The Benefit of a Near-Death Experience

My Near-Death Experience

I was recently involved in a highway accident that left my truck totaled. It was early February, and two of my friends and I packed into my 2011 Ford Ranger, heading east towards Milwaukee to spend the weekend with some hometown friends that attend college at Marquette. About 20 miles outside Milwaukee, my truck ran into black ice, and I completely lost control. This resulted in a frantic and desperate act to regain control of my vehicle that at one point had us facing down the barrel of a semi-truck heading directly toward my vehicle. Thankfully, we slid out of the way just enough for the truck to collide with and destroy the bed of my vehicle, leaving everyone in the car unharmed as we skidded to a stop on the side of the highway.

As an 18-year-old college freshman, I had little concept or worry of death. However, when my truck turned just enough to catch a glimpse of the semi-trucks headlights, time seemed to have stopped. Thousands of thoughts and scenarios ran through my head, and for the first time in my life, I truly believed I could die. I thought about my parents, and what they would have to go through after receiving the news. I thought about my friends, who just before this had been eager and excited awaiting my arrival, and how they could have lost not one, but three of their best friends. I thought of my girlfriend, and how there was a chance I would never come back to see her. There really is no way to explain that feeling unless you yourself have gone through it, and now that I have, I am more thankful than I've ever been.

Realization and Change

This accident pushed me to come to the realization that I have not been living in a way that would make me proud. In the coming days after the accident, I reflected on how I've been living, specifically my time at college. I realized that I haven't been taking advantage of my life. This semester especially I've let laziness and comfort take over me. I stopped working out, started sleeping in, continued to eat worse, and most importantly, I haven't been reaching out to those who care about me. It was an unfortunate realization, but one that needed to occur to push me to be better.

In the past month I would like to say I have made great progress in living in a way I would be proud of. I have called my parents several times a week just to talk, and I can tell they are happy to just hear my voice. I finally applied for a few jobs I've been pursuing and have lessened how much I procrastinate. I have also made great strides in spending time with the people I care about and doing so in much more meaningful ways. In general, these may sound like small improvements, but I hope they lead to something much greater in my life that will propel me to live with no regrets.

It's insane to think about how horrible experiences can have unexpectedly positive outcomes. I believe there is a hidden benefit to most tragic and unfortunate experiences in a person's life. Humans often have a wonderful ability to make something out of nothing, and that is showcased heavily with how people respond to near-death experiences. These experiences jolt our brains and help us push ourselves to become better people in a way that no amount of positive reinforcement can. Now, all thoughts aside, I have a very long way to go before I live in a way that I can truly be proud of, but for now, just taking small steps towards that is enough.