Jeffrey Olsen’s life changed forever in 1997 when he fell asleep at the wheel while driving home with his wife and two young sons. The car rolled, killing his wife and their 14-month-old son instantly. His 7-year-old son Spencer survived, but Jeffrey was left critically injured with a broken back, severe internal damage, and a leg so badly crushed it had to be amputated. He went through 18 surgeries and spent six months in the hospital.
At the accident scene, Jeffrey said he immediately knew his wife and baby were gone. As he drifted in and out of consciousness, he described a profound near-death experience. He felt surrounded by light, free of pain, and even saw his wife again — whole, radiant, and urging him to return to life for the sake of their surviving son. He said it was not like a dream but a deeply real experience, as if his spirit had temporarily left his body.
When Jeffrey “chose” to return, he found himself in the trauma room, looking down at his broken body on the hospital bed before re-entering it. The return was crushing — the weight of grief, guilt, and pain hit him all at once. He struggled with the knowledge that he had been driving when the crash happened and blamed himself for the deaths of his wife and child.
Months later, while still in the hospital and overwhelmed by grief, he described having a second out-of-body experience. Once again, he felt surrounded by the same comforting light. This time, he said it felt like “home.” He recalled being able to run on two legs and then finding himself in front of a crib. Inside was his baby son, Griffin. Jeffrey said he picked him up, held him, smelled his hair, and felt his warmth, before sensing a powerful presence approaching him.
At first, Jeffrey’s guilt resurfaced — he thought of how his mistake had cost his son’s life. But then, as he held Griffin, he felt what he described as divine arms embracing them both. He interpreted this presence as God, who told him there was “nothing to forgive” and that everything was in divine order. He recalled feeling unconditional love beyond human understanding — a love as deep as what he felt for his child. In that love, Jeffrey said he was able to let go. He kissed his son, handed him back, and then returned again to his broken body in the hospital bed.
The physical recovery was long and grueling, and the emotional recovery even harder. But Jeffrey believes those near-death experiences gave him the strength to survive unimaginable loss. Today, nearly three decades later, his surviving son Spencer is grown, married, and has a child of his own. Jeffrey has written about his journey in his memoir *Knowing*, and later co-authored a book with Spencer titled *Where Are You?*
He says the accident took away half his family and changed his life forever, but it also removed his fear of death. Instead, he carries with him the memory of light, unconditional love, and the belief that he will see his wife and son again.
