Dustan Yoder: A near-death experience transforms one to be better person

By Marivir R. Montebon

“We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” ― Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

New York – Oftentimes, the strangest or most painful life experiences transform us for the better. For 64-year-old Dustan Yoder, his near-death experience in 2019 transformed him to choose a simple, faithful, and worry-free life. My conversation with him on July 18, 2024, was certainly one of the best interviews in my podcast Conversations with MM.

Dustan’s out of body experience was his spiritual awakening and transformation. The Near-Death Experience Research Foundation has documented millions of cases of NDEs across various cultures and religions, suggesting the existence of consciousness beyond the physical body.

For Dustan, who lives in Alexandria, VA, his near-death experience fortified his belief in God and reinforced the importance of living a joyful and appreciative life. Now retired from a long-time employment in an international airline company, he embraces his role as a loving grandfather and babysitter to his only grandson.

Volunteering to babysit his grandson upon retirement. “It’s an amazing experience.” - Dustan Yoder

He had to forcibly retire due to health reasons in 2015. He has Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) brought about by incessant smoking and his exposure to industrial chemicals at his workplace. He was also diagnosed with lung cancer where he had to go through surgery and chemotherapy. He was clinically pronounced dead in 2015 after passing out at work and stayed at the ICU for two weeks.

Dustan was on his portable oxygen during the entire course of our conversation, which admittedly gave me a little bit of worry. Otherwise, he was alert and enthusiastically sharing with me his experience.

A conversation with Dustan Yoder on his life changing out-of-body experience in 2019.

On July 24, 2019, Dustan was at a family reunion in Pennsylvania when he suddenly could not breathe.  His lungs are known to function only by a measly 19 percent. He was diagnosed with lung cancer when he was 49 and went through surgery and chemotherapy.

On that fateful day of July, Dustan was taken to the DuBoise hospital in an ambulance, and the trip had changed his life forever.

Right in the ambulance, Dustan had an out of body experience and saw himself being helped by the EMT. He also saw being surrounded by bright lights and experienced profound joy that he did not want to go back to his body.

He recalled that he first saw a bright light while being loaded into the ambulance. He had a telepathic conversation with a voice, he could only surmise may be God or Jesus Christ, who said to him, this is the bright light.  The lights came to him swiftly in seconds.

Dustan continued to see himself being rushed to the hospital.  In another clear conversation, he heard a voice saying, “this is the tunnel of darkness” and just before he was all the way inside the tunnel he heard, “this is the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Dustan said he snapped into position and the light became brighter and heard the voice saying, “this is life’s journey, you will have a perilous journey.”

He recalled that just then he recalled that he couldn’t breathe and panicked. His breathlessness made him upset, and he heard the voice saying, “there will be great joy and relief at journey’s end.”

A near-death experience would often be transformative - Dr. Kathy Winings

At that instance, Dustan said he felt completely relaxed and realized that the ambulance pulled into the hospital. He saw that there was confusion.  Ten people were doing multiple different things for him – “IVs were put into my arms, stickers and probes were being put all over my chest.”

Dustan said that his closed and heard the voice, “This is the end of life’s journey.” But after a while, he recalled that he opened his eyes and saw a light so intense and bright like he had never seen before.

In his memoir, he wrote:

“Everything around me was like the purest of white and created a soothing feeling over me. I was overtaken by the feelings of love and joy, total peace and tranquility. This is nothing on Earth that can ever compare, nor can I begin to explain the feelings that flooded me. Just being in the presence of this light is beyond belief and explanation.

As I looked around, I was in a wide-open space with no beginning or end. The entire area was filled with a bright white light, and everything glowed from within. The light melted my heart with a soothing feeling and filled me with an overwhelming desire to be close to it. It drew me like a BB to a very powerful magnet and I would do anything just to be close to it, the circle of eternal life.

As I was looking at this area, I saw to my left a space with three lines. On the far left, a thick black line, in the middle a thin silver line with a scroll at the far end, then on the right a thick white line. To the right of that a shining circle of light and to its right, a thin white line.

To the far right was a boxed in enclosure in which there was a large circle with five smaller circles inside. The five circles touched each other forming a circle with an open space in the center. This formation is the circle of eternal life. As I learned about it, the stronger the desire was to reach it.

Dustan Yoder’s illustration of his vision during his out-of-body experience at the hospital in 2019.

