Carla Wills-Brandon - One Last Hug Before I Go: The Mystery and Meaning of Deathbed Visions

When I heard of Carla Wills-Brandons book One Last Hug Before I Go, I was immediately captured by its title and theme. As a chaplain who has been with dozens of people as they died, I have been in awe when many have had visions as they entered the dying process. Whether the vision was of Jesus, of a deceased spouse, of a parent, or of another person or angel who came to comfort them and guide them to the other side, each vision gave something the soul needed. I am delighted that Carla has researched and written of this phenomenon.

Pastor Jerry Bongard
chaplain and author, The Near-Birth Experience

One Last Hug Before I Go is good news for modern times! Finally, an in-depth study of deathbed visions, which have been with us since the dawn of time, affirming when we leave this life we continue on, escorted to the heavenly realms.

Judy Guggenheim
coauthor, Hello from Heaven!

The phenomenon of deathbed visions is as old as humankind, and such visitations of angels, light beings, previously deceased personalities and holy figures manifesting to those about to cross over to the Other Side have been recorded throughout all of human history. How marvelous it is that Carla Wills-Brandon has meticulously researched the subject and presented us with an inspirational book that is certain to offer comfort, not only to the dying but to those who love them.

Brad Steiger
author, One with the Light and Shadow World

I am delighted that Carla Wills-Brandon is sharing her large collection of before- and near-death experiences with us. And isnt the title One Last Hug Before I Go, priceless?

Susy Smith
author, Ghost Writers in the Sky and The Afterlife Codes

Dr. Carla Wills-Brandons work is very important. Her insights, sincerity, integrity and intelligence cant be beat.

Valerie
coordinator, Cincinnati IANDS

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Wills-Brandon, Carla

One last hug before I go : the mystery and meaning of deathbed visions / Carla Wills-Brandon.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN-13: 978-1-55874-779-1 (trade paper)

ISBN-10: 1-55874-779-6 (trade paper)

ISBN-13: 978-0-75739-660-1 (ePub)

ISBN-10: 0-75739-660-7 (ePub)

I. Deathbed hallucinations. I. Title.

BF1063.D4 W55 2000

133.9dc21

00-039541

2000 Carla Wills-Brandon

All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

HCI, its logos and marks are trademarks of Health Communications, Inc.

Publisher: Health Communications, Inc.

3201 S.W. 15th Street

Deerfield Beach, FL 33442-8190

R-11-05

Cover design by Andrea Perrine Brower
Inside book design by Dawn Grove

This book is loving dedicated to the three men in
my life,
Michael, my husband and my two sons,
Aaron and Joshua;
along with those loved ones on the other side:
my mother, Carol Lynn Wills;
my grandmother, Bertha Wills
and
my father-in-law, Dr. Sylvan Da Brandon

A Gentle Journey to the Afterlife

Against the cheek,
like a cool and anointing mosslike balm;
in Velvet darkness transported.
beyond an old
and unwelcome friend,
such as fear.
Into Light and a pleasant cacophony
of joyousness and freedom.
And no corners, nor shadows, shall
invade.

James R. Wilkinson (2000)

Contents

Foreword

T hough all will pass through the ingress alone, Carla Wills-Brandon has opened the approach to that entry-way for all of us to view. Deathbed visions (DBVs) are ancient and similar over the centuries and in every culture. Some visions are experienced before the relative or friend dies, while other similar visions occur after death. Some visions are experienced by the dying and some by those whom they leave behind. More importantly, in most cases the DBV brings comfort to the person encountering it.

Historicallyand even more so in recent historythe event of dying has been kept in hushed tones and only spoken of through funeral rights. Yet, at the same time, many occurrences surrounding death are rarely mentioned. Sometimes people present at the deathbed have seen or heard something leaving the body at the time of passing. Or, the dying individual has had visions of the other side and reported them to those people at hand. Perhaps most interesting are experiences shared by the dying and those in their presence. That is, at the time of death, the dying and the people around them perceive the same, otherworldly phenomenon.

The authors quest to collect these experiences has brought within the reach of the reader a treasure rarely shared. Moreover, her insightful elucidations serve to encourage the reader to seek out such stories in their own lives. In this way, her groundbreaking work opens the possibility for much newand necessaryunderstanding.

The greatest contribution of Dr. Wills-Brandons work is in bringing to our attention the gift of comfort these occurrences offer to the people involved. Whats more, her writing makes it possible for the reader to share in this comfort, and perhaps lighten the load of something that has happened in their own lives. As she so adeptly explains, these storiesin their numbers and the consistency of their detailsgo far beyond simple reports and as a result have far-reaching implications. Her evidentiary validation serves as a significant statement of permission for those who experience these phenomena to be open to them and to share them publicly.

Humans commonly want permission to enter into new and uncharted areas. Where such permission is not available, investigation is often stifled. Perhaps the scarcity of communal knowledge of these stories stems from a lack of that permission. Unfortunately, the religious institutions into whose context such stories are usually placed have not sanctioned such exposure. Only in those cultures where such stories are a part of the fabric of the people are they well known, where the benefits can be enjoyed by all. Western culture has not traditionally been such a community, at least thus far.

I believe peopleboth the dying and the mournersare blessed by deathbed visions. These visions provide understanding, empathy, lessening of fear and obviously comfort. Consequently, these stories need to be disseminated and passed on. They can readily provide a form of solace that no religious tenet assuages.

For several decades, Dr. Carla Wills-Brandon has addressed her insightful writings to the cutting edge of the human spirit. In each of her books, she has brought to the readers consideration new insights and creative understanding. Her works have encouraged us to go beyond the limitations we normally feel. This latest work is not an exception.