End of life nurse reveals one move people make when close to death!
Working in end-of-life care is often a journey through sorrow, but it can also offer moments of profound beauty. One hospice nurse has shared a deeply touching experience she’s witnessed many times—an unexplainable yet peaceful gesture made by patients as they approach their final moments.
Katie Duncan, a nurse practitioner and death care coach from Maryland, has spent years helping people navigate their final days with dignity and compassion. With a background in ICU care, home hospice, and long-term facilities, Katie has come to recognize certain patterns in the dying process that defy easy explanation.
In a recent TikTok video, she spoke about one of the most striking behaviors she regularly observes: many patients begin reaching upward in their final hours, as if trying to grasp something—or someone—invisible above them.
“In my experience, it’s very common,” Katie said. “You’ll see someone stretch out a hand, like they’re trying to touch something in the air, or maybe hold someone’s hand who isn’t physically there.”
This upward reaching is sometimes accompanied by end-of-life visions. Patients often speak of seeing loved ones who have passed, pets they cherished, or radiant lights and angelic figures. Others say nothing at all, but still lift their arms or hands with purpose, as if guided by an unseen presence.
There’s no scientific explanation for this behavior, but many in the hospice community believe it to be part of the natural, spiritual transition between life and death. Katie emphasized that patients don’t seem afraid during these moments. On the contrary, they often appear peaceful—even comforted.
“These visions or gestures, whatever their source, tend to bring a sense of calm to the person,” she explained. “It’s not frightening. If anything, it feels sacred. As caregivers, it’s an honor to witness.”
Katie’s message resonated deeply with viewers. Many shared their own stories in the comments—moving accounts of loved ones who, in their final moments, reached upward with surprising strength or clarity.
“My dad lifted both arms,” one person wrote. “He hadn’t been able to move them for days. It was like he was hugging someone we couldn’t see.”
Another reflected, “It felt like a doorway opened for just a moment. I didn’t want to disturb him—it was beautiful.”
Others described it as “reaching for heaven,” a gesture that helped them find peace amidst the heartbreak of saying goodbye.
For families and caregivers, these moments often become powerful memories—symbols that their loved ones were not alone as they passed. Whether viewed through the lens of faith, energy, or human mystery, one thing remains clear: at the end of life, there is often more than meets the eye. And sometimes, it looks like a hand reaching up to something only the heart can understand.