The feelings of love and joy increased exponentially. I was immensely drawn to it and would do anything to get close. I wanted to get to it more than anything. I realized that small circle of light was my soul, and it was the one being drawn to the circle of eternal life.

Above everything there was a horizontal line and above that there were incredibly tall white pillars that were so tall they faded away into the bright light above them. The thin white line was like a barrier to prevent my soul from entering the circle of eternal life.

I then heard, “Come closer and see what awaits you.” My soul started moving closer to the enclosure with the circle of life. The thin white line seemed to bend with me, staying in between me and the circle of eternal life. Every inch I moved closer the feelings and desire increased. The closer I got to the circle of eternal life, the brighter the light and the euphoric feelings kept increasing.

If I could just stay at this point, I would be elated for all eternity. I tried to enter the circle, but the white line would not let me enter. I hear, “If I allow you to enter—what do you think you deserve?” I replied, “Oh please just let me in, I would be thrilled to just be a fly on the wall.”

I heard, “Do you think you are worthy of entering?” My head hung low as I replied, “No, not at all, I am not worthy.” My desire to enter the circle of eternal life keeps getting stronger. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to enter. I hear, “Before I let you enter, you must first perform a task to prove to me how badly you want to enter. Go and witness what Christ had to endure on the cross so your sins can be forgiven.”

Just the sight of the lights and the feelings of joy, love, and happiness are so overwhelming. God offers so much but we are too blind to see what He has to offer.

I was taken away from the light. The desire I had to get back to the light was so intense. I heard, “Go and bring back two sinners so they can see the light.” One man’s soul was black and heavy with sin, the other was mostly white with a small amount of darkness. He stole a loaf of bread to feed his family. Both men were equal in God’s eyes. If they see the light and repent of their sins, they both will be washed clean of their sins and able to enter the gates of Heaven.

I was standing with a man on each side of me, and I physically tried to lift them up to see the light. They were too heavy, and I couldn’t budge them. I heard, “They can only be lifted by prayer.” I had to pray to God and show Him how much I wanted to enter and be closer to that glorious light.

I prayed and prayed, stained and shook. Trying to raise them as every part of my body ached. I was sweating and pleading for strength to lift them. I had to complete this task; I could not fail. After what seemed like an eternity of pain and prayer, God could see how much I wanted to enter. He gave me the strength to lift them, and they were finally able to see the light. I had a great sigh of relief; the weight was lifted from my shoulders.

I could see the light again and it was even brighter than before, the euphoric feelings increased ten-fold. There was no way it could get any better than this. As I moved from the thick white line closer to the circle of life, the light and feelings kept increasing and getting brighter and brighter.

My heart was pounding so hard as if it was ready to explode. The excitement and joy were so intense as my soul was pushing against the thin white line trying to enter the circle. However, it would not let me enter.

I heard, “Only the pure of heart may enter.” I realized then what was keeping me out. Even though I asked in the past my heart wasn’t pure. I bowed down and asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins and purify my soul. This time my heart was 100% sincere. I know without any doubt, God and Heaven are real. There is no doubt in my heart any longer.

The thin white line pushed me back to the thick white line. The scroll on the silver line started to unwind and it came towards me like a speeding train and in an instant flew past me. Everything got very still and quiet, the black line and the thick white line started to mix looking like paint mixing. The light started to fade, and the blackness took over until there was no light at all.

I started to get scared as the feeling of helplessness was unbearable. I wanted to get back to the light, so I prayed to return. I prayed harder than I have ever prayed. Way off in the distance appeared a small dot of light, as I prayed even harder the dot got bigger and bigger. The feelings of hopelessness began to fade as the light began to grow brighter.

The feelings of hopelessness disappeared and were replaced with joy and love as the light took over the darkness. It now felt 100-times better than before. I wondered—how could that be? I was certain that nothing could feel better than it had before and knew that it could never get any better than this. I was overflowing with joy, I begged to be able to stay in this spot for all eternity, no way anything could anything be better.

My soul moves closer to the enclosed circle of eternal life. With every inch closer the feelings kept increasing with unbelievable intensity.

I was at the edge trying to enter as I heard, “Would you like to enter?” I replied, “Yes! Please just let me be a fly on the wall.” Then I heard, “I am pleased with you, you may enter.” The thin white line moved aside, and I was permitted to enter. The light’s intensity grew brighter and brighter as the feelings of intensity continued to increase.

