He was pulled beneath a speeding train… and awakened to something beyond this world.

David Ditchfield was saying goodbye to a friend when his coat became trapped in the closing doors of a train. He was dragged under the moving cars, suffering massive trauma and blood loss. As surgeons fought to save his life, David left his body—and entered another realm entirely.

In his near-death experience, David encountered guides who enveloped him in peace, love, and a sense of cosmic belonging. When he returned, everything had changed. Despite having no formal training in art or music, he began composing symphonies and painting vivid works inspired by what he saw on the other side.

This episode explores the mystery of where creativity comes from, and how a brush with death can awaken something extraordinary within us.

Story producer: Kate Sweeney.

For more on David and his symphony, you can read his book, “Shine On: The Remarkable Story Of How I Fell Under A Speeding Train, Journeyed To The Afterlife, And The Astonishing Proof I Brought Back With Me”

Or visit David’s Website, and check out his social medial links:
David on Instagram
David on Threads
David on YouTube
David on Facebook
David on SoundCloud
David on X

Warning: This series contains graphic descriptions of trauma, violence, abuse, and other content that may not be suitable for certain listeners.

* If you have a transformative experience to share, we’d love to hear your story. Please email us at [email protected] 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before the fall, he was chasing a dream. After the fall, he found his sound.

Musician Blair Crimmins was spiraling—caught between fading dreams, destructive habits, and an unshakable feeling that something needed to change. Then one night, after a day of drinking and being dragged behind his dog on a skateboard, he cracked his skull on the pavement outside his apartment in Atlanta. He nearly died. He lost his sense of smell. He lost himself.

But that accident became a turning point.

In this episode, Blair shares the long and uncertain road to healing—physically, emotionally, and creatively. From vestibular therapy to olfactory training, from depression to the rediscovery of music through piano, banjo, and ukulele, Blair found his way not back, but forward. He left behind the rockstar dream and built something entirely new: a vibrant, genre-defying sound that would become Blair Crimmins and the Hookers.

This is a story about injury, isolation, and rebuilding—not just a career, but an identity. It’s about how the worst night of your life might just be the one that wakes you up.

For more about Blair and his band, Blaire Crimmins And The Hookers, chack out  www.blaircrimminsandthehookers.com  Here you can find his music, videos, a show calendar with all of his upcoming concerts and links to social media. You can also listen to Blair Crimmins And The Hookers on the iHeart Radio App, Spotify, and Apple Music

Story producer: Dan Bush.

Warning: This series contains graphic descriptions of trauma, violence, abuse, and other content that may not be suitable for certain listeners.

* If you have a transformative experience to share, we’d love to hear your story. Please email us at [email protected] 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Perhaps the tools to face death— heal from trauma— and transform life—have been within us all along.

In this special episode of Alive Again, host Dan Bush sits down with Rick Doblin, founder of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and one of the most influential voices in psychedelic research today. Together, they explore how psychedelic-assisted therapy is changing the landscape of trauma recovery, end-of-life care, and the very nature of what it means to heal.

Rick shares insights from decades of groundbreaking work using MDMA, LSD, and psilocybin in clinical settings—particularly for those facing terminal illness or deep psychological wounds. He discusses brain plasticity, the release of DMT at death, and the profound similarities between near-death experiences and guided psychedelic journeys.

With warmth and depth, this episode moves between the personal and the universal—grief, meaning, mortality, and the liminal spaces where transformation begins. Whether you're curious about the science or seeking a deeper understanding of the human spirit, this conversation offers a powerful look at how we might approach death—not with fear, but with expanded awareness.

More About Rick Doblin:

Rick Doblin is the founder and executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), a nonprofit that has been at the forefront of exploring the therapeutic potential of psychedelics for over 35 years. His groundbreaking work has helped transform how we approach healing, trauma recovery, and end-of-life care, particularly through the use of psychedelics like MDMA, psilocybin, and DMT. Rick’s dedication to this field has given countless individuals— and their families—hope, understanding, and peace in the face of immense challenges, including terminal illness. In our conversation, we explore the intersection of his work with the themes of this podcast: transformation, adaptation, and the profound mysteries surrounding death and near-death experiences.

Important links based on our conversation with Rick: 

1. Psychedelic Science 2025
2. MAPS Integration Workbook
3. Donate to MAPS — MAPS relies on financial support from people like you. If you support the advancement of psychedelic research, policy reform, and education, please make a donation to fuel their work.

