A man who went into cardiac arrest at age 15 is sharing what he remembers from the minutes when his heart stopped. His account, posted anonymously online, has drawn widespread attention, though it remains a personal and unverified story.

He explained that he collapsed suddenly in 2003 after breaking into a cold sweat and struggling to breathe. Paramedics found that he had gone into ventricular fibrillation, a dangerous heart rhythm that often leads to sudden death. His heart stopped beating for six minutes before emergency workers were able to revive him.

According to his post, he remained aware during that time and believed he briefly experienced an afterlife. He described seeing an intense white light and feeling as though he was rising upward. He recalled passing through “gates” and entering a space he said felt outside normal reality. He also reported seeing figures that he first assumed were angels, but he later described them as threatening. He wrote that the encounter felt overwhelming and frightening, and that the six minutes felt much longer.

When he regained consciousness, he reportedly had no permanent physical damage but said the experience left emotional scars. He attempted to describe what happened to friends and family, but many believed he was reacting to the trauma of the medical event.

Doctors note that near-death experiences are not uncommon and may occur when the brain continues limited activity after the heart has stopped. Studies show brief bursts of electrical activity can persist even when oxygen levels are extremely low. Some researchers believe these changes may trigger vivid memories or sensations, though the exact cause is still debated.

Medical experts emphasize that such accounts vary widely and are not evidence of what happens after death, but they offer insight into how the brain may function during critical moments.