Lura Ketchledge, a former avid horse rider from Arkansas, experienced two profound out-of-body events that deeply transformed her worldview. At 12, she had her first out-of-body experience after being thrown from a runaway horse, observing the scene as a detached spectator. Years later, at 19, a severe fall from a horse led to a near-death experience where she felt herself leave her body, travel through a dark tunnel, and encounter her deceased grandfather. This reunion brought her immense comfort, and she described the experience as a journey through different realms, including a life review and encounters with other souls, culminating in a sense of pure consciousness and unconditional love.

Despite the profound nature of her experience, Lura initially kept it private due to societal skepticism in the 1970s. It was only after confiding in her grandmother, who revealed similar experiences within their family, that she found solace and began openly sharing her story. Her near-death experience challenged her understanding of life, death, and existence, emphasizing lessons about personal impact on others and the continuation of consciousness beyond physical life.