Observations placeholder

The Art of Dying – Drs Peter and Elizabeth Fenwick

In September 2002 Maria and Keith's youngest son, David, died after crashing his motorbike. They arrived at the hospital he had been taken to, where he was on life support, in time to see him, talk to him and say their goodbyes, but he died that afternoon. That evening Maria and her husband were unable to face going to bed and, knowing they wouldn't sleep, they remained dozing in their sitting room, Maria in her usual chair and Keith lying on the sofa, which happened to be where David had spent a lot of his time.  Then:

I was wakened from a very light doze by a gentle blowing sensation on my cheek. I turned my head to see if Keith was awake, and as I looked I saw a shimmery haze (similar to what you might see above a road, on a hot summer day) hover above Keith's sleeping head, and then it gradually rose up to the ceiling and vanished. I had never before felt a draught in that room or experienced any type of draught similar to the one I felt that night in that room, despite trying to find a source. I believe with all my heart that David came to say goodbye and what I saw was his 'spirit', and what I felt was his last kiss. If it is true that we see our loved ones before we die, then I feel there is nothing to fear in death for us, and everything to look forward to.