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| Ben Breedlove ( August 8, 1993 - December 25, 2011 ) |
While family, friends and fans gathered at Austin's Gateway Church, countless others watched a live-stream of the memorial online.
After cheating death three times, Westlake High School student Ben Breedlove, 18, lost his life on Christmas night after suffering from a heart attack.
But not before he recorded videos of his near-death experiences, capturing the hearts of viewers around the world as he described the peace he felt at leaving the world he knew.
In the videos, Breedlove can be seen silently sitting in a room and using handwritten note cards to tell his story. The teen suffered from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition in which one part of the heart is thicker than the other parts, making it difficult for the heart to pump blood.
Breedlove posted the videos titled "This is my story" on Dec. 18 and died one week later on Christmas. Since then, the videos have been viewed more than 2.3 million times.
The memorial was held in a large auditorium where photos of a happy Breedlove with his family and friends were projected on a large screen.
His sister Ally Breedlove spoke during the service and recalled her brother's descriptions of powerful visions during previous episodes of cardiac arrest. He described a bright light and being overcome with a feeling of peace.Ally Breedlove said her brother told her, "God let me feel that peace before I came back so that I would know that heaven is worth it."
Breedlove's father asked that his son's funeral be made available to fans after receiving "requests from people around the world who want to watch." The funeral will take place at 3 p.m. at Gateway Church.
Breedlove had fainted at school and went into cardiac arrest in hospital. When he passed out, he says, he saw himself in a white room with his favourite rapper, Kid Cudi. They were both in suits and Breedlove’s favourite song, Mr. Rager, was playing. Breedlove described how Kid Cudi sat him down at a glass desk, put his hand on his shoulder and said “Go now.” Breedlove says he then woke up to medics resuscitating him.
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| Ben Breedlove's parents |
"This is my story"
On December 18, 2011, Breedlove released a 2-part video on YouTube, entitled "This is my story." Using note cards, he explained about his heart condition, as well as how it impacted his life. He also mentioned three near-death experiences.
"I was at school, walking in the hall. I could tell I was going to faint, so I sat on a bench. I passed out. The next thing I know, I woke up with EMS around me. I couldn't talk or move, I could only watch what they were doing. They put the shock pads on my chest. I heard one of them say 'They are ready'. And the other guy said 'Go!'. I passed out again. My heart stopped and I wasn't breathing for 3 minutes."
Breedlove on the third time he "cheated death".
In the video, Breedlove describes the first time he "cheated" death, which was at the age of 4 when he had a life-threatening seizure.[6] He goes on to describe an experience he had in a hospital while being wheeled on a stretcher, "There was this big bright light above me ... I couldn't make out what is was because it was so bright. I told my mom, 'Look at the bright light' and pointed up. She said she didn't see anything."
On May 3, 2009, Breedlove underwent surgery to insert a defibrillator. The defibrillator helped regulate his heart beat and gave him more energy. In the video he shows a red scar on his chest, where the pacemaker had been inserted.
In the summer of 2011, Breedlove fell into his second cardiac arrest, while in the hospital for a routine tonsillectomy. He stated that, "It was a miracle that they brought me back ... I was scared to die, but am so glad I didn't."
The third time Breedlove survived death was on December 6, 2011. While in the hall at Westlake High School, he felt that he was going to faint, so he sat down on a bench where he then passed out. The next thing he recollects is being surrounded by emergency medical services (EMS) personnel, and that he was unable to speak or move. He remembers passing out a second time after being resuscitated with a "shock pad". During this time his heart ceased pumping blood for three minutes. While unconscious, Breedlove had a feeling of comfort similar to that of his first near-death experience. He recalls being dressed up in a white suit while standing alongside his favorite rap artist, Kid Cudi, in a white room.
Do rest in heaven peace Benjamin Breedlove................
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