A Miraculous Journey: Bruce Van Natta's Near-Death Experience
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Chapter 1: The Fateful Day
On November 16, 2006, Bruce Van Natta was deep in his work on a logging semi-truck engine. For three consecutive days, he had been addressing issues with diesel engines in remote locations, where owners couldn’t bring their vehicles to his workshop. After finally rectifying the truck's problem, Bruce began to tidy up his tools when Leonard, a fellow mechanic, interrupted him.
“Before you leave, could you check something for me?” Leonard asked, pointing to a dirty spot on the engine that was leaking oil. Bruce glanced at the clock—it was already 6 p.m. Although hesitant, he was reassured by Leonard that he wouldn’t have to fix anything, just diagnose the issue.
As Bruce knelt to inspect the area, little did he know that he was about to face a life-threatening accident.
Section 1.1: A Fatal Slip
Bruce prepared to slide under the truck, where the front axle was positioned mere inches from the ground. The setup involved a bottle jack placed on the passenger side front wheel, with the engine still running. He intended to perform a quick diagnosis and head home.
As he lay on a plastic creeper under the vehicle, the heavy axle hovered just above him. Bruce quickly evaluated the engine and instructed Leonard to turn off the engine. However, when Leonard attempted to do so, the truck shifted unexpectedly, causing the jack to slip. In a heartbeat, the 12,000-pound axle came crashing down on Bruce.
He was propelled outside of his physical body.
As the truck hit the ground, Bruce heard a deafening explosion, followed by a strange noise that he later realized was the sound of his own blood gushing from his throat. Desperate, he cried out, “Lord help me!” Leonard, frozen in shock, soon snapped out of it and called for emergency assistance.
Section 1.2: A Glimpse of Heaven
Bruce’s thoracic area was crushed, and he fel