Social Media links: 

MAPS

Instagram: @MAPS__org

Facebook: Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS)

Linkedin: Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) 

Twitter (X): @MAPS

Threads: @MAPS__org

Bluesky: @mapsorg.bsky.social

TikTok: @MAPS.org

YouTube: @MAPSMDMA

Rick Doblin

Instagram: @RickDoblinPhD

Facebook: Rick Doblin

Twitter (X): @RickDoblin

Linkedin: Rick Doblin

* If you have a transformative experience to share, we’d love to hear your story. Please email us at [email protected] 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He was electrocuted—and came back with a blueprint for existence.

In February 2018, Adam Tapp was doing some woodworking in his front yard when a freak accident electrocuted him. Paramedics revived him—but not before he crossed into another realm.

What he experienced during those moments mirrored earlier psychedelic journeys, yet went even deeper. In his near-death state, Adam gained a radical new understanding of consciousness, fear, and the chemical nature of reality. His fear of death dissolved—and what replaced it was a profound curiosity about life itself.

This episode is a mind-expanding look at how close encounters with death—and the brain’s own internal pharmacy—can shift our understanding of everything.

Story producer: Kate Sweeney.

For more about Adam and his exploration of the fascinating world of psychoactive substances and their therapeutic use, tune in to his podcast Tapped Into Psychedelics

Warning: This series contains graphic descriptions of trauma, violence, abuse, and other content that may not be suitable for certain listeners.

* If you have a transformative experience to share, we’d love to hear your story. Please email us at [email protected] 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kathy Preston was just a joyous little girl when the Holocaust tore through her golden childhood in Transylvania. In this unforgettable episode of Alive Again, Kathy recounts—in stunning detail—the moment her innocence ended, hiding in a barn as bayonets stabbed the straw just inches from her face. Miraculously, she survived. But this is more than a story of hiding and escape. Kathy’s story travels through persecution, displacement, and grief—but also healing, forgiveness, and the power of memory. She reflects on the woman who risked everything to save her life, on the trauma that shaped her worldview, and on the stubborn optimism that carries her forward. From being starved and hunted as a child, to building a joyful life with children and grandchildren, Kathy’s journey is a testament to resilience—and a reminder that surviving isn’t just about staying alive. It’s about choosing love over vengeance and passing that choice forward. And now, in her 80s, Kathy speaks to school children across the U.S. about the power of resistance, survival, and the importance of love over hate. 

“There are less and less people alive from the period I am from,” she tells us, “and the more people die, the less availability there is to connect with the past. I speak for the people who can’t speak for themselves.” 

Story producer: Nicholas Tecosky.

For more information about Kathy and her work and books, you can go to www.katipreston.com

Warning: This series contains graphic descriptions of trauma, violence, abuse, and other content that may not be suitable for certain listeners.

* If you have a transformative near-death experience to share, we’d love to hear your story. Please email us at [email protected] 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

First, they prepared for a missile. Years later, it was fire that came.

Annelise Cochran was working aboard a whale research vessel off the coast of Lahaina, Hawaii, when the state's missile alert system issued a terrifying false warning: a ballistic missile from North Korea was inbound. Everyone on board braced for the end. It didn’t come—but in many ways, it was a dark premonition.

Five years later, Annelise found herself facing a real catastrophe. As wildfires swept through Lahaina with brutal speed, she and her friends fought for survival over eight harrowing hours. One of them didn’t make it.

This episode is a haunting and deeply human story of foresight, loss, and the raw resilience it takes to face a world unraveling. It’s a powerful reminder of how community, resourcefulness, and inner strength can anchor us through the chaos of disaster.

Story producer: Brent Dey.

Other Resources:

Annelise GoFundMe

Pacific Whale Foundation

Maui Mutual Aid

Warning: This series contains graphic descriptions of trauma, violence, abuse, and other content that may not be suitable for certain listeners.

* If you have a transformative experience to share, we’d love to hear your story. Please email us at [email protected] 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In June 2020, Manuel Bayo Gisbert was kidnapped by armed men and teenagers tortured, and held captive until his family paid his ransom. His story, unfortunately, is a familiar one in Mexico — where more than 116,000 people (as the official number goes) have been disappeared and possibly murdered. But unlike so many, Manuel survived. Unable to shake the ghosts of that night, he set out to photograph and interview families who have lost loved ones to cartel and government-sponsored violence. His perspective is unique in that he developed a relationship with the young men on the night they tortured him, and came to realize that they are victims too – of a much larger system. 

