Brief
Hospice physician reports most dying patients see deceased loved ones
Dr. Christopher Kerr says the majority of patients in their final days report positive visions of deceased relatives.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Dr. Christopher Kerr, a hospice and palliative‑care physician in Buffalo, New York, said most patients in the days before death report seeing deceased loved ones, a finding he shared in a July 2026 interview on The Oprah Podcast.
Kerr noted that roughly 88 percent of the patients he has treated described the experience as positive and comforting. He added that the visions tend to involve relatives or spouses with whom the patient had a good relationship, while those with strained ties were rarely seen.
One interviewee, Julie, recounted her mother Jean’s vision of her own mother, who had died 30 years earlier, sitting in a chair and reassuring her that she would be there after death.
Kerr said he cannot explain the source of these visions, but observes that they often bring a sense of wholeness, helping patients resolve unfinished emotional issues before they die.
Key facts
- Dr. Christopher Kerr reports that about 88% of dying patients describe comforting visions of deceased loved ones. (dailymail.co.uk)
- The visions usually involve relatives with whom the patient had a positive relationship. (dailymail.co.uk)
- Kerr shared these observations during a July 2026 interview on The Oprah Podcast. (dailymail.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] dailymail.co.uk — originally reported as “End-of-life doctor reveals the haunting sign death may be days away”
