal, it's time to go. 338 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:43,840 So I said, OK. 339 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:46,060 And I started to walk away. 340 00:21:46,060 --> 00:21:52,040 And then I got confused and looked back and said, I don't know how to go. 341 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:56,320 And that's the last I remember. 342 00:21:56,320 --> 00:22:03,760 Before I ended up, well, I was back in my body and trying to feed. 343 00:22:03,760 --> 00:22:07,720 I don't know if it was feed myself or remember something. 344 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:12,080 And I was doing it all wrong in the hospital. 345 00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:15,000 I need to learn some of that over again, I imagine. 346 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:16,000 Yeah. 347 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:17,000 OK. 348 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:19,160 Let's get back to the physical part of what happened here. 349 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:22,640 How were you rescued and how long were you in the hospital? 350 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:35,300 So when I was when I fell into the pool, because the pool was overcrowded that day, I was floating 351 00:22:35,300 --> 00:22:38,080 on top of the water. 352 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:45,160 And two scouts are what we we know as scouts that was determined later, who were racing 353 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:49,640 across the pool, bumped into my body floating on the water. 354 00:22:49,640 --> 00:22:57,900 And they were the ones who them and one other woman grabbed me out of the pool and started 355 00:22:57,900 --> 00:23:00,060 to resuscitate me. 356 00:23:00,060 --> 00:23:08,240 There was also a doctor who was in the dressing room who was dressing and getting ready to 357 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:11,480 go swimming. 358 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:14,440 And his name is Dr. Bo. 359 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:21,800 And when he came out, he started working on me and working to resuscitate me. 360 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:27,720 It was him who who really did a lot of the work. 361 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:34,160 It was also him who they said, oh, no, we're not going to come get this girl. 362 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:35,720 We're not going to rescue her. 363 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:37,200 She's she's dead. 364 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:39,080 And he said, no, we're going to rescue her. 365 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:42,280 And he continued to work on me. 366 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:48,240 The other thing is, when the ambulance got there, the swimming pool, which was inside 367 00:23:48,240 --> 00:23:55,280 of a building, had panicked and they had locked all the doors so the paramedics couldn't even 368 00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:58,040 get in when they arrived. 369 00:23:58,040 --> 00:23:59,040 Whoops. 370 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:00,040 Yeah. 371 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:01,040 Yeah. 372 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:04,240 So eventually that happened. 373 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:07,400 They took me to the hospital. 374 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:13,600 But all in all, they I don't know, it's determined or the average that I was not breathing for 375 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:14,600 20 minutes. 376 00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:16,320 That's a long time. 377 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:17,320 That is a long time. 378 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:21,920 Have you had any long term effects from that? 379 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:28,880 I think I have I think that's where a little bit of my shortness of breath comes from. 380 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:33,400 Because there's not really asthma or things that run in my family. 381 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:38,240 And it's gotten better, a little better with age, although I do still have some asthma 382 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:39,640 at times. 383 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:42,360 But no brain damage or anything like that? 384 00:24:42,360 --> 00:24:44,180 No, no. 385 00:24:44,180 --> 00:24:45,180 That's so interesting. 386 00:24:45,180 --> 00:24:47,840 And then how long were you in the hospital? 387 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:56,280 So I was in the hospital in Pocatello for I don't know how long I was there to tell 388 00:24:56,280 --> 00:24:58,160 you the truth. 389 00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:04,720 I know that I was in the hospital for three to four days before I woke up. 390 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:13,520 So when I was when they took me to the hospital, I was 96 97% apparatus and only functioning 391 00:25:13,520 --> 00:25:17,320 three to 4% on my own. 392 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:23,080 And when they called primary children's, which is where they transferred me to, they asked 393 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:26,640 the doctors, why are they transferring a dead girl to them? 394 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:30,200 Why are you giving us a dead girl? 395 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:33,220 And I don't know what happened, but the transfer was made. 396 00:25:33,220 --> 00:25:35,480 And I was moved to primary children's. 397 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:38,100 I was life blinded over there. 398 00:25:38,100 --> 00:25:41,280 And I don't know. 399 00:25:41,280 --> 00:25:45,040 I don't know what what happened here. 400 00:25:45,040 --> 00:25:54,000 But at one point, my dad said he was looking through the glass watching the doctors working 401 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:55,920 on me. 402 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:58,160 And he saw my toe wiggle. 403 00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:00,480 And he burst through the door. 404 00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:03,600 And I lifted my arms up to him and said, Dad, wow. 405 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:06,120 So and then he said, the doctors just cheered. 