| A deathbed vision (DBV), is a term for the | | | | years before), and at the end of the vision, her sister |
| experiences dying people and their families encounter | | | | as well. Unbeknownst to her, the sister actually had |
| just before death. Frequently, dying people report | | | | passed away the previous week-news of her sister's |
| visions of deceased loved ones, religious icons, angels, | | | | death had been withheld because of her delicate |
| and colors or lights just moments, hours or days | | | | condition so there was no way she could have known |
| before the physical death occurs. | | | | her sister was no longer alive. |
| Only about 10% of dying people are conscious shortly | | | | In 1961, Karlis Osis published an analysis of 640 |
| before their death, but of this population, it is estimated | | | | questionnaires that were given to physicians and |
| that between 50 and 60% of them experience visions | | | | nurses on their observations of over 35,000 deaths. |
| which last an average of about five minutes, especially | | | | Osis categorizes the DBVs into two types of |
| those suffering from terminal illness or life-threatening | | | | experiences. 1) Nonhuman experiences, such as natural |
| traumatic injury. In most cases, the apparitions are only | | | | objects or landscapes, and 2) Human experiences, |
| seen by the dying, but in some cases caretakers and | | | | such as visions of family and/or friends. His research |
| those attending the dying person have also shared the | | | | confirmed that the predominant form of DBVs is |
| experience and witnessed the apparitions. | | | | apparitions of deceased loved ones who had come to |
| Stories of DBV's are common in folklore and literature | | | | aid the person in transitioning into death. |
| from all cultures and historical time periods. However, | | | | These two researchers and an abundance of other |
| the first mention of a DBV in the medical or scientific | | | | literature on DBVs confirm that regardless of culture, |
| literature is from the late 1920's when Sir William | | | | religion, economic status or historical time period, the |
| Barrett, a professor at the Royal College of Science in | | | | dying frequently experience DBVs. While these may |
| Dublin, began studying and writing about them. Dr. | | | | be attributed to a number of medical causes, such as |
| Barrett's wife, an obstetric surgeon, had delivered a | | | | hypoxia (lack of oxygen to the brain), research into |
| child to a woman who later would later die of a | | | | DBVs confirm that the events are common, but no |
| hemorrhage. As she lay bleeding, she described seeing | | | | clear, plausible explanation has been found to date. |
| and interacted with her father (who had passed away | | | | |