Hospice nurse shares what dying patients see seeing seconds before death

A hospice nurse has shared the eerie experience she encounters every time one of her patients passes away – and it has left her wondering whether there’s an afterlife

Many people have wondered what becomes of a person’s soul after their death – and one hospice nurse believes she has the answer.

Participating in an “Ask Me Anything” discussion on Reddit, the US-based healthcare professional encouraged users to pose questions about death, dying and the encounters she’s witnessed while on duty. She revealed: “I am a hospice nurse in New England. I work overnights on call mostly, and have seen a lot of things. I’m very open-minded and happy to answer any questions you have about death, the dying process, or anything else.” One user enquired whether she had ever encountered anything supernatural whilst working in hospice care.

In reply, the nurse confessed she frequently experiences “goosebumps” around the time someone passes away – and reckons some instances could be connected to something beyond this existence.

She stated: “The craziest things I’ve seen are what dying people tell me they can see – their parents, pets who have died. It brings me comfort to think that someday my dog might come and take me home.”

Recounting one incident that remained with her, she continued: “I had a lady the other day literally try to pick a cat up off her lap – there was no cat there – and shoo it away. Her daughter said they had that cat when she was little.”

She proceeded to share her views on the afterlife, acknowledging there’s no way to be certain – but explaining why she reckons there may be more to death than we comprehend.

The nurse explained: “Personally, I think whatever happens after we die is beyond our human comprehension. Our brains aren’t capable of understanding the complexity of what death could be like.

“What I do know is that many of my patients see people and pets who have already passed before they die. In the medical field, we call them hallucinations, but it’s really up to what you believe.

“They often reach for people and things we can’t see, and they usually find these visions comforting. Is the veil lifting for them? I’m not really sure. I don’t think I’ll know until I die.”

In the comments section, numerous users expressed gratitude to hospice staff for the compassion they show during people’s final moments.

One user commented: “Thank you so much for what you do. My grandfather passed away a week ago, and his hospice nurses were some of the most caring people I’ve ever met.”

Another added: “I’m a hospice nurse as well, and it’s a real honour to be part of someone’s dying process. For those who don’t understand, it’s like watching someone be born. It’s part of the natural life cycle – for every birth, there is a death.”

A third said: “I just want to say thank you. My mum passed away in in-home hospice three weeks ago, and the nurses were incredible.”