A man who nearly died says the afterlife felt incredibly joyful, like an amazing, overwhelming sensation

Retired fire captain Bill Letson believes he had a life-changing experience when he came close to death. He says he saw the afterlife and describes it as an incredible feeling, like “a cosmic orgasm.”

Bill’s story begins in 1964 when he was living in Santa Barbara, California, and working as a firefighter. During a flu outbreak, he got seriously ill. His condition worsened so much that he had to be rushed to the hospital. Doctors gave him IV fluids and medication to save his life. Eventually, he was moved to intensive care. That’s when something strange and amazing happened.

Bill explained in a 2023 interview on the Shaman Oaks YouTube channel that he felt his spirit leave his body. Suddenly, he was flying through a space filled with countless stars. Everything around him was bright, peaceful, and beautiful. Bill said he saw “magnificent stars and glowing orbs” and felt like everyone in this place welcomed him with open arms.

“It was everything a person could ever want to feel,” Bill said. He explained that in this realm, he felt nothing but pure love, joy, and acceptance. All the negative feelings people have, like anger, jealousy, or resentment, were gone. “Those emotions don’t come with us when we die,” he added.

Bill described the sensation as completely overwhelming in the best way. He said it felt like a “cosmic orgasm”—a state of nonstop bliss and happiness. “It’s like every moment of joy you’ve ever had in your life combined, but multiplied by a million,” he said. He compared it to the feeling of achieving big victories in life, like getting a dream job or winning a game, but far greater and unending.

As he explored this starry, peaceful realm, Bill felt free, as if he had been released from a small, dark space and expanded into something infinite and limitless. “I felt like a giant balloon stretching forever into the universe,” he said.

While in this incredible place, Bill met three mysterious beings wearing hooded robes. They were playful, laughing and bouncing around. Bill said he felt an overwhelming amount of love radiating from them. “It was so powerful, it felt like my chest was going to burst,” he said. However, these beings made it clear that Bill wasn’t going to stay in this place.

One of the beings spoke to him and said, “You have to go back. You still have important things to do.” Although Bill wanted to stay, he realized this wasn’t the end of his life. Shortly after, he woke up back in the hospital.

This experience changed Bill forever. He now believes the afterlife is real and describes it as a place of endless love, joy, and freedom. He says his journey gave him a new perspective on life and what might come after death.