Are Near-Death Experiences & UFO Sightings Connected?
There are few topics more shrouded in wonder and speculation than near-death experiences (NDEs) and unidentified flying objects (UFOs). Both touch on some of our deepest human questions: What happens when we die, and are we truly alone in the universe? At first glance, these subjects might seem to travel separate paths. But what if there’s a hidden intersection—an overlap revealing something profound about consciousness, reality, and the mysteries that surround us? This is exactly what Mindy Toddfest, author, speaker, and CEO of the International UFO Bureau, set out to explore after a personal encounter that changed her life forever.
Unveiling Two Great Mysteries
For decades, NDEs and UFO sightings have fascinated, frightened, and inspired people around the world. Near-death experiences are typically described as extraordinary events that occur when a person comes close to death—often leaving them transformed with new insights or perspectives. UFOs, or more recently UAPs (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena), have been spotted in the skies and, increasingly, in domains like underwater, challenging our understanding of physics and existence itself.
Mindy's story is both unique and universally relatable. Raised within a deeply Christian context, she never expected to become someone who would delve into NDE research. In fact, she and her family had once dismissed such events as hallucinations or even tricks of the supernatural. But as fate would have it, she found herself on the edge of life and death in 2016—a moment that launched her into searching for answers to questions she hadn’t even imagined asking.
From Skepticism to Firsthand Experience
Before her transformational event, Mindy had always harbored a fascination with UFOs, sparked during childhood by hours spent poring over books about sightings and unexplained phenomena. She never subscribed to any particular theory about UFOs—interdimensional visitors, extraterrestrial craft, or something from our own planet. Instead, Mindy believed the phenomenon was too complex for a one-size-fits-all explanation.
Her personal near-death experience came suddenly and violently. On the day of the 2016 U.S. presidential election, she suffered a mysterious medical episode at home. First there was swelling, then a sudden, excruciating pain—a loud pop inside her head—that led Mindy to think she’d been shot or suffered an aneurysm, a condition that ran in her family. As a former ICU nurse, her instincts kicked in, but soon she was gripped by a sensation she’d never encountered: an electric peeling, as if her consciousness was being stripped away from her body. Despite the overwhelming physical pain, she never lost awareness—but what she became aware of next was even more surreal.
In the Void: Consciousness Without Form
Instead of peaceful light or a tunnel leading to family and salvation (as often told in NDE stories), Mindy described finding herself in complete darkness—a featureless void. As she tried to make sense of her surroundings, she reached out her hand but couldn't see or feel it. Attempting to clap, she realized she no longer had a body. Her consciousness remained expanded, uncontained by flesh and bone, every thought and emotion echoing in a profound silence.
For Mindy, the void was not inherently fearful; rather, it was her own expectations—shaped by religious teachings and cultural stories—that fed her anxiety. There were no angelic beings, no family reunions, and no loving tunnel of light. Instead, she was given space to exist as pure awareness, grappling with what it meant—and fearing what might happen next. Even as a pastor’s wife with steadfast faith, she found this moment deeply unsettling, not because darkness overtook her, but because it failed to match everything she had been taught about the afterlife.
What Links NDEs and UFOs?
It was only after her NDE that Mindy began to seriously investigate the connections between these two enigmatic phenomena. Were there common threads between her journey into the void and the strange, unexplained encounters reported by UFO witnesses?
Mindy points out that while many researchers focus on the technological or physical aspects of UFOs—the “nuts and bolts” craft seen by military pilots and civilians alike—others describe much more personal encounters. Some witnesses report being transported, interacting with entities, or experiencing altered states of consciousness, not unlike those described by NDE survivors. In both cases, the experiencer is pulled out of their old reality and thrust into a space that upends every expectation, leaving them forever changed.
Open Minds and Citizen Investigators
One of the most compelling ideas Mindy shares is the need for open-mindedness. Instead of clinging to rigid beliefs—whether religious or scientific—she advocates listening to those who have had direct experiences. She stresses that the true frontier of discovery may come not from government disclosures or academic panels, but from ordinary people coming forward, sharing their accounts, and coming together to explore the trends and patterns emerging from collective data.
The International UFO Bureau, which she now leads, is committing itself to gathering and analyzing this wealth of firsthand data. With new technology and global connectivity, Mindy believes we stand at the threshold of a new era—where regular citizens can participate in unraveling these cosmic mysteries.
Navigating a New Frontier of Mystery
So, are NDEs and UFO encounters really two sides of the same coin? Mindy doesn’t claim to have all the answers, but her personal journey demonstrates how the unexplained can serve as a catalyst for personal growth and communal exploration. Both NDEs and UFO encounters force us to confront the limits of our current understanding, inviting us to consider radically new possibilities about consciousness, life, and the nature of reality itself.
Perhaps the most important lesson is this: there is value in the questions themselves, and in the courage to seek answers where others fear to look. As we enter an age where the boundaries between science, spirituality, and the extraordinary are increasingly blurred, listening empathetically to witnesses—of all types of experiences—may help humanity take its next steps toward unveiling the things visible and invisible.
Curious to know more about Mindy's story or explore these mysteries yourself? You can find her work at internationalufobureau.com and her book available on Amazon. And if you, too, have a story that nudges at the edges of what’s possible, consider sharing it or joining a community of fellow seekers. In this era of disclosure, every voice matters.
At the end of the day, the intersections of near-death experiences and UFO encounters remind us that the universe is infinitely strange—and we have only just begun to explore its deepest secrets.
📕 Guest: Mindy Tautfest
Mindy is a renowned Ufologist, author, and the CEO of the International UFO Bureau. A former skeptic turned dedicated investigator, her perspective on the unknown shifted dramatically after surviving a near-death experience (NDE) in 2016. She is now a leading voice in exploring the intersection between unidentified aerial phenomena and human consciousness. Mindy is the author of Dying to Meet You, a personal account of her journey through the afterlife and its profound connection to the mysteries of the universe.
🌍 Website: https://www.internationalufobureau.com/
👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindy.tautfest/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/international_ufo_bureau/
