VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — A Virginia Beach priest used his harrowing experience to create a book to look at how near-death experiences can transform peoples faith. The book, called "Dying to Live," was written by Father Nigel Mumford as he was dying. 10 On Your Side's Andy Fox met up with Father Mumford at Galilee Church in Virginia Beach, where he is on staff. He spoke about his journey while in a three-week coma, describing his visions of heaven and Jesus. Father Mumford shared photos of his near-death experience, in which tubes could be seen hanging out as he lay in coma. He wrote about the experience, which can be seen in part below: I have seen photos of myself in a coma; it really looked like I was dead. My fingers, legs and toes were swollen from steroids; my eyes were closed; and tubes were down my throat. Wires and ports were all over the place. I was totally plugged in and surrounded by life-sustaining equipment, angels, archangels, the whole company of heaven, and the prayers of the people. Thank you, GOD, for technology and for those gifted in using these machines. Father Nigel Mumford Father Nigel MumfordFather Nigel MumfordFather Nigel Mumford The flatline is the sound of death, and Father Mumford was at that door in October 2009. "That night, I was not expected to live," Father Mumford said. The former British Royal Marine Commando was in a fight for his life. He said it began with a persistent hacking cough so severe he could not sleep or eat. Doctors then placed Father Mumford into a medically induced coma for three weeks. The illness turned out to be H1N1 swine flu. Father Mumford's wife, Lynn, stood by his side for 72 straight days, 12 hours per day. "So, I've known physical pain in combat, emotional pain in combat, emotional pain for my boys who got killed, but the physical pain of this chronic disease of swine flu was horrific," he said. Father Mumford wrote about life and death in his book "Dying to Live" and what he experienced in his subconscious while in a coma, believing he was dead. "It was all biblical," Father Mumford said. "It was all to do with death. It was all to do with healing." Father Mumford said he couldn't hear anything, but states he knows what he saw. "At that moment, I was a bit frightened, but then peace came upon me, and what I saw was real black night, the darkness of night," Father Mumford said. "Darkness, but also the light of Christ. There were thousands of little white dots, little lights, and I tried to look under each light to read the bibliography of the soul because I knew each light was a soul." He also wrote about five visions he had, including revelation, hope, perseverance, expectation and preparation — with perseverance being represented by the valley of the shadow of death being the most intense. "I think the most dramatic pain point was crawling through the valley of the shadow of death," Father Mumford said. "I was very aware that I was calling, and I was very aware that I was paralyzed. And I know that was related to the near-death experience I'd had with scuba diving in 1975, where I drowned, and I knew I was trying to get out of the water. I couldn't and I ripped open all the ends of my fingers, ripped all my fingers laterally, and had blood pouring out of the end of my fingers trying to crawl out of water, so I knew it was related to that." Father Mumford said he did not fear the valley of death because he believed that God was with him, motivating him to keep crawling until he saw Jesus. "As I was crawling along, giving up, I remember looking up and seeing Jesus on the cross, and he didn't say anything, and his head dropped, and he was moving his eyes," Father Mumford said. "He was, like, pulling me along. I said, like, this is just to keep going." Father Mumford said he thinks Jesus was telling him to follow and to keep going. He said his journey was influenced by his own experience as a Royal Marine. "But also, I have been shot three times," Father Mumford said. "I have heard bullets go past my head, my legs. I've been blown up five times. One bomb took me off my feet, and crushed me into the doorway, and I got hit in the head in a nasty riot in combat." Father Mumford's healing ministry is 34 years in the making, and aims to heal the sick in a quiet, non-demonstrative way. But 10 On Your Side's Andy Fox just had to ask, what about those who are skeptical of his visions and experience? "Yeah, of course, say you have choice to believe of not," Father Mumford said. "I know what I saw. I know what I experienced. I know I was in a coma. Was it drug induced? You could say it was. Probably was. I don't know, but I know what I saw. And it was all biblical." There was no flatline for Father Mumford, and he said it is thanks to the grace of God that he lives.