Before his release, covered in blood with multiple broken bones and horribly beaten, Manuel’s captors started a conversation with him while on the ride back down the mountain to let him go. They talked for two hours- while he was coughing up blood and writhing in pain.  They were teenagers- they weren’t in charge of the operation. They were 15 year old boys with assault rifles— they told him that they had targeted him because he was filming and had a camera. They wanted to know if he was a filmmaker. He told them that he was, and they suggested that he make a film about this very incident. They also asked if he would invite them to the screening when he completed the movie. At that moment, he realized that these kids were victims too. And though he’d lost his dignity, and had his sense of self and autonomy was destroyed forever, he still had his humanity— but these kids did not.  These kids had lost their humanity.Now he goes back into the same neighborhoods, where he was abducted,  to interview and help families who have also missing loved ones. Besides the derivative potential of this incredible story, Manuel needs funding for the documentary he’s making about the 116,000 people that have gone missing in Mexico. 

From Alive Again producer and host, Dan Bush.

For more about Manuel and his work, go to: https://www.manuelbayogisbert.com

Warning: This series contains graphic descriptions of trauma, violence, abuse, and other content that may not be suitable for certain listeners.

* If you have a transformative experience to share, we’d love to hear your story. Please email us at [email protected] 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our inaugural episode, brought to us by producer Kate Sweeney, Peter Panagore shares not only the harrowing details of the ice climb that nearly took his life, but the profound spiritual journey that began when he flatlined. He describes his near-death experience with vivid clarity—from the moment he left his body, to the overwhelming presence of divine love, to a soul-shifting life review that changed everything he believed about self, sin, and purpose. For years following the incident, he felt himself to be keenly aware of his body as a crude vessel compared to the perfection of the other side — and in this episode, he tells the story of how he found peace with his impatience to return to the absolute solace he knows awaits us all. We explore his early mystical experiences, his crisis of faith within organized religion, and the decades-long path of integration that followed. Peter speaks candidly about what it means to live after death, how he hid his transformation for years—even while serving as a minister—and how he finally came out as a near-death experiencer. This is a conversation about memory, meaning, divine love, and the lifelong challenge of returning to Earth when you’ve already glimpsed eternity. 

Warning: This series contains graphic descriptions of trauma, violence, abuse, and other content that may not be suitable for certain listeners.

* If you have a transformative experience to share, we’d love to hear your story. Please email us at [email protected] 

About Peter Panagore:

Ex-Reverend Peter Panagore, MDiv, is an acclaimed author and spiritual counselor known worldwide for his best-selling book, Heaven Is Beautiful: How Dying Taught Me That Death Is Just the Beginning. His life is a testament to the power of personal transformation, having undergone profound changes following his two Near-Death Experiences. After graduating with a BA in English Literature from the University of

Massachusetts in 1982, following his first NDE, he redirected his career path from architecture to studying the Classics of Western Mysticism at Yale University’s Divinity School, earning his Master of Divinity.

Peter served liberal Congregational churches and their coastal communities for over two decades while privately pursuing his mystical studies and practices. During his 15-year tenure as a television writer and on-air talent for his morning inspirational spot, he reached 30 million views annually (Nielsen Ratings) on two NBC-TV News Stations across Maine and New Hampshire. His first best-selling inspirational book, Two Minutes for God: Quick Fixes for the Spirit, is a selection from his 1700 TV scripts.

He has practiced single-minded meditation and Kriya yoga for forty years and teaches both. 

Social Media

URL: www.peterpanagore.love

YouTube: @PeterPanagore or https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterPanagore

Instagram: @pbpanagore

Facebook: Peter Panagore, MDiv

TikTok: @peterpanagore

Book Links:

Heaven Is Beautiful: How Dying Taught Me That Death Is Just the Beginning

Two Minutes for God: Quick Fixes for the Spirit 

Chicken Soup for the Veteran’s Soul (Contributor)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this preliminary episode, host Dan Bush introduces Alive Again and the deeper questions at the heart of the series. Dan is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, and storyteller whose work has long explored the human condition—what it means to be alive in a world where impermanence is our only guarantee. He’s drawn to the quiet, powerful truth that every person we know, everyone living today, will one day die. And in the face of that, how do we shape a meaningful existence? What truly matters?

Though Dan himself has never had a near-death experience, his fascination with mortality, transformation, and belonging has fueled decades of storytelling. Alive Again continues that exploration, sharing real stories from people who came face to face with death—and came back changed.

This series isn’t about proving or disproving the afterlife. It’s about the moments that shake us, open us, and reconnect us to what’s real. From near-death experiences to miraculous survivals and brushes with the unknown, Alive Again invites listeners into conversations that reveal something universal: how fragile and miraculous it is to simply be alive.

Warning: This series contains graphic descriptions of trauma, violence, abuse, and other content that may not be suitable for certain listeners.

* If you have a transformative near-death experience to share, we’d love to hear your story. Please email us at [email protected] 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ALIVE AGAIN is a weekly podcast that showcases first-hand accounts of Near Death Experiences. Our mission is to find, explore and share these stories to remind us all of our shared human condition. Coming May 13th.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.