‘I’ve gone through Emma’s* diet plan and we’re going to cut back on the bananas at breakfast,’ the weight loss consultant explains to a room of women, aged between 40 and 80. 

I am one of them in the £5.95 session, ready to have my eating habits analysed by consultant Sandra*, who previously lost 10st on the programme.

However, before me, there’s Cheryl*. At the Slimming World meeting in a London community hall, Sandra points out that her daily lattes and brandy nightcaps could be delaying progress, as they go over the ‘Syn’ limit (the umbrella term that describes any food that is high in calories, fat or sugar, and offers fewer traditional nutritional benefits).

When the room’s reaction becomes a bit too lively in response, Sandra quickly reminds them that Cheryl has been through a difficult time and shouldn’t be too hard on herself. 

Despite the pep talk, the very nature of using the term Syns clearly encourages shame around food — swapping the ‘i’ for a ‘y’ can’t simply erase it. Referring to food as simply good or bad doesn’t feel very forward-thinking in 2025, so I’m surprised it’s still happening when I attend the meeting.

However, the concept will soon be changing, with an overhaul designed to help modernise Slimming World in a market now swamped with weight loss jabs like Ozempic and Mounjaro. Coming into effect from 2026, Syns will soon be called Swips, which stands for Slimming World’s Individual Picks.

‘While our approach has always been to help members lift any feelings of guilt and create an empowering, non-judgemental community, we know some people felt that Syns labelled those higher-calorie foods as ‘bad’ – and, for some people, it was a barrier to joining a group,’ Slimming World have explained.

‘Even though that was never the meaning or spirit of Syns, language matters. So we’re making this change to help everyone feel welcome, supported and empowered.’

Additionally, members will now have a healthy fat allowance, which includes foods like oils and avocados that were previously classified as Syns. While other tweaks will see Body Magic become the more accurately described active lifestyle programme, and IMAGE Therapy is similarly becoming more literal with the new title of support system. But is it enough?

Attending meetings

At my meeting, Sandra – with her natural warmth – continues to easily recall everyone’s individual circumstances (from upcoming holidays to their previous week’s loss) and names, including mine. ‘Why are you here, Josie?’ she asks, as all eyes lock in on me.

I explain that it would be nice to feel more at ease in my body. ‘You want to live your best life,’ Sandra quickly responds.

As someone who used to accompany their mum to slimming clubs in the early 00s, I am also here to understand where they fit in today’s weight loss landscape, especially after it was reported earlier this year that WW (formerly Weight Watchers) is planning to file for bankruptcy.

I’ve seen the power slimming clubs can wield. I can remember being around eight, sitting next to my mum, a committed member, who would take me along when my dad was working late. I’d see her mood flatten if she didn’t have the week she’d hoped, or her happiness increase if she’d been ‘lucky’ by managing to still lose despite breaking some guidelines.

In a recent honest conversation, my mum expressed regret at ever taking me. ‘In hindsight, you probably shouldn’t have listened to so much weight talk at a young age, as it’s not something you should have been concerned about at all. You have to remember that this was before the body positivity movement, and we weren’t fully aware of what could harm self-esteem,’ she explained. I did manage to get through pretty unscathed, as I always saw my mum’s participation as her thing and not something I should necessarily worry about.

I also witnessed, back then — and still here, in 2025 — people creating a safe space to share struggles. At the London slimming club, there’s friendly applause celebrating losses, and hands placed gently on backs if someone is talking about any difficulties.

Where it all began

It was in 1961 when New Yorker Jean Nidetch began gathering other housewives at her home each week to share the weight loss advice she’d been following from the New York City Board of Health. Sensing an appetite, savvy Jean licensed her speeches, trained others to be leaders and launched Weight Watchers, which saw membership peak in around 2018 with nearly five million subscribers worldwide. The UK’s Slimming World franchise wasn’t far behind, launching in 1969, and it now boasts around 700,000 members per week.

Explaining the allure of slimming clubs, registered dietitian and Diets Debunked founder, Kate Hilton, tells Metro: ‘Some believe, particularly women, that losing weight is the miracle cure for all issues and will lead to happiness, which slimming clubs very much market themselves at. They spiked in the 90s and 00s as society made people feel being overweight was a personal failing, and groups were seen as the solution.’

