What they were is near death. We must make a distinction between death and dying. The point is that they were revived. The problem comes in determining this exact state. EEG's are not always accurate and they can be misread.
Death is a process.
It begins at the cellular level. For death to occur there must be an elapsed time of non-function of vital organs. It is not possible for us to know precisely when this occurs. The Jews at the time of Christ believed that the soul hovered over the body for as long as three days. B. Christians have had NDE's without the occult trappings.