Story 1: "Atheist Professor's Trip to Hell and Back" (see: Atheist professor’s near-death experience March 10, 2012).
Dr. Howard Storm, a professor of art at Northern Kentucky University, had once technically died but was subsequently revived through his "Near Death Experience" on June 1, 1985 (Saturday) when he was in Paris with his wife, Beverly, and a group of students. While in his hotel room making plans for his last day in the city, Storm collapsed with a pain in his abdomen—so intense that at first the 38-year-old professor thought he must have been shot. He was sent to the nearest emergency room. It was later found that Storm’s duodenum had perforated, flooding his abdominal cavity with burning digestive acids.
Unfortunately, he had to wait more than 10 hours before he received proper attention. When at last he felt death approaching, he whispered a tearful good-bye to his wife who was then by his side, and closed his eyes. The very next thing Storm remembers is he was standing next to his hospital bed, the pain all but gone. Looking more closely at the bed, Storm was dumbfounded to realize that his body was still lying in it. He walked over and spoke to his wife, but she just kept staring straight ahead, completely ignoring him. Then Storm heard voices calling to him from the hallway outside his hospital room. They were pleasant voices, male and female, young and old. Storm felt compelled to follow them.
As he walked down the hospital corridor after them, he saw figures around him. They were vague and indistinct. Gradually, he realized that they were malevolent beings. They approached and began to mock him, to push, to pull and bite at him with long, sharp fingernails and teeth! Storm was a one hundred percent cynic before. But what was happening didn’t allow for disbelief. A voice inside said to him three times, “Pray to God.”
And that’s what he did. Ultimately, he yelled, “Jesus, save me!” All of a sudden, a brilliant white light appeared. He felt arms embracing and lifting him. A love more intense than any he’d ever known coursed through him. He felt that he was in the presence of Jesus himself with innumerable angels gathered all around. At last, they told him that it was not his time and he was back in his hospital bed and covered in bandages. According to the doctors, he was operated upon and saved at the last possible moment.
Dr. Howard Storm, a professor of art at Northern Kentucky University, had once technically died but was subsequently revived through his "Near Death Experience" on June 1, 1985 (Saturday) when he was in Paris with his wife, Beverly, and a group of students. While in his hotel room making plans for his last day in the city, Storm collapsed with a pain in his abdomen—so intense that at first the 38-year-old professor thought he must have been shot. He was sent to the nearest emergency room. It was later found that Storm’s duodenum had perforated, flooding his abdominal cavity with burning digestive acids.
Unfortunately, he had to wait more than 10 hours before he received proper attention. When at last he felt death approaching, he whispered a tearful good-bye to his wife who was then by his side, and closed his eyes. The very next thing Storm remembers is he was standing next to his hospital bed, the pain all but gone. Looking more closely at the bed, Storm was dumbfounded to realize that his body was still lying in it. He walked over and spoke to his wife, but she just kept staring straight ahead, completely ignoring him. Then Storm heard voices calling to him from the hallway outside his hospital room. They were pleasant voices, male and female, young and old. Storm felt compelled to follow them.
As he walked down the hospital corridor after them, he saw figures around him. They were vague and indistinct. Gradually, he realized that they were malevolent beings. They approached and began to mock him, to push, to pull and bite at him with long, sharp fingernails and teeth! Storm was a one hundred percent cynic before. But what was happening didn’t allow for disbelief. A voice inside said to him three times, “Pray to God.”
And that’s what he did. Ultimately, he yelled, “Jesus, save me!” All of a sudden, a brilliant white light appeared. He felt arms embracing and lifting him. A love more intense than any he’d ever known coursed through him. He felt that he was in the presence of Jesus himself with innumerable angels gathered all around. At last, they told him that it was not his time and he was back in his hospital bed and covered in bandages. According to the doctors, he was operated upon and saved at the last possible moment.
For further details, please visit: NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES
Story 2: “Matthew Botsford – To Hell and Back” by Tim Branson The 700 Club
Matthew and Nancy Botsford worked hard and played even harder. They pursued life with gusto -- except when it came to God. But everything changed on one March night in 1992. Matthew and two sales associates were in Atlanta on business. They had just left a restaurant and had gone outside to catch a taxi, when suddenly 3 of the men arguing behind them pulled out guns and started shooting. One of Matthew’s friends took a bullet to the head and died instantly. The other was unharmed. Matthew was also shot in the head, and he too died.
Story 2: “Matthew Botsford – To Hell and Back” by Tim Branson The 700 Club
Matthew and Nancy Botsford worked hard and played even harder. They pursued life with gusto -- except when it came to God. But everything changed on one March night in 1992. Matthew and two sales associates were in Atlanta on business. They had just left a restaurant and had gone outside to catch a taxi, when suddenly 3 of the men arguing behind them pulled out guns and started shooting. One of Matthew’s friends took a bullet to the head and died instantly. The other was unharmed. Matthew was also shot in the head, and he too died.
"Utter blackness. Incredible fear. I went to a place what I believe was hell. It was void of anything good. Beyond anything any words could describe”, recalled Matthew. But a hand came down towards him, and as it did, it brought warmth, flooding the room he was in with a brilliant white light. He was being pulled upwards. He heard a voice say, ‘It’s not your time.’ Mathew was resuscitated on the scene and taken to Piedmont hospital in Atlanta. Nancy flew in from their home state of Michigan and the doctor told her that there’s only a 30% chance Matthew would make it through the night. After that, he’ll probably be in a wheelchair and he might become a vegetable consequently.
Nancy took a walk down a corridor to clear her head and saw a blackness in front of her which was getting bigger and bigger. She was almost lost when she felt a heavy hand on her right shoulder, pulling her back. There was nobody there and she knew it was Jesus. Nancy went straight back to Matt’s room. He’s all wrapped up and bandaged. She said, “Lord, I’m not saved. Bring back my husband even if he’s in a wheel chair.…I promise I’ll stay with him.” Thereafter, Nancy lived hour-to-hour as it seemed that one crisis followed another. But with every crisis came a glimmer of hope.
After 27 days, Matthew awoke from his coma. The left side of Matthew’s body was paralyzed. They returned to Michigan where Matthew started rehab trying to rebuild his body and his mind. For two and half long years Matthew worked through the pain with Nancy by his side. Progress was slow. He eventually left the wheelchair and walked with a cane. Recovering mentally was a much slower process. But Nancy remembered her promise to stay with Matthew through it all. The Botsfords were so focused on Matthew’s regimen that they forgot their experiences with God.
Not until they moved to Florida, one day Matthew met a neighbor while out taking a walk and asked for a good church around rather unintentionally. Eventually, they attended an Easter service. The peace, the anchor and the stability in Jesus came back alive to them. Through the years they began to recognize God’s hand in their journey. Today, Matthew walks without the help of a cane and even gets to drive.
For Video testimony, please visit: Matthew Botsford - To Hell and Back
