There has been a massive amount of death in my family over the last two years. My mom lost both her sisters and my second eldest sister died in February after being sick for most of her adult life. My oldest sister Dena (almost 20 years older than me, I am the baby in my family) suddenly got really sick and went into liver failure in early June. She passed away in the hospital after they shut off life support while we stood around her bed.
She was unconscious and kept alive by machines while we waited for he rest of the family to get there, but for some reason her eyes were always halfway open. I spent fifteen hours in the room with her. Whatever had made her 'her' simply wasn't there anymore. All that was left was an empty shell.
Whether it was because the processes in her brain were shutting down or her 'soul' had left her body, I don't know. I have been agnostic for most of my life and don't believe in God(s) but I think there has to be some bigger part of being alive than just a bunch of chemicals and neurons.
I also drowned when I was 7 and required CPR. I don't remember experiencing anything but darkness.
The closest thing I've ever had to religion was Grant Morrison's
The Invisibles. Bit easier to deal with existential problems when you believe everyone is going to become a god on December 22, 2012.