Observations placeholder
The Death of a baby suffering from Fallot's tetralogy
Identifier
025579
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
Religious Experience Research Centre - RERC archive 196. Female SRN aged 23 at time of experience.
Several nurses have given accounts of religious experiences, and they often describe what effects the experiences had on later life and practice, the fruits of the experiences. A nurse aged 23 was assisting at a heart operation on a baby four weeks old, but the baby died. The surgeon then demonstrated the abnormality of the heart to her and two other nurses. In her own words:
Suddenly the room and theatre were permeated with the scent of violets and the almost tangible sense of peace. The surgeon, a hard-bitten Australian, comments on the scent. No source could be found.
Since this time I have felt no pain at any death. I am sure of the presence of – who knows?
Love, peace, God?
I have no personal fear of death despite threats of hell and purgatory in my life prior to this event. No longer do I fear, or feel angry with God because of a child’s death ... The peace is still with me. I have never discussed this experience with anyone other than the staff present at the time. All had smelled the perfume. This has always puzzled, not obsessed me, but has upheld faith in love.