In their final days, both of my parents gave us a glimpse into the afterlife that was awaiting them. These remarkable experiences have forever changed my understanding of life’s continuity beyond death. 

In the summer of 2010, my father, who shared a special bond with my dog, Chloe, was nearing the end of his cancer journey. Chloe and I were visiting him in Illinois then and we were there on the day he passed, which was not a coincidence. A few days before he died, my dad said to me, "I told Mom about the dog." I knew he couldn’t have meant our mom, who knew Chloe well, so I asked, “You mean Grandma?” He smiled and said yes. I exchanged a wide-eyed glance with my sister, since my grandmother had passed years earlier. My dad was mentally sharp, so we didn’t know what to make of this. We thought he must have had a vivid dream. 

He mentioned a few other conversations he had with his mother that week. One that stood out was when she told him it was time for him to get back to work. Years later, I learned from renowned medium, George Anderson, that we do work in the afterlife, but we get to choose the work we do. It was clear my father’s conversations with his mother were more than mere dreams. A hospice worker also told us that it’s common for our loved ones who have passed to visit and prepare us for death in the days before our own passing. 

My mother passed a few years after my dad, on what would have been their 66th wedding anniversary. My sister was at her bedside when she pointed at something in front of her. When asked what she was pointing at, my mom replied, “Angels.” She went on to say that she was surrounded by beautiful angels and her father was beside her. It seemed fitting that her father would be there to reunite her with my dad once again, just as he did when he walked her down the aisle on their wedding day. It felt beautifully poetic that 66 years ago, my father took my mother’s hand to begin their life together on earth, and  he took it again on their anniversary to begin their journey into eternity. 
 
A few weeks before my mother passed, I came across a book that I felt compelled to buy, Visions, Trips, and Crowded Rooms: Who and What You See Before You Die by David Kessler. At the time, I was unaware that this book would soon mirror my mother's experience, which delves into the phenomena of deathbed visions, instances where the dying report seeing departed loved ones. Little did I know that she would soon share similar visions in her final moments. 

Years later, when my own spiritual experiences began, I had a reading with George Anderson, which was incredible. My mother passed weeks after breaking her hip; she never got out of bed after that. George knew that my mother was walking again. This was just one of the messages he shared that was not only deeply personal and accurate but also a detail he couldn't have possibly known. 

My parents’ spiritual encounters in the days leading up to their passing have profoundly shaped my understanding of their presence in my life today. These experiences offered glimpses into a reality that transcends our physical existence, making the transition between life and death feel more natural. 

My hope is to inspire you to recognize and embrace the signs of connection in your own lives. May we find peace and understanding in knowing that love is eternal, that the memories we cherish continue to influence us, and that the ties that unite us with those we have lost are unbreakable.