406 00:26:06,120 --> 00:26:07,760 So the doctors cheered. 407 00:26:07,760 --> 00:26:12,800 So and then from there, 408 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:17,480 as a dad of daughters, I can say that brings a little tear to my eye just thinking about 409 00:26:17,480 --> 00:26:19,600 that picturing that scene. 410 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:20,600 Wow. 411 00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:21,600 Yeah. 412 00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:25,720 You know, and it still gets me especially now that I'm a parent, too, I can I can feel 413 00:26:25,720 --> 00:26:35,040 that I would probably do the same thing if I saw my child be terrible. 414 00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:45,520 So I they told my parents that I would pretty much be a vegetable because I had had almost 415 00:26:45,520 --> 00:26:50,080 no brain activity for for a few days. 416 00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:55,560 And I was everything was miraculous from that point. 417 00:26:55,560 --> 00:27:01,220 So the first day, I really wasn't able to do anything very much. 418 00:27:01,220 --> 00:27:03,480 They were still feeding me through a tube. 419 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:10,320 And the next day, I was trying to feed myself and not being able to find my mouth, that 420 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:11,320 kind of thing. 421 00:27:11,320 --> 00:27:13,920 And then I was eating on my own just fine. 422 00:27:13,920 --> 00:27:21,440 They I couldn't walk, you know, one day and the next day I or two, I would be running 423 00:27:21,440 --> 00:27:23,200 down the hall. 424 00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:33,720 So they called in probably 14 to 15 specialists to come and see me and only one to two actually 425 00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:34,720 came. 426 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:35,720 Why do you why is that? 427 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:37,240 They just didn't believe it. 428 00:27:37,240 --> 00:27:39,240 No, I didn't need it. 429 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:41,000 Oh, I didn't need it. 430 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:47,240 I recovered really fast from from the injuries. 431 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:49,080 OK, I got it. 432 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:54,160 I thought you meant specialists to come and sort of witness this miraculous recovery that 433 00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:55,160 you had made. 434 00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:57,840 But no, I didn't need the special help at all. 435 00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:00,120 No, no, I didn't. 436 00:28:00,120 --> 00:28:03,280 And within a week, I was back. 437 00:28:03,280 --> 00:28:09,200 As you probably heard Dr. Morse say within a week, I was back to back home and in front 438 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:14,000 of him saying, you know, you don't remember me, Crystal. 439 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:15,920 I remember you. 440 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:20,320 And I told my mom, he's like, I said, no, I remember him. 441 00:28:20,320 --> 00:28:26,100 And I scowled at him because he was one of the doctors that was putting things at my 442 00:28:26,100 --> 00:28:29,080 nose and trying to work on me. 443 00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:30,720 And and that kind of thing. 444 00:28:30,720 --> 00:28:34,760 I told him things I can't remember now. 445 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:38,800 He probably remembers and has documented more things that I told him. 446 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:39,800 But yeah. 447 00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:45,640 So you told him things that you should not have known and kind of blew his mind. 448 00:28:45,640 --> 00:28:46,640 Correct. 449 00:28:46,640 --> 00:28:47,640 Well, that's fun. 450 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:51,320 That'll be fun to talk to him. 451 00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:57,080 I want to sort of compare your experience to some others. 452 00:28:57,080 --> 00:29:03,120 I try not to do this, but yours is a very special experience. 453 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:10,280 It has become sort of commonplace or cliche for people to think of a near death experience 454 00:29:10,280 --> 00:29:16,720 as going through a tunnel to the light, being greeted by relatives. 455 00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:22,480 And with the many, many people that I've interviewed on this show, that's actually not very typical. 456 00:29:22,480 --> 00:29:23,920 Oh, OK. 457 00:29:23,920 --> 00:29:29,160 No, it's it's not. 458 00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:30,340 Everything is different. 459 00:29:30,340 --> 00:29:32,680 There are tunnels, some have lights, some don't. 460 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:33,680 Some have colors. 461 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:34,680 Some don't. 462 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:40,120 I've heard any described like glowing bricks as sort of how you did. 463 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:48,240 But no, your experience is really I hate to use the cliche word special, but it's a really 464 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:50,640 fascinating experience. 465 00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:56,040 And I also hate to say better than some people have, but it's an amazing experience. 466 00:29:56,040 --> 00:30:00,080 And and that's really cool that you have that. 467 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:04,960 How do you think that has made your life different all these years compared to people that haven't 468 00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:07,080 had that sort of experience? 469 00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:12,560 I have always I've never doubted that there was a God. 470 00:30:12,560 --> 00:30:14,320 I've never doubted that there was heaven. 471 00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:19,000 I never doubted that there was Christ and that he died for me. 472 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:25,120 I was able he showed me the prints in his hands. 