This wasn’t the only strange case. Around the world, children have recalled past lives with incredible detail.
American boy James Leininger had vivid nightmares of crashing in a WWII plane. He named his aircraft carrier, squadron, and even fellow pilots. His parents were shocked when historical records confirmed the names and details. James believed he had once been a fighter pilot named James Huston.
In 1930s India, four-year-old Shanti Devi described her past life in a distant city, naming her husband and hometown. A government inquiry—prompted by Mahatma Gandhi—confirmed her claims matched real people and places.
Researchers also link birthmarks with past-life wounds. Psychiatrist Ian Stevenson studied many such cases. One Thai boy had birthmarks on his head and later claimed he’d been a teacher shot in the same spot. In Burma, a child born with a chest mark said he had died as a soldier shot in the chest.
These cases continue to fascinate and challenge what we think we know about life—and death.
