Man who died for 28 minutes and saw whole thing explains what happens in the afterlife
The fitness instructor said the near-death experience completely changed his outlook on life.
A man who was dead for 28 minutes after suffering a heart attack has described the extraordinary experience he remembers from the ordeal. Phill Zdybel, 57, collapsed during a recreational basketball game in November 2022 after going into cardiac arrest. The fitness instructor and taekwondo teacher, from Geelong in Victoria, Australia, said he experienced an "out-of-body" sensation and remembers the strange feeling of looking down at himself from above. Speaking to the Geelong Advertiser in 2023, Mr Zdybel described himself as a "miracle man" following his remarkable survival. He said: "I was not going anywhere." Mr Zdybel later revealed his collapse and cardiac arrest had been caused by a coronary artery aneurysm.
His son, Joshua, called paramedics after his dad collapsed, while an off-duty nurse who happened to be at the gym immediately stepped in to help and performed CPR.
Mr Zdybel was rushed to hospital following the emergency and remained unconscious for three days while recovering from the ordeal. He also required surgery to have a stent inserted.
It was only after waking up that he was told he had technically been dead for 28 minutes.
Mr Zdybel said he owes his life to basketball and its fans because there were enough people around him at the gym to come to his aid when he collapsed.
He believes that if the cardiac arrest had happened elsewhere, nobody may have found him in time.
The martial arts instructor spent a week at Geelong Hospital and said his quick recovery was helped by his positive attitude as well as the fact he was in good physical condition.
Writing on Facebook following the incident, he said: "It's all about your mindset [that's] going to keep you going.
"In my books, there is only one key element, [which is] hard physical training, but each to their own."
The experience has since changed the way Mr Zdybel looks at life and has even prompted him to reconsider retiring from combat sports.
Speaking to the Advertiser days after competing in a tournament alongside his son, he said: "All the little things we worry about are not worth worrying about.
"Don't let anyone tell you you can't do anything."
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Mr Zdybel also hopes his experience will encourage others to become certified in CPR, saying the skill could ultimately save somebody's life.
He said: "Everyone needs to do CPR, and all workplaces, sports venues and the like should have defibrillators on hand."
Around 356,000 Americans suffer cardiac events every year, either at home or in public, according to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation.
Nearly 90% of those cases are fatal.
