Kamal Ghorui
A former NASA scientist has reignited public curiosity around near-death experiences after claiming she “died” three times and saw the same unusual vision each time. Ingrid Honkala, a marine scientist with a background reportedly connected to NASA and the US Navy, says these moments changed how she understands consciousness, reality, and even the idea of life after death. Her account has resurfaced again in 2026 through interviews and renewed media attention around her book. It blends science, personal memory, and spiritual interpretation in a way that keeps people divided. Some see it as a profound insight into human consciousness. Others think it might simply be the brain reacting under extreme physical stress.
Former NASA scientist recalls three near-death moments that felt strangely the same
Honkala says her experiences happened at three different stages of her life. The first, she claims, occurred when she was just a toddler after falling into an icy water tank at home. The second came much later in life, during a serious motorcycle accident at the age of 25. The third reportedly took place during surgery at 52 when her blood pressure dropped suddenly and dangerously low, as reported by The New York Post.She describes all three moments as surprisingly similar in feeling. Each time, she says she “flatlined” or came close to death. And each time, she experienced something she cannot easily forget. According to Honkala, the moment she lost physical awareness, something else seemed to take over. She describes it as a deep calm replacing fear. There was no panic, no sense of struggle. Instead, she says it felt like stepping into a different layer of reality.She reportedly felt her consciousness separate from her body. It was not frightening to her, she claims. It felt still, quiet, and almost expansive. “It felt like entering a deeper layer of reality that exists beyond our physical senses,” she has said in interviews.
What her experience describes
One of the most striking parts of her account is the idea that she could see her own body. As a child, she says she saw herself floating in the water tank while also feeling detached from it.She describes it as a moment where identity seemed to shift. She was no longer just a physical body. Instead, she felt like awareness itself, observing everything from outside. She also claims she recognised her mother arriving home during the incident and felt a strange form of connection. Not spoken words. Not signals. Something more like shared awareness, as she puts it.Sceptics argue that such memories may be shaped by trauma, imagination, or reconstructed memory. Still, Honkala insists the experience felt completely real.
Why she believes science and spirituality might overlap
Despite these experiences, Honkala did not move away from science. In fact, she moved deeper into it. She pursued academic studies in marine science and built a career in research, reportedly earning a PhD and contributing to scientific work over the years.She says her goal was not to abandon rational thinking but to understand reality more fully. The experiences pushed her toward questions rather than answers. What is consciousness? Is it created entirely by the brain? Or is it something broader?She now suggests that science and spirituality may not be opposites. Instead, she believes they might be exploring the same mystery in different ways.
Ongoing science debate around near-death experiences and consciousness
Near-death experiences remain a topic of debate in science. Some experts suggest they may be caused by oxygen deprivation, brain chemistry changes, or stress responses during trauma. Others believe they could involve memory distortion or dream-like neurological activity during critical conditions.At the same time, many individuals who report near-death experiences describe similar feelings of peace, detachment, and expanded awareness. This overlap keeps the discussion open, even if no single explanation is accepted universally.Honkala is firm in her interpretation. She believes her experiences were not illusions but glimpses into a deeper reality of consciousness.
