Declared dead, taken to mortuary before doctors found pulse, Woman recounts ordeal

Dorcas Okechukwu, a Human Physiology graduate and school proprietor in Bauchi State, shared her extraordinary experience of being declared dead by two hospitals before doctors at a third facility detected signs of life.

Okechukwu described the event, which occurred on April 15, 2025, after she accompanied her mother to the UK Embassy in Abuja. Upon returning to her hotel, she developed a severe headache, initially suspecting high blood pressure. She recalls deciding to bathe and rest, asking her sister to get a blood pressure monitor, and the next thing she remembered was waking up in a hospital approximately two weeks later.

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I decided to take a bath and lie down, hoping the pain would subside. I also asked my sister to locate a nearby pharmacy where I could check my blood pressure. The next thing I remember was waking up in a hospital about two weeks later.

She was later informed that she had suffered convulsions and stopped breathing before being rushed to a hospital. Doctors at the first facility declared her dead, and her mother insisted on a second opinion at another hospital, where the same conclusion was reportedly reached. Her brother then contacted a UK-based doctor who advised seeking care at Cedar Crest Hospital in Abuja.

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The doctor immediately ordered that I be taken to the emergency ward.

At Cedar Crest, Okechukwu recounted that the hospital initially declined admission, recommending a mortuary. However, a doctor decided on one final examination and detected a pulse, immediately ordering her transfer to the emergency ward. She underwent extensive medical tests, including CT scans and MRIs, which revealed a swollen brain likely caused by the seizure but no other significant abnormalities.

Okechukwu regained consciousness after two weeks, learning she had suffered a partial stroke, experienced temporary memory loss, and needed to relearn walking. She attributes her recovery significantly to spiritual experiences, including listening to sermons and meditating on biblical teachings about long life, which helped her overcome subsequent fear and "the spirit of death."

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The fear subsided, and subsequent medical examinations, including tests on her heart, prod