Beyond the Veil: Woman Who ‘Died’ for Eight Minutes Says Death is an Illusion

Published: 07th August 2025 | The English Chronicle Online

Brianna Lafferty, a 33-year-old woman from the United States, has ignited global curiosity and philosophical discussion after revealing her experience of being clinically dead for eight minutes—a moment she now describes as proof that death is merely an illusion. Her story, rich with spiritual insights and personal transformation, has offered a deeply human lens through which to consider life, mortality, and what may lie beyond.

A longtime sufferer of myoclonus dystonia, a rare and severe neurological disorder characterised by uncontrollable muscle spasms and physical deterioration, Brianna’s life had long been overshadowed by fear—particularly the fear of death. However, that fear has all but evaporated following a medical crisis that left her without a heartbeat for eight minutes. What she experienced during those moments, she says, changed her understanding of life and death forever.

As her body lay motionless, Brianna described her soul as having “floated” above her physical form before being transported into a realm outside of time and space. Within that suspended state, she felt detached from her earthly self, yet more acutely alive and self-aware than ever before. There was no pain—only a profound stillness and clarity. A voice, not human but somehow familiar, asked her if she was ready to move on. Surrounded by darkness yet consumed by peace, Brianna understood in that moment what she now declares with certainty: “Death is an illusion because our soul never dies.”

Her testimony aligns with themes found in many near-death experiences (NDEs), where consciousness continues even after all signs of physical life have ceased. Brianna now believes that the soul does not perish but rather undergoes a transformation. Thoughts, she says, immediately manifest into reality in the afterlife, where time as we know it does not exist—something she considers not a curse, but a blessing.

These revelations have deeply altered how she approaches life on earth. “Our consciousness remains alive. And our very being only transforms,” she explained. “I noticed that our thoughts create a reality there—it just takes time—which is a blessing.” Her experience has led her to view her illness and previous struggles with profound clarity, understanding them as essential elements of a larger design. “Looking back, everything is so crystal clear as to why I suffered with illness and other tough struggles,” she said.

Brianna’s spiritual awakening has reshaped her worldview. She now believes that all of life’s occurrences, including suffering, have inherent meaning. She speaks of the power of turning negativity into positivity, of trusting the process of life—especially during its darkest chapters. “We’re able to change our negativity into positivity, turning this into reality. I feel empowered and trust life’s events, especially the hard ones,” she said. “Also knowing that my thoughts and feelings are that powerful helps me live a gratitude-filled life.”

Her condition had pushed her to the limits. In the days leading up to her near-death experience, she suffered from such extreme sleeplessness that she was barely able to rest for more than four days. Weak and nearing collapse, she feared that the end was near. Yet what followed was not death, but what she calls a revelation.

“I was suddenly separated from my physical body. I didn’t see or remember my human self. I was completely still, yet I felt fully alive, aware and more myself than ever before. There was no pain, just a deep sense of peace and clarity.” During the experience, she sensed she had travelled through the origins of the universe, describing the cosmos as being composed of numbers. She even encountered what she calls ‘beings’—entities she cannot identify as human, but who felt inexplicably familiar. “It changed the course of my life—what I feared no longer had power over me and what I used to chase didn’t seem important anymore,” she added.

After spending four days in the hospital following her resuscitation, Brianna struggled to articulate her experience, let alone process it emotionally. Her recovery was both physically grueling and psychologically jarring. She had to relearn how to walk and speak. She continues to live with permanent damage, including harm to her pituitary gland. Despite the ongoing health challenges, she now faces life with a sense of wonder and deep gratitude.

She acknowledges that the journey back was not easy. In fact, she was terrified that she might face another near-death moment. But far from breaking her, the experience has imbued her with a powerful sense of mission and reverence—for both life and death. “I came back with a sense of mission and deep reverence,” she said, “not just for life, but also for death.”

Her message to others is one of hope, transformation, and acceptance. Death, as she now understands it, is not the end. It is a passage, a turning of the page, a doorway to something greater. And through this newfound perspective, she continues to live—guided not by fear, but by an unshakable belief that everything happens for a reason, and that our souls, in some ineffable way, are eternal.