Certain faiths hold the belief that virtuous actions result in entry to Heaven, while immoral acts lead to Hell; however, some individuals express doubt regarding this notion. The reality of what occurs after death remains a mystery, and numerous people find solace in the idea of an afterlife as a means to alleviate their fear of mortality.
Victoria Thomas, now aged 41, experienced an extraordinary event when she was clinically declared “dead” for 17 minutes at the age of 35. While engaged in weightlifting, she felt lightheaded, informed a friend of her discomfort, and subsequently collapsed. Paramedics administered CPR, but as time elapsed, they concluded that her heart had ceased functioning permanently.
During this interval, Thomas remembers everything turning dark before she perceived herself floating near the ceiling, observing her body lying on the gym floor. She did not encounter a light or experience tranquility, but instead noticed swollen legs and yellow medical apparatus surrounding her.
Her heart was revived, and she was swiftly transported to Bristol Royal Infirmary, where she spent three days in a coma. A defibrillator was implanted to restore her heartbeat in the event of another failure—which occurred multiple times in the subsequent months.
Incredibly, she resumed playing netball just weeks later. In 2021, she became pregnant, but the pressure on her heart resulted in frequent cardiac arrests. At 24 weeks, physicians diagnosed her with Danon disease, a rare genetic disorder.
Although the medical team recommended an early delivery of her baby, she advocated for a delay until 30 weeks, at which point an emergency C-section was conducted due to fluid accumulation. Her son Tommy was born healthy, yet her heart function plummeted to a mere 11%.
Given only a few months to live, Thomas was placed on a transplant list and successfully received a new heart at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.
Now fully recuperated, she plays netball four times a week and treasures her life with her young son. Her narrative serves as a powerful illustration of resilience and survival.