Maybe it is like this as you describe, because in this style of talking/writing about something that has happened in past, using present tense, person is re-living events right now, in memory, and so is 'now' because person is re-experiencing events even though they are over and passed. When a person has extremely powerful event occur to them, they re-experience them as though happening right now, and so not uncommon to use present tense, even though is really a memory, and passed. 'Flash backs' are 'right now'.