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Ray Catania was 20 when he died in a gas leak that filled his room and set fire to his parents’ home as he slept.

‘All night long, the gas was rising into my bedroom, and I was breathing it in,’ Ray, now 57, tells Metro over Zoom from his home in New York.

‘There was a big ball of flames, and the wall caught fire. My father put it out with a fire extinguisher,’ he remembers.

Roused by the noise of police radios and fire trucks, Ray tried to get out of bed and failed. ‘I couldn’t move my legs at all. They were completely paralysed. I couldn’t get my head off the pillow; I couldn’t yell or speak.’

He managed to pull himself with one arm and fell to the floor, smashing his head on the boards. Strangely, Ray felt no pain.

‘I didn’t feel anything because I wasn’t in that body anymore,’ he says matter-of-factly. ‘I was above it, in the corner of my room looking down. I could see my lifeless body.

‘The room was a perfect square,’ adds Ray. ‘The colours were vivid and bright, everything was more vibrant, like going from old television to high definition. I could tell you the exact sweatsuit I was wearing.

‘And I was soaking wet, because the first thing you do when you die is pee yourself.’

Opposite him, in another corner, was The Light, he says.

 ‘It was a huge cone shaped white light, but not a light. It was everything. It was love, painlessness, peace, joy, enlightenment. It was not separate from me. I was part of it.’

An unknown being called him into the cone and Ray felt a sense of euphoria. ‘Nothing has ever felt as good as that moment, he recalls. ‘I don’t think anything ever will again until I go back to the light.’

However, as he approached it, he saw his father storm into the room and lift Ray’s body from the floor. ‘He was screaming for the paramedics. Distraught, in tears.’

The next thing Ray knew he was back in the house, downstairs in the living room where paramedics were resuscitating him.

‘I woke up and they were on top of me with all their tools and gadgets. But still I felt no pain.’

‘There’s definitely an afterlife’

Ray made a full recovery, but later learnt he had died again several times on the way to hospital. When he told family and friends about his out-of-body experience, they dismissed him as “crazy”.

However, there were also other visions and experiences, which for years Ray believed to be proof of his own unravelling. When he was 10, Ray was caught in an undertow while swimming at Wildwood beach in New Jersey and nearly drowned. Years later, working in a New York bar, he escaped a shooting after a ‘mystical being’ showed him the way out of danger.

It wasn’t until he met a medium in his forties, who explained how psychics see life and death, that Ray began to investigate further. He trained as a metaphysical counsellor – a practice that uses spiritual principles and intuitive practices to help people solve their problems – and has written a book about what he’s seen

‘There’s definitely an afterlife,’ he insists. ‘At the end of the day, we’re all one, we’re all part of this light.’

Ray is just one of the people who has taken part in the Afterlife Experiences Survey, which looks into near-death experiences.

Carried out by Brandon Massullo of Wooster Community Hospital and James Houran of Integrated Knowledge Systems, the pair have spoken to many ‘sincere people with good memories’ to get their stories.

‘This is a study that aims to reach people all around the world who have had unusual experiences that they think could be evidence of an afterlife,’ James explains. ‘We are testing some secret hypotheses, but we think the various experiences show meta-patterns that no one has yet explored or perhaps even suspected.’

‘I could see somebody trying to pump my chest’

Stella Ralfini also died when she was young. Now 78, the Londoner tells Metro her heart stopped beating for four minutes following a car accident when she was 16.

Stella had a sense of foreboding as she got into the car with her older boyfriend Mick after a party in Kent. Everyone had been drinking, it was a rainy winter night, and they had a long journey back to London. When the car hit a bollard, the door smashed open and the weight of the passenger next to Stella forced her out onto the motorway.

‘I didn’t go down a tunnel. What I did see was my life flash before me, and it was very, very fast, with lots of lovely memories of me at different ages with my parents and other people. Then I was aware I was watching from above.

‘I looked down and saw my leg at a bad angle. Blood was pooling on the road in the rain and I could see somebody on top of me trying to pump my chest, while someone else was crying. All I remember was saying, “I’m too young to die. I want to get back into my body”,’ the natural beauty expert explains.

Moments later, as she lay on the road, Stella’s eyes opened. ‘I just got back into my body. It’s the most bizarre thing that’s ever happened to me.’