473 00:30:25,120 --> 00:30:30,200 I just I haven't I have never doubted that. 474 00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:34,720 I look at my kids and say, OK, well, this they need. 475 00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:40,200 I think that they're just going to know everything that I know. 476 00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:44,160 And have and have felt that I've always known, but that's not true. 477 00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:51,040 I need to do things a lot differently than I did when I was growing up. 478 00:30:51,040 --> 00:30:57,800 I think I've I've always been led by what felt right to me. 479 00:30:57,800 --> 00:31:06,320 And I've felt that that's just tuning into that that love that I felt and just that peace. 480 00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:12,480 And if something has given me peace or leads me in one direction versus another, I have 481 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:15,280 tended to to go with that. 482 00:31:15,280 --> 00:31:18,920 And it hasn't been wrong. 483 00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:21,440 This is one way or the other. 484 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:26,020 Tell us what you do for a living now and if this has affected that at all. 485 00:31:26,020 --> 00:31:33,440 So I am a mental health clinician and a substance abuse counselor. 486 00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:34,800 And I think it does. 487 00:31:34,800 --> 00:31:35,800 I think it does. 488 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:43,720 When I first went into college, I didn't really have any desire to get a degree. 489 00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:46,800 I just was going there because that was the next step. 490 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:50,760 My friends were going to college. 491 00:31:50,760 --> 00:31:54,840 I was still young, didn't know really what I wanted. 492 00:31:54,840 --> 00:32:04,640 And after a semester or two, I fell into social work and just absolutely connected with the 493 00:32:04,640 --> 00:32:14,080 classes, connected with everything that was in there, ways to help families, ways to help 494 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:17,680 groups of people. 495 00:32:17,680 --> 00:32:25,440 I through this, I never in my life thought I would be led to be an addiction specialist 496 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:29,360 and work with trauma. 497 00:32:29,360 --> 00:32:33,840 And those are those are my specialties now. 498 00:32:33,840 --> 00:32:40,080 So and I really think that it has led me to to do some of that. 499 00:32:40,080 --> 00:32:41,080 That is what I feel. 500 00:32:41,080 --> 00:32:45,720 It's hard to say because other people have that same mission, that kind of thing. 501 00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:48,480 And it has always been the right thing for me. 502 00:32:48,480 --> 00:32:52,160 So what else did you learn from this whole experience that you want to share with other 503 00:32:52,160 --> 00:32:53,160 people? 504 00:32:53,160 --> 00:32:55,160 That's a good question. 505 00:32:55,160 --> 00:33:03,800 This experience, when I first started telling it and that kind of thing, I didn't know. 506 00:33:03,800 --> 00:33:10,880 I have always just told it just because not necessarily that I was supposed to. 507 00:33:10,880 --> 00:33:19,600 You know, when you're 10 and 11, you just kind of are you OK with telling your experience? 508 00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:21,120 Do you want to? 509 00:33:21,120 --> 00:33:22,120 You've done this fireside. 510 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:24,040 Do you want to do? 511 00:33:24,040 --> 00:33:26,000 And I've always said, yes. 512 00:33:26,000 --> 00:33:28,120 So I've always been drawn to this. 513 00:33:28,120 --> 00:33:37,160 I want people to understand and to know that that there is life after death, that there 514 00:33:37,160 --> 00:33:44,800 is a God in heaven that loves them and wants the best for them. 515 00:33:44,800 --> 00:33:54,200 And that Christ not only loves me, but loves everybody else just just the same. 516 00:33:54,200 --> 00:34:01,320 And one thing that I didn't say, because I just kind of involved in the story, is that 517 00:34:01,320 --> 00:34:04,480 Christ held me on his lap. 518 00:34:04,480 --> 00:34:12,040 And when he did that, I could feel tremendous love like I have never felt before. 519 00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:14,400 Probably or since either. 520 00:34:14,400 --> 00:34:15,400 Probably or since. 521 00:34:15,400 --> 00:34:17,600 Could you describe that love? 522 00:34:17,600 --> 00:34:19,200 I've asked other people this. 523 00:34:19,200 --> 00:34:21,200 I know it's very difficult. 524 00:34:21,200 --> 00:34:25,400 I have some weird things coming to mind. 525 00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:30,200 But I have something that I don't know. 526 00:34:30,200 --> 00:34:32,360 I've never had this thought before. 527 00:34:32,360 --> 00:34:39,160 But being in like an embryo or a sack or something like that and just filled with everything 528 00:34:39,160 --> 00:34:45,860 that you need and everything not necessarily want, but everything that you need is given 529 00:34:45,860 --> 00:34:55,760 to you because this person, this being wants everything the best for you. 530 00:34:55,760 --> 00:35:00,000 It tingles everywhere in your body. 531 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:03,600 You feel swelling in your heart. 532 00:35:03,600 --> 00:35:06,240 No chaos in your mind. 533 00:35:06,240 --> 00:35:10,120 You're just complete where you are. 534 00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:11,120 That's great. 535 00:35:11,120 --> 00:35:13,440 No one's ever asked me that before, I don't think. 536 00:35:13,440 --> 00:35:17,200 Well, I think that's a beautiful place for us to finish our conversation. 537 00:35:17,200 --> 00:35:19,200 Thank you so much, Crystal. 538 00:35:19,200 --> 00:35:21,200 You're welcome. 539 00:35:21,200 --> 00:35:28,120 If you have had a round trip death experience, we would love to hear about it. 540 00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:31,840 Send an email to eric at roundtripdeath.com. 541 00:35:31,840 --> 00:35:36,160 And lastly, if you have found this program uplifting, if it's given you just a little 542 00:35:36,160 --> 00:35:41,360 more hope in the future, share it with a friend, hit that follow button and take a few seconds 543 00:35:41,360 --> 00:35:43,520 to write us a review. 544 00:35:43,520 --> 00:35:48,440 Until next time, I wish you everything good that you're looking for in this life and 545 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:57,640 the next.