Man, 55, who nearly died when his heart stopped beating says there’s ‘NO light to go towards’

Man, 55, who nearly died when his heart suddenly stopped beating says there’s ‘NO light to turn to’ – as he shares his experience of what really happens

A 55-year-old man, who was ‘brought back from the dead’, says there is ‘no light to turn to’ – apparently you enter a ‘spirit realm’ where you see your body decaying.

Kevin Hill’s heart stopped beating while he was being treated at Derby Royal Hospital for calciphylaxis – a rare disease in which calcium builds up in small blood vessels of the fatty and skin tissue.

The condition occurs almost exclusively in patients with chronic kidney disease. It is considered a rare diagnosis as there is an estimated one case per year for every 600 dialysis patients in the UK.

In the US, there are about 35 cases per year for every 10,000 dialysis patients.

The Derby writer claims his experience of ‘dying’ and coming back to life was peaceful.

Kevin Hill’s heart stopped beating while he was being treated for calciphylaxis at Derby Royal Hospital

He contracted the disease after undergoing surgery in January 2022 due to a problem with his heart valve

He contracted the disease after undergoing surgery in January 2022 due to a problem with his heart valve

His heart problem caused him to retain water in his legs, causing blisters and bleeding - he lost five liters of blood which caused him to go into cardiac arrest

His heart problem caused him to retain water in his legs, causing blisters and bleeding – he lost five liters of blood which caused him to go into cardiac arrest

He said, ‘I was not looking at my body, but I was separated from my body.

“It was like being in the spirit realm — I was aware of what was going on, but I was so much at peace.

Mr Hill underwent heart surgery in January 2022 due to a problem with his heart valve. Because of this, he retained water in his legs – after medication and a year in the hospital, he lost 65 kg of water weight.

After surgery, he contracted calciphylaxis.

He said: ‘I had the disease for months. My skin ate me.

“I had three days where my legs bled — it just wouldn’t stop.”

He said he lost five liters of blood and his heart stopped and was dead for a few minutes before doctors resuscitated him.

Kevin has almost fully recovered and is now back home with his wife Camille Hill, 52

Kevin has almost fully recovered and is now back home with his wife Camille Hill, 52

The husband claimed he knew and described the experience as “peaceful.”

Mr Hill from Derbyshire said: ‘I was not looking at my body, but I was separated from my body.

“It was like being in the spirit realm — I was aware of what was going on, but I was so much at peace.

“I knew I was bleeding. I knew it was serious. The staff kept walking in and out to stop the bleeding.’

Kevin said he watched from the sidelines as NHS staff tried to save him.

He said, ‘I knew I was dead. I was separated from my body.

“Then I just went to sleep and woke up alive and the bleeding had stopped. I knew it wasn’t my time to die.

“The situation has made me re-set my priorities. When I came out of the hospital, my family atmosphere changed drastically.

‘I have become more resilient. I know I can bounce back.”

Kevin has almost fully recovered and is now back home with his wife Camille Hill, 52.

He said, “I am in the final stages of recovery. In my right leg I still have some pain but it’s nowhere near the level it used to be – I would cry for hours.

“My pain level used to be 100 out of 10 and now it had dropped to a four.

“Everyone told me to be dead.”

What is Calcifylaxia?

Calciphylaxis is a serious, rare disease in which calcium accumulates in small blood vessels of the adipose and skin tissue.

Calciphylaxis causes blood clots, painful skin ulcers, and can cause serious infections that can lead to death. People with calcifylaxia usually have kidney failure and are on dialysis or have had a kidney transplant. The condition can also occur in people without kidney disease.

Symptoms:

  • Large purple net-like patterns on the skin
  • Deep, very painful nodules that create sores and open sores with a black-brown crust that don’t heal – usually in areas of skin with a high fat content, such as the abdomen and thigh, although they can occur anywhere
  • Infections from wounds that do not heal

Causes:

The exact cause of calciphylaxis is unknown, but recent studies have shown that most people with the condition have abnormalities in blood clotting factors. Blood clotting factors are substances in your blood that help stop bleeding. These abnormalities can cause small blood clots to form more often than normal.

Source: Mayo clinic