Lisa, 55, knows this all too well. 

‘When I was nine, I weighed 8 stone, so my mother took me to the doctor, who said I was obese,’ she remembers. ‘Mum went to Weight Watchers, so she decided to bring me along with her. I remember them saying that I couldn’t officially be part of the programme because of my age, but I still went on the scales.’

Since then, learning support assistant Lisa has been in and out of slimming groups. Her stints have ranged from a couple of weeks to two years, and in adulthood, her weight has fluctuated between 11st 10lbs and 19st 5lbs.

‘You think you’re the only one having a tough time with weight, but the groups are great for showing you’re not,’ she explains. ‘I remember one woman who couldn’t stop putting cream on her cornflakes, and we’d all have a laugh over that, rather than judge her as others might. I’ve had some great times and made close friends.’

Former primary school teacher Kim, 54, has been a Slimming World consultant for 25 years after losing four and a half stone on the programme. ‘All consultants understand what it’s like to lose weight because we’ve been there,’ she tells Metro. 

‘Before slimmers arrive, they can sometimes carry a lot of guilt, but we’re all human beings, and losing weight and then maintaining it isn’t easy. Once people walk through the doors of a Slimming World group, though, they see they’re not alone. It gives me goosebumps when I think about members who are 18 and 80 supporting each other. There will always be merit in getting that human contact when losing weight.’

While Dietitian Kate agrees that the community aspect can motivate people and offer structure, she also points out that many weight loss groups sometimes have ‘rules that don’t make sense’.

‘On Slimming World, mashed bananas are counted as [five] Syns, but unmashed bananas are zero, despite them having the same nutritional value,’ she explains. ‘The rules can be contradictory, which builds upon the feeling of shame when it comes to certain eating choices.’ 

Lisa admits that she is doubtful about returning to a slimming club for the ninth time. ‘It is a struggle to maintain the mindset needed,’ she says. ‘I turn to food for everything. I reward myself and drown my sorrows with food — that can’t be fixed with weekly weigh-ins.’

The competition 

The decline of real-life slimming clubs is down to a variety of factors, says Kate. ‘Diets come in fads — at the moment, carnivore diets [a diet of meat, eggs, fish, and some dairy products] are all the rage. Slimming groups kept with the same old, and it got boring.’

The rise of the internet also allowed people to access workouts and detailed diet plans from fitness influencers and apps, often at no cost. And, of course, AI is changing things too. ‘We live online more, so people are using AI, which is free, to help them plan their meals,’ adds Kate.

Trainee nurse Kitty, 22, tells Metro that she can’t remember a time she wasn’t insecure about her weight, and although she tried WW as a teenager after seeing her mum and nan have success with it, she used the app as she was embarrassed for anyone to know. ‘I felt like it was weird that I was trying to lose this weight when my friends were just living,’ the Gen Zer recalls. 

Over 18 months, Kitty went from 18st 7lbs to 12st 7lbs by sticking to the regime and through personal training sessions at a local gym, but then ended up losing a further stone on the low-carb high-fat Keto diet.

‘Weight Watchers and Slimming World are associated with slower weight loss, but there are other diets that are advertised as having super quick results,’ she explains. ‘When you’re younger, you don’t care about how healthy the weight loss methods are, you want the quick results.’

Asked if she felt any better, Kitty admits: ‘When I wore clothes that I wanted to wear, I felt good — but I was still comparing myself to other girls my age and models with “perfect” bodies on social media.’

Slimming clubs are also facing serious competition from injectable prescription medication for weight loss, such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, originally used to treat diabetes. An estimated 1.5 million Brits** are now using the drugs, which work by suppressing appetite and lengthening the amount of time food stays in the stomach. Both Lisa and Kitty are considering them.

‘When I was at my biggest, I hadn’t even heard of weight-loss injections, but I probably would have considered them if I had,’ says Kitty. ‘Back then, I couldn’t just go out and enjoy food with friends without thinking about it, but the jabs could have made that part a bit easier.’

