30 Morbid Minutes "What's it like to die NINE times?" - Q&A
Sep 22, 2025
A Reddit user shares their incredible journey of surviving nine sudden cardiac arrests at just twenty. They discuss the intense psychological aftermath, grappling with PTSD and constant anxiety. Humorous anecdotes reveal their choice of McDonald's as a 'last meal' and delve into the physical pain caused by defibrillation. The conversation explores how repeated near-death experiences shift one's life perspective, emphasizing experiences over career pressures. They also reflect on their atheism and the impact of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy while advocating for awareness around the condition.
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Early Arrest And Diagnosis
- GenericBox (Gary) shared that his first out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest happened around age 20 and required 45 minutes of CPR and a week-long coma.
- He was later diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and had eight more sudden cardiac arrests over the following years.
Persistent Anxiety And Hypervigilance
- Gary described lasting psychological effects, including PTSD, constant listening for heartbeats, and mild paranoia that forces him to freeze in public.
- He sometimes pretends to look at his phone to hide these episodes from others.
Varied Near‑Death Experiences
- Gary recalled varied near-death sensations: seeing HR write his name, New York taxis and hot dogs, and a warm yellow feeling on another occasion.
- He interprets many NDEs as brain chemistry or dreaming rather than supernatural phenomena.