I thought, “How is this possible—how can it get any better?” The feelings are indescribable. My soul was now inside the enclosure as I was looking up at the circle of eternal life. I thanked God with all my heart for allowing me to experience this. I have been blessed a thousand times more than I ever deserved.

This was the greatest feeling there could ever be. I gazed up and saw the open spot in the circle of eternal life.

I knew in my heart that the spot was open for me but how could that be with my past life. I have already been blessed with so much more than I deserve. “Rise and enter the circle of eternal life.” My soul began to rise, and the light and glorious feelings increased 1000-fold.

You could take all the love and happiness that was felt on earth since the beginning of time, put it all together and it would not even come close to what I was feeling at this point.

“Would you like to see more?” I thought there was no way anything could get any greater. “Return to Earth and bring everyone back with you.”

There was nothing on Earth that even comes close to the peace and joy felt by just looking at the light glowing from the circle of eternal life. I bowed my head and said, “Lord, I have failed you. Only a few joined me.”

“You have not failed me. You may enter,” I heard the voice.

The gate above the circle of eternal life opened and allowed me to enter. As my soul moved closer to the light it got brighter and brighter, and the feelings of peace and joy got even more intense.

I saw great white pillars glowing with bright white light. They reached up higher than I could see and faded away into bright light. My soul lifted to the base of one of the pillars. Every inch I advanced the intensity increased 10-fold.

Part way up I stopped advancing. I was so filled with love and joy. It felt as though I would burst. “If you would like to see more, go and spread the word with the same enthusiasm you had when you first saw the light. There will be great perils and confusion in your journey. Help will be given. Go spread the word return and receive your just reward.”

“I so wanted to stay where I was. I didn’t want to return to Earth.” - Dustan Yoder

After I heard those words, I could look down and see the Earth as a blue planet. I so wanted to stay where I was. I didn’t want to return to Earth. I knew everyone I left behind would be fine.

But the voice said, “You must go and complete this task.” I knew I had to go and follow Gods word. Nothing on Earth could ever come close to this. I’ll do anything to be able to return.

I opened my eyes, and I was in the intensive care unit at the Du Boise hospital in PA. I told everyone that came into my room about my experience. I was transferred to another floor, and I told everyone there. The next day I was discharged.

My cousin’s wife gave me a ride home. I told her about my experience. She said that I should write everything down, so I did. She also told me her church was having a baptism service the next day, would I be interested in speaking with her pastor about being baptized. I met with her pastor for a few hours before the service.

We talked about my experience and how it changed my outlook on life. We prayed and I asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins. I was willing to turn my life over to God and obey His word.

After the meeting he shook my hand and asked if he could use some of what we talked about. I told him that would be fine. After all, I was told to go and spread the Word. I can’t turn down the help spreading the Word.

He used parts of my story in his message that morning. I got baptized that morning along with two others. That night I went to sleep and woke up at 2AM panicking. Every time I closed my eyes it felt like I was being pulled into a deep dark pit.

After a few attempts to sleep I got up. I couldn’t take the darkness and the feelings of despair. I thought about the events in the hospital.”

===

In retrospect, Dustan wrote that he had done things wrong by telling everyone about his near-death experience. He simply wanted to tell people that there is a greater power beyond the human mind and body and that people should be less worried of Earthly things and focus on giving time and love to their families.

God’s reminder to us is simple, he quipped. “Don’t put so much effort on getting things of this Earth. The value of things on Earth is worthless once you close your eyes. Put value on giving time with family and loving your children and being good to other people.”

Dustan and his young family back in the day. “I spent my time working 12 hours a day and less time for my family.”

Up close, Dustan’s incredible experience reiterated my own belief that there is consciousness beyond the human body, and that consciousness is the soul. His mystical journey highlights the profound impact that near-death experiences can expand one’s horizon beyond the sentient world.

Dr. Kathy Winings, an experienced educator and neuroscience specialist in New York, shared her own remarkable experience after listening to our podcast.

“Yes, these testimonies are always interesting and each one, while similar, are also different. What we experience in the other world varies among us. That is what makes these experiences so rich. I am on the speaking circuit as well about what I gained from my NDE and how it has transformed me. It was certainly not a onetime experience for me, but the conversation with God has continued.” #