The ambulance arrived and she drifted in and out of consciousness on the way to Maidstone hospital. Mick was stunned. ‘All he kept saying afterwards was, “You were dead.”’

The experience shaped the rest of Stella’s life and, convinced that her soul had left her body, she became a Buddhist, trained as a Reiki master in Japan and learned from monks in China. She also volunteered in hospitals, supporting those at the end of their lives.

‘I sat with people who were dying of cancer and I could see, as they closed their eyes, a little stream of light that seemed to come from the forehead or the crown and leave their body.’

Stella, author of natural health and beauty book Sensual Sorcery, now has no fear of death, rather she has been left ‘in awe’ of the universe.

 ‘I am convinced we don’t die when the body dies,’ she says. ‘Because if my body was dead on the highway, who was the one looking down?’

‘I experienced limbo’

Abigail Barnes also experienced a spiritual awakening following a massive and unexpected stroke 13 years ago.

Now 45, Abigail lives in London. But back then, she was travelling internationally in her role as a senior marketing manager, and her arrival in Boston had been ordinary, with dinner and a few drinks. The next morning she woke with what she thought was a hangover.

‘I had a headache and black and white lights were flashing in front of my eyes. Then I felt violently sick and became paralysed,’ remembers Abigail, who runs her own company, Success by Design Training.

It was then that she experienced a gateway to somewhere else. ‘It looked like a big oak door,’ she explains. ‘But it didn’t feel grand, more like a side door.’

Abigail drifted in and out of two realms she now believes to have been the normal world and ‘limbo’.

‘I was on the bed in my friend’s house, but simultaneously in a white room. I could hear a committee of voices talking like they were arguing a legal case,’ she remembers.

‘Some were saying, “She’s had 32 years, she’s not done it yet”. Others were saying, “Give her another chance”. I felt like some of them were angels, some were ancestors. I just kept begging them to please give me another chance.’

Physically, Abigail was waiting in a corridor at Boston’s Massachusetts General Hospital. When she heard the committee say “send her back” she was suddenly woken by a doctor who told her she’d had a massive stroke and was in intensive care.

Of course; science provides several explanations for these type of experiences. Oxygen deprivation can cause tunnel vision, bright lights and euphoria, while carbon dioxide build-up can trigger hallucinations and a sense of leaving the body.

Activity in the brain’s temporal lobes can also produce religious sensations, and a surge of neurotransmitters may explain calm and euphoria.

But Ray, Stella and Abigail aren’t trying to prove life after death to anyone. They are happy to know that what they experienced profoundly changed their lives and all three have found more peace, intuition and compassion as a result.

‘At the end of the day, we’re all one, we’re all part of this light,’ adds Ray. ‘I never try to change anyone’s belief system, but if you are feeling like there’s more to this world I’m very open to that.’

A version of this article was first published on 15 September 2025.

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If you’re lucky enough to have landed a spot in the London or Manchester marathon this spring, you’re probably facing a long training block through the coldest parts of winter. 

As someone who has run three marathons (including an ultramarathon), two of which were in winter, I totally understand how miserable it can be. Between freezing limbs, the lack of daylight and ice-cold hands, it’s not pretty, and morale can often be low. 

Thankfully, there’s plenty of winter running gear that will get you to the finish line without picking up frostbite along the way. Staying warm, dry and comfortable is essential, not just to tick off your training plan as you go but will help you stay motivated too. 

Throughout my training blocks, there are a handful of products that became my ride or die for keeping warm without overheating, and in the best condition for pounding pavements and park runs throughout the week. 

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My list of recommendations spans functional and affordable running vests, headphones to help me lock in and leggings which are unbeaten in terms of quality and stretch. 

Kiprun Adult Running Gloves

Take it from me, do not head out on a run in zero degree temperatures without a pair of running gloves. Another thrifty find for me was this pair from Decathlon, which are form-fitting so no cold air can get in and you don’t need to take them off to use your phone.

Instead, the index finger and thumb inserts are made with a conductive material, so you tap your smartphone and watch screen while running. They’re perfect for skipping songs and podcast ads. Better yet, if your hands do warm up, shove them in one of the many pockets of your running vest.

