A doctor who works in palliative care has revealed what most people see just before they die, and it's quite alarming.
Death is quite a scary thought that most of us will try to not think about in our day-to-day lives, but there is often a morbid fascination with it.
I assume it's the unknown that intrigues us so much, as it would be nice to have answers about what really happens to us when we shuffle our mortal coil.
Well, one end-of-life doctor has shed some light on his findings.
Dr. Christopher Kerr, from Buffalo, New York, is a seasoned palliative care physician who has devoted years to unraveling the mysteries of our final moments.
With a remarkable academic journey under his belt - including a Doctorate of Medicine and a PhD in Neurobiology - Kerr has dedicated his time to studying the dreams and visions that accompany individuals as they approach death.
His findings, gained from extensive research with hospice patients, shed light on a profound aspect of human experience.
Kerr discovered a stark contrast in end-of-life encounters between adults and children, largely due to their differing understandings of death.
Speaking on the Next Level Soul podcast, Kerr revealed that kids will tap into their imagination as they come towards the end of their life, while adults will go through their memories.
"We had a guy who is in his 40s, who had spent most of his life in prison. He had drug addictions and he had had neck cancer. He was dreaming, he was joking, he was very jovial," Kerr recalled about one individual.
The doctor continued: "Then he starts crying because he's having these horrible dreams [that] he's being stabbed by all the people he's hurt... and he breaks down.
"But then when he comes out of it, he asked to see a daughter that he wants to express his love towards, and apologize. And after that he died peacefully."
Kerr's observations challenge the notion of denial in end-of-life experiences. He argues that patients confront their darkest demons, utilizing them as catalysts for resolution and acceptance.
Further illustrating this notion, Kerr recounted the journey of a World War II veteran haunted by memories of battle.
"You can't die really, unless you can sleep," Kerr explained. "It's pretty hard to do, because you just pass in sleep."
Struggling with PTSD, the man's final days were plagued by relentless visions of war, but then he found solace after having a dream where he got his discharge papers.
"A soldier who he didn't know came up to him and said, "No, we're going to come get you'." Kerr said. "After that, the man fell asleep and passed away. So that sense that he had abandoned people had gone full circle."
Children, on the other hand, don't have these memories to tap into so can often see animals who help them come to terms with what's happening.
