Raymond A. Moody, Jr. is an American psychologist and author best known for his work on the afterlife and near-death experiences (NDEs), a term he coined in the early 1970s. Born on June 30, 1944, Moody's seminal book, "Life After Life" (1975), brought public attention to the phenomenon of NDEs. In this book and his subsequent work, he cataloged and analyzed the experiences of people who had been clinically dead and then came back to life, highlighting their reports of out-of-body experiences, feelings of peace, encountering beings of light, and reviewing life events. Moody's pioneering work paved the way for further research into NDEs, and his discussions on topics like consciousness, the afterlife, and reincarnation have intrigued both the scientific community and the general public. His efforts have helped to shape the field of thanatology, the study of death and dying, and have encouraged dialogue across various disciplines about the implications of these experiences. He has authored several other books and continues to contribute to the understanding of near-death and other transpersonal experiences.