However, she adds, she’d want to do more research first, especially as there have been so many varying stories of their success and side effects.

While one US study reported that half of the weight lost during traditional diets is regained within two years, and more than 80% in five years, recent research from the University of Oxford has found it is similar for semaglutides, with most weight returning within a year after stopping weight loss jabs. 

Can clubs survive? 

In a telling business move, WW is now working with CheqUp, a provider of weight-loss drugs. James Hunt, Deputy CEO of CheqUp, said in a statement: ‘There is no doubt that the addition of WeightWatchers’ breakthrough GLP-1 companion programme will add enormously to our patients’ ability to achieve sustainable weight loss through its science-backed and proven programmes, together with their global community of like-minded individuals.’

Kim, whose sessions on the Isle of Wight can attract up to 120 people, insists that ‘injections are not a silver bullet’.

She adds: ‘People need wraparound care because they don’t work for everybody. Even when medication is effective, the weight can come back on once they stop taking it. We welcome people who take weight loss jabs to take part in Slimming World and get that extra support around sustainable changes.’

After my session, I know I won’t be signing up for Slimming World membership anytime soon. I am not in a place where I want to follow a diet plan, but that’s not to say I never will be. I can see how they can help people get healthier, as long as they also keep the perspective that weight is probably the least interesting thing about humans.  

As for banana Syn-gate… Kim says to me, ‘Shall we address the elephant in the room? If I were to give you a couple of bananas right now, Josie, it would be quite filling, but if we were to mash them in a bowl, there’s less chewing involved, that banana is going to slide down more easily, and it may not fill you up so you’d reach for something else as well. We are ultimately a weight loss company, and we’re going to protect members’ losses. It’s not because we’re being awkward.’

Changing Syns to Swips is certainly a positive move, but that and bananas aside, dietitian Kate has her own advice: ‘Ultimately, there are hundreds of reasons why we eat the way we eat, and if we’re not tackling them, whether it be emotional, comfort, financial or social, then eventually the diet is going to fail.’

*Names have been changed

**IVQO

***Medical Clinics of North America

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing Josie.Copson@metro.co.uk 

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The brand behind your favourite hand soap is now coming for your conditioner. 

Method, the cult-fave eco cleaning brand known for its sleek teardrop bottles and plant-powered formulas has just launched haircare in the UK – and honestly, it makes perfect sense. 

The new range lands with three shampoo and conditioner duos, formulated to suit different hair types. 

Scented to match the brand’s much-loved body washes, each shampoo and conditioner is designed to transform your wash day routine.

Method Volumising Shampoo, Peace and Petals 350ml

Made with thoughtful ingredients that address your hair’s needs, Method’s new shampoo and conditioners are guaranteed to upgrade your wash day.

Free from sulphates, parabens, silicones or dyes, choose between three formulas depending on your hair concerns. And yes, each smells incredible!

shop £6.95

Method Moisturising Conditioner, Simply Nourish 350ml

Infused with coconut, rice milk and shea butter, this moisturising conditioner helps you step out of the shower feeling nourished and smelling like sweet comfort. ​

shop £6.95

Whether your strands are thirsting for deep hydration, craving lightweight bounce, or in need of a fresh start, Method’s new haircare collection has you covered.

As you’d expect from Method, the range is made without sulphates, parabens, silicones or dyes, and totally safe for colour-treated hair. 

Plus, every bottle (minus the cap) is made using 85% recycled plastic, so it’s kind to the planet and your hair – win-win!

With three options to choose from, picking a favourite might be tricky so here’s a quick guide: 

Dry, frizzy hair? Go for Simply Nourish. This coconut-scented formula is infused with coconut, rice milk and shea butter to help nourish, hydrate, smooth and soften parched hair.

If your hair’s lacking volume, then opt for Peace + Petals. It has a delicate fresh-floral fragrance and, thanks to quinoa protein, peony and rose water, it boosts limp, lifeless hair without weighing it down. 

If your hair’s on the oily side, crisp and clean smelling Daily Zen is perfect for a reset. Cucumber, seaweed and green tea help remove build-up from styling products, pollution and sebum while balancing the scalp. The result? Hair is left feeling clean and refreshed.