Buy now for £5.99 (was £7.99) at decathlon

Luxtreme Training Headband

Keep your ears warm, and I promise your runs will be so much easier. While Lulumeon is known for costing a pretty penny, its headband is only a tenner and well worth it.

Not only does it keep your ears protected from the cold, but it also does a great job and keeping my Airpods in my ears no matter how much I sweat and the short hairs of my fringe out of my face.

It also doubles up as a great headband for pilates, spinning classes, skiing holidays and more, so you’ll get plenty of wear out of it, and thanks to the velvet fabric on the inside, it never slips off or pulls your hair.

Buy now for £10 at lululemon

Utobest Running Vest

If you’re working towards those dreaded long weekend runs of 20km and upwards, a running vest is the best investment you can make. Don’t worry though, you don’t need to drop hundreds of pounds to find the right one.

I’ve worn this one from Amazon to run three marathons and have nothing but positive things to report, especially how affordable it is – some running vests can cost three times the price.

It can store all your valuables, such as a bank card, house keys, lip balm, water, and Lucozade bottles, thanks to six separate compartments, including a 5-litre zipped compartment at the back.

There’s also a whistle, which comes in handy if you're running alone and need help, and reflective strips on the front and back for extra visibility if you’re running in the dark.

Buy now for £27.80 at amazon

Apple AirPods Pro 2 Wireless Earbuds

I use my AirPods for everything, including work calls, walking, commuting, you name it, and they're a great all-rounder if you love running too. Despite how sweaty I am, they never slip out my ears.

Once they're in my ears, they automatically connect to my iPhone, and the audio quality is fantastic. I love the noise-cancelling feature, as I'm always keen to tune out crowds while running around London – but the transparency mode means I can still stay aware of my surroundings. For example, I can be fully absorbed in a new podcast and still hear the sound of a traffic light.

One of the cleverest features is the adaptive audio. If I start speaking to someone nearby, it automatically lowers the volume of my music or podcast so I can hear them clearly. Once the conversation ends, it returns to the original volume. It’s ideal for those quick moments—like ordering a post-coffee pastry.

Buy now for £169 (was £199) at amazon

E45 Lips & Dry Skin Lip Balm

There’s nothing worse than dry, cracked lips, and running in Baltic temperatures does nothing to help. This lip balm is basic but brilliant. There’s no fancy scent or luxurious gold packaging, but inside is a soothing, rich balm that I apply before every run to keep my lips hydrated, smooth and soft.

Despite how it may look, you can also apply it while running directly onto skin, without needing to take off gloves and get your hands messy mid-run.

Buy now for £5.99 (was £8.99) at amazon

Wunder Train High-Rise Tight with Pockets 28"

Before you dismiss this pair for being eye-wateringly expensive, let me tell you why they’re the only pair of leggings I run in.

Firstly, they’re the perfect amount of compressive without feeling restrictive, and the sleek, elasticated side and back pockets mean they can hold my keys, phone and bank cards without moving around while I’m doing interval runs in my local park.

Secondly, they wash well – in the four years that I’ve owned them, they’ve never bobbled, ripped or lost elasticity, unlike cheaper leggings I’ve bought have done. The internal elastic waist cord means you can tighten and loosen it to your preference, and they’ve never, ever rolled down mid-run, squat or yoga pose.

I own one pair, wash them at least three times a week and never had a single issue. Yes, they’re not cheap, but worth every penny for the quality.

Buy now for £118 at Lululemon

Apple Watch Series 11 GPS 42mm Smartwatch

I've been wearing my Apple Watch everyday for over a year and find it the most useful tool possible for tracking my running, overall health and staying on top of messaging.

My favourite feature is Workouts – a built-in app designed for tracking exercise. When I select running, it gives me a three-second countdown, then starts monitoring everything from heart rate and time to calories burned, distance covered, and more.

It's very accurate, especially as it's able to monitor your pulse from being so close to your pulse point, and gives me a detailed breakdown of every run. If you have a time goal in mind, or want to stay on top of interval runs, sprints and long run analysis, it’s a great investment.

Buy now for £299 (was £369) at amazon

If you’re looking for the best running trainers too, or perhaps a pair of earphones/headphones – we’ve got you covered there too!

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