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My near-death experience — my new beginning

42:33

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April 1, 2026

What does dying feel like? What is it like to stand on the threshold of death — and turn back? Three young women talk about their near-death experiences and how these moments changed their lives.

"I used to be extremely afraid of death. But ever since my near-death experience, that's no longer the case," says model Chanel Silberberg, who became famous through the German reality TV show "Germany's Next Topmodel." She nearly died at the age of 11 from complications related to a chronic illness. The experience fundamentally shaped her. Why do near-death experiences have such a lasting impact? This documentary shares the dramatic and inspiring stories of three young women who stood on the brink between life and death and returned with a completely new life perspective. Their background stories are vastly different: Laethisia Schimek is a competitive athlete; Léa Winzenried is a dance therapist; and Chanel Silberberg is a model and influencer. What all three have in common is an awareness of the finiteness of life, and a drive to experience it to the fullest.

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DocFilm

Exciting stories, a wide variety of topics, fascinating pictures: every day, half or three-quarters of an hour of carefully researched background reports from the worlds of politics, business, science, culture, nature, history, lifestyle and sport.

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