Whether you’re switching up your shampoo or upgrading your entire wash day routine, this is haircare that we’re adding to basket immediately. 

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Are you a bookworm, scotch-lover or just looking for the magic of nostalgia?

Whatever the case, you won’t want to miss the chance to own a one-of-a-kind “William Shakespeare” bottle of whisky, illustrated (and signed) by world-famous illustrator Quentin Blake.

If you’re one of the few who don’t recognise his name, you’ll certainly recognise the artist’s classic style. Quentin’s distinctive illustrations go hand in hand with Roald Dahl’s books, such as The BFG, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Twits, and more recently on David Walliams’ first children’s novels.

Now he has turned his hand to an ultra rare bottle of whisky (the contents inside are over half a century old), which has been on show at Sotheby’s on New Bond Street since September 19 and is set to be sold at The Distillers One of One’s charity auction on October 10.

It’s also part of a wider Macbeth collection by design studio Livingstone and whisky makers Elixir Distillers.

Speaking to Metro, Alexis Livingstone Burgess who founded Livingstone said he had always dreamt of releasing a collection of old and rare scotch from many different distilleries.

‘I could never really think of a way of doing it until I thought of the history of the scotch business which often involved families competing and trying to kill each other,’ said Alexis.

‘I thought this is just like Macbeth. That would be the perfect structure for a project like this.’

With creative help from whisky writer Dave Broom and — of course — Quentin Blake, Livingstone and Elixr Distillers created a series of 42 limited edition Scotch whiskies featuring characters from the Scottish play.

With each character ‘cast’ as a bottle of whisky, royals are matched with high-value, rare whiskies, while the six ghosts in the play are partnered with those from so-called ‘ghost’ distilleries that have since shut down.

Any literature lovers will know that, at its core, the play is an exploration of good and evil, and Dave had the idea to cast ‘good’ characters as pure, bourbon whiskies, while ‘evil’ characters are represented by dark, smoked spirit.

The Shakespeare bottle was a little more complicated, admits Alexis.

‘It was a difficult start, as there’s little biographical information about Shakespeare as a person. We decided to make it simple, and think about the two universal things people can agree on — that [Shakespeare’s work is] very very good and very old.’

As such, they chose a whisky that has been aged and retained it’s vibrancy — the Mortlach Single Malt Scotch Whisky that has matured for 63 years.

Alexis then approached Quentin to bring the vision of the whole collection to life.

‘I worked for him as a designer for about 20 years,’ he said. ‘I knew him quite well, but I’d never asked him for anything before.’

‘I don’t think he could think of a way of drawing 42 men in kilts. So I said what about drawing them as birds.’

Known for his anthropomorphic drawings, Quentin enjoys illustrating birds because the way that they stand on two legs makes for a human-like nature. Therefore, Alexis’ suggestion was welcomed, with the pair agreeing that only the Bard should be illustrated as a person.

Whoever gets their hands on the bottle after bidding will also get Quentin’s original Shakespeare drawing, which has been replicated just once for the label.

‘Quentin very rarely sells public drawings,’ said Alexis. ‘For any drawings of his published in a book, he keeps the original in an archive of over 250,00 illustrations.’

The first ever Children’s Laureate, Quentin has been hailed the world’s greatest living illustrator — and may be seen to some as an unlikely choice to illustrate a strictly over-18 product. Alexis recalled even having to ‘convince’ the Scotch Malt Whisky Society that he wasn’t ‘selling whisky to children’ — which he managed to do successfully.

‘Quentin’s illustrated Shakespeare, and Dickens. A lot of the Roald Dahl books he illustrated were quite grim,’ said Alexis. ‘Quentin has the ability to inhabit those emotions without making it just gory and horrific.’

Alexis also acknowledged how Quentin’s work is recognised by all generations, saying ‘it’s hard to think of other illustrators who have had that impact.’

Since their first charity auction in 2021, The Distillers One of One have raised £4.3 million, primarily donated to the Youth Action Fund.

Their fundraising has supported disadvantaged young people in Scotland to make a positive contribution to their communities and reach their potential.

Known as the largest global charity auction of rare Scottish whisky, the company will be donating 100% of the hammer price of each item to good causes.

