“I Was on Fire, Then I Saw the Light”: US Veteran’s Near-Death Story Inspires Thousands

Dannion Brinkley, a former Marine struck by lightning, shares how his multiple near-death experiences changed his life—and now helps others embrace death without fear.

Washington, USA | April 8, 2025:
For most, death is the great unknown. But for Dannion Brinkley, it has been an open door—several times. A US Marine-turned-businessman, Brinkley has survived a series of extraordinary near-death experiences (NDEs), including a lightning strike in 1975, open-heart surgery, and a brain operation, offering insights into what may lie beyond life.

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Brinkley was just 25 when a lightning bolt struck him—a rare, nearly fatal incident. “It went into the side of my head above my ear, down my spine. I was burning, I was paralyzed,” the now 74-year-old told KLAS in a deeply personal interview. He recalls being lifted off the ground, seeing a blinding light, and experiencing a vivid flashback of his entire life—a common element reported by others who’ve experienced clinical death.

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Doctors declared him dead, yet he revived in the morgue, setting the stage for decades of self-discovery. Brinkley claims his soul left his body, and what he encountered was a realm of light, awareness, and spiritual guidance. He spent two years relearning how to walk—and understanding how to live again.

His journey didn’t stop there. During an open-heart surgery, he had another NDE, during which he said he encountered “angelic instructors” who shared with him spiritual knowledge. He documented these revelations in his bestselling book “Saved by the Light,” which has inspired countless readers worldwide.

While skeptics challenge his story, medical experts like Dr. Sam Parnia of NYU Langone Health believe there may be more to such claims. “We’ve found signs of brain activity even an hour after resuscitation. These experiences are unique and distinct from dreams or hallucinations,” Parnia told The New York Post.

Having brushed with death multiple times, Brinkley now dedicates his life to counseling terminally ill patients and war veterans, helping them embrace peace over fear. “When you learn you don’t die—when you understand you are a spiritual being—you let go of fear. And that changes everything,” he says.

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Dannion Brinkley, near-death experience, struck by lightning, US Marine, afterlife, Saved by the Light, NYU Langone, Sam Parnia, NDE, death and dying, spiritual awakening, life after death, veteran stories, inspirational stories, consciousness