Before we begin I would like to celebrate the thousands who submitted a detailed report of their near-death-experience. Many were in pain before their nde, and they had to return to that pain. Some even chose to return knowing they would have a difficult life. They have all given a gift to world.

    I would like also to acknowledge the research groups Near Death Experience Research Foundation and The International Association for Near Death Studies, Inc. In addition to their valuable research there is their careful archiving and presentation to the world of the daily submissions of near-death-experience reports. These are the two archives I randomly sampled for this book.

                                                                               Will Rike