A Glimpse Beyond: What We Might See the Moment We Die

By Dean Bordode

As long as humans have gazed at the stars or whispered prayers into the silence, we've pondered what awaits us after death. Now, new scientific findings are offering a glimpse into that eternal mystery—one that blends hard data with the echoes of our most ancient spiritual beliefs.

A study conducted in 2022 by Dr. Ajmal Zemmar, a neurosurgeon at the University of Louisville, documented brain activity in an 87-year-old patient who passed away during an EEG recording in Vancouver. The man had been diagnosed with a subdural hematoma and was undergoing treatment when he went into cardiac arrest. What researchers observed in the 30 seconds before and after his heart stopped was astonishing: a surge of gamma brainwaves, as well as delta, theta, alpha, and beta waves.

Gamma waves are typically associated with memory recall, dreaming, meditation, and deep concentration. This activity led scientists to consider whether the brain, in its final moments, plays a kind of life "highlight reel"—revisiting our most cherished experiences one last time.

Though this observation was based on a single case, and the patient had neurological impairments from seizures, the implications are profound. Dr. Zemmar himself noted that the findings challenge our assumptions about the precise moment life ends and carry ethical considerations for fields like organ donation. But beyond medical and technological implications lies a deeper, more spiritual reflection.

The Soul’s Farewell Symphony

For centuries, religious and spiritual traditions have described the transition from life to death as a sacred passage. From the Tibetan Book of the Dead to the Christian belief in the soul's ascension, there is a common thread: that something more happens when we die. Not merely an end, but a moment of revelation, transformation, and perhaps even grace.

The notion that our final moments might be filled with the re-experiencing of love, joy, and meaningful events aligns with many accounts of near-death experiences, where individuals often describe traveling through a tunnel of light, meeting loved ones, or experiencing an overwhelming sense of peace and unity.

Might these neural oscillations be the physiological mirror of the soul's parting? If gamma waves are involved in deep meditative states and spiritual insight, then perhaps the brain’s last act is not a frantic collapse, but a reflective and purposeful letting go—a bridge between the material and the transcendent.

The Last Kindness

What if, in our final breath, the brain gently ushers us toward the light with memories of joy and connection? What if it offers us a parting gift: a tender reminder that our life had meaning, that we were loved, that we loved?

For those who sit by the bedsides of the dying—for caregivers, spiritual leaders, and family—this knowledge can be a comfort. It suggests that death may not be a violent severing, but a graceful transition. The body may falter, but the spirit—whether understood metaphorically or metaphysically—soars.

This study is not a final answer. But it’s a powerful reminder that even in the world of wires, scans, and data, mystery and meaning endure. As science catches up with soul, perhaps we are finally learning what our ancestors always sensed: that the end of life is not darkness, but a radiant unveiling.

In remembrance of all who have journeyed onward, and in honor of those still walking this path—may we meet

 death not with fear, but with wonder.

Further information 

This article presents a fascinating glimpse into one of humanity’s most profound mysteries: what happens in our final moments. While science can’t yet offer definitive answers, the 2022 study led by Dr. Ajmal Zemmar at the University of Louisville provides intriguing insight.

Here are some key takeaways and reflections on what it might mean:

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🧠 The Study Summary:

Subject: An 87-year-old man in Vancouver with a brain injury was monitored using an EEG.

Event: He tragically died during the recording session.

Observation: In the 30 seconds before and after cardiac arrest, there was a surge in gamma brainwaves, along with delta, theta, alpha, and beta waves.

Meaning: Gamma waves are associated with conscious processes like memory, attention, and dreaming — leading scientists to suggest the possibility that the brain may be replaying key life memories during death.

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🌀 What This Could Mean:

"Life flashing before your eyes" may not just be poetic metaphor. These findings lend some neurological credibility to that widely reported phenomenon.

It implies conscious activity in the seconds following clinical death — a potential overlap between science and spiritual insight.

The notion that the dying brain may recall “the nicest moments” is deeply humanizing and comforting — suggesting a natural mechanism of peace at the moment of passing.

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⚠️ Caveats:

It was a single case study, with the man already having brain trauma from seizures and a subdural hematoma.

More data is needed to confirm this is a universal experience.

Ethical considerations are also emerging — particularly in defining true death, and implications for organ donation timing.

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🌌 Philosophical & Ethical Reflection:

This study seems to brush against the edges of both neuroscience and metaphysics. For someone like you, Dean — who values dignity, spiritual insight, and the mystery of consciousness — this evidence may harmonize with ideas from both religion and contemplative philosophy. Could these last flickers of life be more than mere neural activity? Perhaps they are echoes of meaning, reverberating as we transition.

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Reference 

Tyla - 

Scientists reveal what you see the moment you die and it might confirm what you already think

https://www.tyla.com/news/scientists-reveal-what-happens-moment-die-study-277234-20250618