The Distiller’s One of One’s third charity auction is set to take place at Hopetoun House in Scotland, the home of Shakespeare’s tragic play.

All’s well that ends well – if you want to get your hands on this individual item, the bid estimate sits between £20,000 and £26,000.

The auction will take place on 10 October at Hopetoun House near Edinburgh. The London preview in Sotheby’s New Bond Street galleries is on public view until 30 September.

As well as having a coffee, getting your brows done and browsing all the latest trends, Primark shoppers will now be able to do even more when visiting a store.

That’s because the retailer is launching a brand new service in its Manchester Market Street shop, one that’s been hailed as a ‘luxury’.

Customers in Manchester will now be able to book a same-day appointment to have their clothes repaired or altered in store, in partnership with The Seam, a company that offers care and repair for clothing, footwear and bags.

Bookings for the service will be available online via Eventbrite (although walk-ins are allowed) and when you arrive for your appointment, you’ll meet with staff, discuss your item and leave it for them to work on.

Depending on the work needed on the garment, this could take 20 to 30 minutes, or you can arrange to collect it later in the day if longer is needed.

Prices for repairs and alterations start from £3 and range to £10 for simple services, with Primark subsidising the cost to make the service more affordable.

But there is a catch.

The partnership with The Seam is only currently available in the Manchester store and only for a limited time, as part of a trial to see how customers react.

Shoppers will be able to access the repair service on the lower ground floor of the store every Friday, from now until December 19.

Primark product longevity lead, Vicki Swain, said: ‘We want to make simple clothing repairs and alterations easier to access and more affordable for our customers and we’re excited to see what this partnership with The Seam will bring to local shoppers in Manchester.

‘Simple repairs are a great way to make clothes longer lasting and we know there’s growing demand for it.

‘We are looking forward to the response in our Manchester Market Street store and seeing its potential as an important fixture on the high street.’

Layla Sargent, the founder of The Seam, told TheIndustry.Fashion: ‘By subsidising repairs, Primark is making it possible for everyday shoppers to access what has too often been seen as a luxury.’

This comes after Primark recently made a ‘life-changing’ overhaul to its range.

Ahead September, the retailer announced it would be removing traditional neck labels from children’s T-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, pyjamas, and nightwear, printing them on the fabric instead.

The change represents more than half of Primark’s junior line, but it has also committed to further increasing this percentage over the coming months in an effort to create ‘clothes that feel right’.

And that’s not all; as part of a move towards more inclusive design, it will also offer seamless and flat seam socks — addressing a particular source of discomfort for people with sensory issues.

The retailer also recently launched its first homeware-only store in the UK and rolled out click and collect for shoppers in all shops.

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

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From boots to bags, snakeskin is one of this season’s biggest fashion trends. 

The exotic print was seen at plenty of AW25’s runways including Miu Miu, Tod’s and Khaite, but the celebs got involved, too.

Both Rihanna and Dua Lipa were recently spotted sporting a pair of snakeskin shoes and it’s safe to say, we’re now obsessed. 

So when we spotted a pair of super cool snakeskin trainers at H&M, we couldn’t believe the striking resemblance to a high-end pair from Dries Van Noten. 

H&M Trainers in Beige/Snakeskin Pattern

H&M’s Trainers in Beige/Snakeskin Pattern are sleek low-top trainers with beige laces and an on-trend snakeskin pattern. Comfortable to wear and an instant way to upgrade any plain outfit, they’re guaranteed to be the hottest shoes of the season.

SHOP £32.99

Costing just £32.99, these snakeskin trainers are a whopping £372.01 cheaper than the luxury alternatives but look pretty much identical.

The low-profile design, fold-down heel tab detail and beige laces makes these shoes look far more expensive than they are, and their flexible sole means they’re really comfortable to walk around in for hours. 

The bold animal print might seem tricky to style, but according to fashion insiders all animal print can be seen as a neutral. So, pair them with tailored trousers and a blazer for a work-appropriate outfit or straight leg jeans and a cardigan for a more casual weekend vibe. .

