End-of-Life Visions (Video 2:30)

End-of-life visions or spirit sightings are not unusual for many people. As a hospice volunteer for many years, I have had several patients tell me about spirits coming to see them. Patients also spoke about visiting the spirit world, often referring to the place they visited as heaven. Discussions about these visits created opportunities for patients to express emotions openly about death while reflecting on life. They enjoyed describing their visitors and their trips. Their detailed conversations explained to me, not only whom they saw, but also the scenery and what the spirits were wearing. Pets were included in these descriptions.

Below is a true excerpt from my book Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer inUrban Nursing Homes.

“What did you do today?” I asked Rose after feeding her.

“Me? I’ve been spending time with my people. I enjoyed myself a lot.”

“Hey, that’s great. Did your relatives drive in from Chicago?”

“No, I went to heaven. It’s the nicest place, all clean and bright with beautiful scenery everywhere. I saw my family and plenty of my friends. They all wore long white gowns.”

“Wow! I guess that’s a place you’ll want to visit again.”

“Oh, I’ll definitely be going back. I’m planning to go stay there when I die. I’ll see if I can help you get in, too.”

“Thanks. I would really appreciate that.”

Rose seemed very confident and happy about her story. Another example is the deathbed vision of of Steve Jobs, who is widely recognized as a pioneer of the microcomputer of the 1970s and 1980s. He was also the co-founder, chief executive and chairman of Apple Computer. Near his death, he was heard exclaiming, “Oh wow! Oh wow! Oh wow!” as if he were seeing an extraordinary vision. Some say these spirit sightings, which may be pleasant or not so pleasant, are chemical reactions in the brain or simply imaginary hallucinations. Others say they are angels, or even ghosts. Draw your own conclusions about end-of- life visions.

Frances Shani Parker, Author
Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes is available in paperback and e-book editions in America and other countries at online and offline booksellers.
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