Former atheist recounts near-death experience that redefined faith and career

Tricia Barker, who grew up in a Christian household but later identified as an atheist, says a near-death experience during major surgery changed everything. At 21, she was driving to a 10-kilometer running race in Austin, Texas, when a crash left her with a fractured spine, a broken foot and internal injuries. She recalls feeling sleepy and crossing the intersection on the yellow light, only to have it turn red just as another car slammed into hers. Rushed to the hospital, she waited about 17 hours for surgery because she did not have health insurance, with doctors warning she could be paralyzed.

The minute Barker left her body, she says, she felt total clarity and a sense of intelligence beyond anything she had experienced in life. There was no pain, only peace, she recalled. She was aware of everything in the room and even heard an Elvis Presley song playing on the radio as she hovered above the operating table. In the distance, a man in his thirties stood beside a shiny 1960s truck—her grandfather, who had died when she was ten. "Do you want to keep going towards God?" he asked her. Barker says she then spoke to God during the afterlife, and was told that her true calling was to become a teacher.

They were going to have to do spinal surgery, and I was deeply afraid that I would be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life. But the surgeons gave me hope," Barker recalled. She saw beings described as light beings—made up of silvery-white, gold, yellow and blue light—behind the surgeons. She said they were intelligent and communicated through telepathy, lighting up her body with their presence. "I knew light was communication. They showed me an image of me running and they told me I was going to be okay."

Her heartbeat monitor flatlined for a total of about three minutes before surgeons revived her. Barker says she moved through walls, doors and hospital corridors during this period, even passing by family members in the waiting area. She later described a journey beyond the known universe and into a green pasture-like afterlife where she reconnected with her grandfather, who asked again if she wanted to continue toward God. The experience, she says, convinced her that there was a life beyond physical death.

When she woke in the ICU, Barker recalls a moment of confusion and awe. She initially introduced herself as someone else before correcting herself—"My name is Tricia." Afraid the memories might fade, she asked for paper and a pen and began writing down every detail of what she experienced. Her family’s initial reaction ranged from disbelief to unease: a minister gave her parents a pamphlet that called near-death experiences delusions from the devil, and the topic was swiftly shut down at home.

But Barker’s memory of the event endured. After making a full recovery, she shifted from pursuing a career in law to teaching. She went on to teach at various levels, including high school and community college, with a focus on helping students overcome personal challenges. She now teaches English at Houston City College and also works as a spiritual medium. Her account of the experience was later published in a book, which has drawn attention from readers and proponents of near-death narratives alike.

Beyond the personal narrative, Barker’s story touches on broader questions about the afterlife that have persisted for decades. She describes a vision in which reunited loved ones appear not as they were in old age but in the prime of their lives—an interpretation that resonates with a common thread in near-death accounts. Barker also speaks of a powerful, compassionate presence she identifies as God, which told her of a destiny to teach and to help others live with joy and belief in themselves. The three-minute clinical death, the out-of-body journey, and the vivid sensory details—lights, telepathic communication, and a sense of timeless clarity—form a narrative that many readers find compelling, while critics emphasize the limitations of personal testimony in establishing empirical truth.

Barker’s family, after the initial shock and skepticism, began to see some corroborating details. She notes that her mother later confirmed a detail about her stepfather buying a candy bar in the hospital vending area—a small moment that helped some relatives accept the broader experience. Nevertheless, some relatives remain skeptical, and the subject remains controversial within certain circles. Barker says the experience ultimately redirected her path: after her recovery, she redirected her studies toward teaching and education, embraced a calling to support students facing challenges, and embraced spiritual work alongside her teaching.

The Daily Mail report adds a human-interest layer to a broader cultural conversation about near-death experiences and their impact on personal identity and vocation. Barker’s case illustrates how profound personal experiences can influence career choices, life priorities, and beliefs about the afterlife, even as opinions on such events continue to vary widely. The story also underscores the resilience of individuals who face life-altering events and the ways in which people reinterpret those events to inform their work and relationships.