According to the reviews on the H&M website, these trainers do run a little smaller and narrower than most shoes so it might be worth heading in-store to try them on or consider sizing up when you purchase. 

Whether you’re looking to dip your toe into the snakeskin trend or you’re just after a pair of cool everyday trainers, H&M’s snakeskin pair ticks all the fashion boxes and at £32.99, we’re predicting that they won’t stay on shelves for long.

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Grabbing my younger sister’s lifeless hand, a lump caught in my throat. 

‘I’m so sorry,’ the doctor whispered. ‘But she’s not going to make it.’ 

It was May 2022 and, less than 24 hours earlier, Zoe – a second-year politics student at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge – had gone clubbing with some friends in the city centre. 

The night, as I understand it, had been pretty standard, filled with dancing and drinking. But then Zoe had collapsed in the toilets. 

She was found unconscious in a cubicle by nightclub security, who called the emergency services. The paramedics got her to the hospital, then the police blue-lit my mum and dad from their home in Ipswich to be by her side in the early hours of the morning. 

Zoe had gone into cardiac arrest after suffering a massive asthma attack. And she would never recover. 

Zoe was four years younger than me and we couldn’t have been more different. While I was calm and quiet, she was emotional, exuberant and felt everyone’s hurt as if it was her own – she couldn’t stand unfairness or suffering, even as a child. 

And yet, we had an incredible bond.  

I always used to say we were ‘sisters who are also best friends’, which I thought was cute but she thought was cringey because she was younger and infinitely cooler than me.  

We loved time together, going to the cinema, going out for lunch, wandering around art galleries but also just being at home. I loved her company; she made me a funnier, happier, more carefree version of myself.  

I suppose part of the reason we were so close was because of her asthma. I’d never had it myself, but seeing my sister fight for each breath, hearing her wheeze every time she picked up a virus or a cold made me extra protective.  

At times it could be scary, especially when, as a teenager, she was hospitalised twice as a result of serious asthma attacks. I was so scared that there was a possibility she would die. I didn’t think I would cope without her in my life.  

That’s why it had been a relief to see that, in the last few years of her life, her asthma had not only stabilised, but had practically disappeared. Or so we’d thought.  

When Mum called me to explain what had happened, her voice was shaking. She could barely get the words out, each one tripping over the next, but I just about made out what she said. 

‘Not responsive,’ she’d mumbled. ‘Didn’t have her inhaler.’   

I dropped everything and raced to Zoe’s side but it was too late.  

My feisty, fervent sister, who had dreams of going to Edinburgh to study investigative journalism and of being prime minister one day, would never regain consciousness. She was gone. 

Following her wishes to be an organ donor, we said goodbye to her the next day – it was the hardest thing I’ve had to do and a shadow of disbelief and the deepest sorrow shrouded us all. 

She was only 20. How could this be happening?  

Those next few weeks were a blur but I do remember that her funeral was the perfect send off, albeit too soon. 

We played songs from her favourite band, Fleetwood Mac, and everyone wore bright colours too. Those flamboyant shades of purples, pinks and reds were Zoe to a tee: loud, proud, and exuberant. 

In the weeks and months that followed, my misery and fury flared: Why hadn’t Zoe looked after her asthma? How could she have been so careless when she knew she was vulnerable? 

I knew it was partly the grief talking, but as a nurse, I just couldn’t understand it.  

Eventually though, that anger soon softened into empathy and I told myself that, if her asthma hadn’t been bothering her, I could see why it had fallen from her mind.  

Still, I couldn’t help wondering if her death could have been preventable.   

It’s now been three and a half years since we lost Zoe and a lot has changed – I now have a beautiful daughter, Nadia, and she reminds me so much of Zoe. Just like her aunt, my girl never stops talking. 

The one thing that hasn’t changed though is our lack of answers. We’ll never know what triggered her fatal attack, or whether she’d have survived if she’d had her inhaler with her that night. 

However, as a family, we’re determined not to let another young person lose their life like Zoe. It’s why we’re working with the charity Asthma + Lung UK to raise awareness of the importance of proper asthma care. 

According to the charity, the chances of a young person having an asthma attack triples between the end of summer and autumn with students at greater risk due to the increased exposure to triggers like viruses, vapour, smoke, and alcohol. 

