In a story that challenges conventional spiritual imagery, a woman who survived a catastrophic motorcycle accident claims she encountered God during a near-death experience—and the reality was nothing like she had ever imagined.
From Atheism to a Divine Encounter
Beverly Brodsky grew up in a conservative Jewish household in Philadelphia. Deeply affected by the horrors of the Holocaust from a young age, she turned her back on faith and embraced atheism in 1958. Her worldview, however, was shattered in 1970 when she was 20 years old.
The life-altering event occurred near Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. Involved in a severe motorcycle accident, Beverly suffered a fractured skull and devastating injuries to the right side of her face. Medical staff at UCLA Hospital, where she received two weeks of intensive care, told her they typically only saw such wounds on battlefields. Her treatment involved salt-soaked bandages.
Discharged without pain medication and feeling utterly hopeless, she cried out in desperation to a God she did not believe in: "God, if you're out there, you can have me now because I'm finished." Instantly, her physical agony vanished, and she found herself floating above her own body.
A Journey Through Light and Universal Mind
Beverly describes being met by a radiant, angelic being who took her hand, filling her with profound peace. Together, they travelled through a tunnel towards an immense, living light over the Pacific Ocean. It was within this light that she experienced a moment of awe-inspiring recognition.
She realised she was in the presence of God, but not as depicted in any religious text. This being had no form or gender, yet radiated all-pervading intelligence, wisdom, compassion, love, and truth. Communication was telepathic; her mind was laid bare before this Universal Mind.
"I was given more than just the answers to my questions; all knowledge unfolded to me," she recounted. "I was filled with God's knowledge, and in that precious aspect of his Beingness, I was one with him." She described the core of the light as a "glorious fire - the core and centre of a marvellous star," before finding herself abruptly returned to her injured physical body.
A Life Transformed and a Story Shared
The experience fundamentally changed Beverly Brodsky. No longer an atheist, she has spent decades sharing her account to offer insight and comfort. Her detailed near-death experience (NDE) is featured in the book Lessons From The Light by Evelyn Elsaesser Valarino and Kenneth Ring, who called it "possibly the most moving in my entire collection."
Her story has reached wide audiences, featuring in McCall's magazine, a BBC documentary (The Human Body), and the first NDE interview on Israeli public radio. She was also listed in the 2006 edition of Who's Who in America.
Beverly Brodsky's extraordinary narrative continues to fascinate, serving as a powerful personal testament that questions preconceived notions of divinity and the afterlife.
