‘I died for 3 minutes and noticed the otherside – what I noticed made me unafraid of dying’
Kelsey Abernathy McLean claims she experienced a near-death experience after choking on steak during a family barbecue, describing vivid visions of the afterlife and a life review
Kelsey McLean ‘was not ready to leave this life’
A woman who ceased breathing for three minutes due to a piece of steak stuck in her throat claims she was transported to the ‘other side’ for a life review. Kelsey Abernathy McLean had been eagerly anticipating an evening with family and a barbecue meal.
However, after taking her first bite, she found herself in grave danger. The 53-year-old tried to chew a large piece of steak, but it became lodged in her throat – and despite attempts to dislodge it using the Heimlich manoeuvre, it remained stuck.
Kelsey, struggling for breath, remembers drifting into an immense abyss of darkness and being enveloped in a tightly wrapped cocoon. “I was not ready to leave this life,” she said. “I desperately wanted to watch my young son grow up and I wanted to grow old with my husband, Rob.
“As the lights dimmed, I felt as though I was wrapped in a cocoon of infinite love. Time didn’t seem to exist – and there was no beginning or end. No words were spoken, yet I understood a universal language.
“I began to see fragments of my life, almost like watching a film on a large screen. I could actually feel the emotions I had caused others through my actions; both good and bad. My life review showed me the karma I had created.”
Kelsey, from Philadelphia, US, had been looking at old family photos of her husband, Rob, before the horrifying ordeal. A photo of him was tucked into the mum’s wallet – which she believes acted as a ‘guardian angel’ to bring her back to life.
Suddenly, a beam of bright light radiated through her. She said: “I was sad to see how I had hurt people and I wanted to be forgiven. But I was so proud of the times I had been loving, especially to people who didn’t deserve it, and I forgave them. I learned that material possessions, status and money doesn’t matter in life.”
“And it struck me as absurd that I’d spent so much of my life caring about things you can’t take with you when you die.”
Kelsey, from Philadelphia, US, had been browsing through old family photographs of her husband, Rob, before the terrifying incident. A picture of him was tucked inside the mum’s purse – which she believes served as a ‘guardian angel’ to bring her back to life.
All at once, a shaft of brilliant light flooded through her. She said: “For several seconds, I was utterly confused as to what happened. I’d been passed out for three minutes and 30 seconds – at four minutes, brain damage begins.”
Apart from a few bruised ribs, doctors described it as a “miracle” that Kelsey had survived. According to the National Institutes of Health, full airway blockage choking is the fourth leading cause of unintentional injury death in the United States.
Around 5,500 people die from it each year. Now, she’s progressing with a fresh outlook on life following the lessons learnt during her experience on the “other side”.
She added: “I am terrified of having another near death experience, as this was such a close call. And I am not ready to say goodbye just yet. I cut my food into smaller bites and chew thoroughly and I’ve taken a CPR class with my husband and son.
“But the main thing I’ve learned is to forgive myself and others, be kinder and savour every blessed moment. I do question each action I take and whether it’ll be a positive moment highlighted in my next life review or a moment of hurt that I will one day feel myself.
“But, overall, I’m grateful for the near-death experience. It’s changed my life in miraculous ways. I used to be terrified of dying, but now, I’m no longer afraid after having a glimpse of the other side.”
“I’m afraid of not living out my full life here and not appreciating what I have. And I’ve realised that karma is most certainly real. I hope that when I do die, my review will leave me feeling proud of myself. The real miracle here is that I’ve been given a second chance.”
