LIZZY MILES
I feel like I was destined to do this work. I was shaped to do this work. I'm a
third generation metaphysical on my father's side.
In high school something connected to death and dying. I competed in a
speech festival on persuasive public speaking. The topic was euthanasia. I
won first place.
My dad's sister died at the age of 13. The family story is that she became
a ‘trail angel’ to help people cross over to the other side. It's so weird now
coming into this profession. I feel like I'm a trail angel on this side. I Googled
‘trail angel.’ A trail angel is someone who leaves surprise beers for hikers
on the hiking trail—something different and, finally, not so different than my
family’s term.
I had a shared death experience in 2010 in my final quarter of grad school
that inspired my life and hospice work. Most people are familiar with the
concept of the term, “near-death experience” which is when someone dies
and comes back to life. A shared-death experience is when a person who is
not dying experiences the dying process of another. The term was coined by
Raymond Moody. When my aunt Jerry was dying, I had a series of incredible
experiences. I felt her physical pain; I received telepathic messages from her,
and I witnessed pieces of her life review. My aunt was very special to me, but
I told other family members, she didn’t “choose” me. She was broadcasting
I would say a good
death is whatever the
patient wants it to be.
It's not my place to
define someone
else's definition of a
good death.
52 | ART OF DYING