That’s why it’s so important for students, especially first year Freshers, to take extra care. Tell your housemates, make sure you have an asthma action plan and get your inhalers checked. 

Zoe’s friends didn’t even realise she had asthma and might not have known what to do even if her condition hadn’t deteriorated as quickly as it did. It’s important to be open about asthma and to know what to do if you have a friend or flatmate with a diagnosis.  

I’d also urge anyone leaving home for the first time to register with a local GP. That way, if you have a medical issue, you can get seen quickly.  

Being prepared doesn’t cost much – and it might just save someone’s life.  

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing James.Besanvalle@metro.co.uk. 

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On the morning of April 1, 2008, Chase Skylar DeMayo didn’t show up for work at Langley Air Force Base, where he was posted as a survival evasion resistance and escape instructor.

His supervisor used a key to access his dorm room and found him unconscious, so the then 19-year-old was rushed to hospital for x-rays and blood tests.

Doctors couldn’t find anything wrong, but it was there, he died for several minutes, after watching his heart monitor flatline, and got a glimpse of what happens when you die.

Lying on his hospital bed, Chase’s vision suddenly blurred and everything went hazy.

‘The last thing I heard was alarms going off,’ Chase, 38, explains. ‘A calming voice told me that it would be OK, and I felt no fear at all – only peace.’

An air embolism had entered his IV drip at the hospital, causing his cardiac arrest.

‘The pain that came up my arm felt like something five, ten times too large in that vein, it was so painful you could almost feel every centimetre of it travelling up,’ he told Coming Home, a YouTube channel that covers near-death experiences.

Once his heart stopped, he recalls floating in mid-air as he was greeted by a familiar face and voice; Jesus. It makes sense, since growing up in Orlando, Florida, he was adopted by his grandparents and experienced a religious upbringing.

‘I watched my body from above as I spun upward like a tornado, surrounded by lights, angels, laughter and music like bells,’ the married dad-of-one says.

‘I ended up in a vibrant garden with colours brighter than anything here on Earth. There, I saw Jesus.’

He explains he didn’t look how Jesus was typically depicted, instead wearing a warm smile with curly brown hair and green eyes.

‘He was playing with a child who was my younger, happier self,’ Chase adds. ‘We connected without words. He told me to go back and spread love, laughter, light and joy.

‘And reminded me of my true purpose on Earth beyond everyday struggles. No matter my past, I had light to chase and share.’

He had had a few difficult months prior to this, having suffered an injury in both knees, which left him in the process of being medically retired from the military, and which meant he lost his sense of purpose.

But, as he died, Jesus was there, in heaven telling him his time hadn’t yet come.

‘I was always a happy kid but I think I’d forgotten that by the time I was 19, I was taking life so seriously and I was so worried about my career and the military, I’d forgotten about being that happy little kid, so it was a beautiful reminder of how I should be,’ he added on Coming Home.

Chase still can’t comprehend that he remembers everything from his near death experience. ‘I was fully aware, and the initial pain I felt turned into calm,’ he says.

‘There was an element of surprise, though no fear about dying. It was peaceful and beautiful, like cool ice leaving my chest.

‘I didn’t want to leave the garden at first, but I understood my purpose wasn’t done.’

When he woke up, he was in a different hospital in Hampton, Virginia, and he was unhooked from medical machines. Miraculously, his heart functioned as if nothing had happened.

‘I was discharged quickly, with tests showing no damage,’ Chase says.

But, in July, 2008, he was medically retired from the army and had to find a new career. He’s just completed his doctorate in holistic counselling, with the aim of guiding people toward their life’s purpose.

‘It’s changed everything for me,’ he explains. ‘I chase forgotten joys.

‘And I live with a reminder each day to live with purpose, chasing light even in dark times. I feel grateful and transformed.’

He didn’t tell his story for years, with fears of being ‘labelled’ a certain way, but he now believes his near-death experience was a ‘gift that reshaped [his] path’.

‘I’m no longer fearful of death and embrace how fragile life is instead,’ Chase explains.

‘I still communicate with Jesus, angels and find peace in the unknown.’

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