Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

When I was six and at camp I wandered into the deep end on my paddle board when it ziiped right out from underneath me. Of course I couldnt swim and didnt have a clue that kids died. Only old people did. I just remmember exactly what the OP article said happens, and that momment is crystal clear in my mind and it happened exaxtly the way described. Except mine went A little further.

After about thirty seconds of trying to keep my head up, i wore out and took a full gulp of water. I remember sinking to the bottom and not scared at all. I dont remember my short life flashing before my eyes, just the looming drain rapidly approaching. The next thing I remember someone grabbing my hair and the next thing I was hacking up water (im not sure what they did to me). Just thought I would put that out there for whatever its worth, but more as a 38 year old thank you to the Teenager girl that saved my life.

I remember when we were younger my parents took us to the pool and me and my brother ventured into the middle pool, usually just skirting the edges holding on, just as I went to talk to my brother he wasn't there and I noticed he was under the surface struggling to no avail to poke his chin above the water, nobody else noticed not even the life guards, I simply put my hand under his arm pit and pulled him up just in the nick of time because he was coughing water, he still says to this day that he thinks I saved his life, and this was right at the edge where you could hold on accept he was facing away and couldn't man oeuvre round, presumably he was just panicking.

reply to post by Domo1


Great info

more relevant now in summer, well here in Ireland anyway.

Thanks My wee niece's love swimming.

I will share the article with friends and family on facebook.

reply to post by Domo1


Excellent idea! Brilliant thread at this time of year. I learned something too, thanks. S&F

reply to post by Domo1


SnF Domo1, 1 appreciates the care for others with this data

NAMASTE*******

reply to post by Domo1


I was five years old when I almost drowned. The scary thing is, I remember it like it was yesterday. My mom was on the beach and I was in the water waist deep. My mom told me not to go any deeper, but I spotted something neat (old bear bottles in a crate) at the bottom a couple of feet away from me. I had no clue that just two feet away from me was so much deeper then where I was.

Before I knew it, I was underwater unable to breathe. I had no clue how to get back up. I didn't thrash about, in fact I reached out for the beer bottles and crate. Next thing I remember is being on the beach with my mother who was crying.

It was surreal, and like I said I remember it like it was yesterday.

Being thrown in a friends indoor pool at about age 4 didn't work for me, I almost drowned, I remember looking at my Dad wondering how he could do such a thing whilst sinking under the water, luckily I was saved and survived. My first real swimming lessons at 10 were terrifying at first, then I gradually gained confidence and now swim well. I will always remember the fear of drowning.

There are too many stories of people drowning, it is best to be super cautious at all times. Seas that look calm might have currents etc. Keep safe and swim where you can stand.

Wow I'm glad I posted this. I had no idea there would be so many people that had a near drowning experience! I'm glad you are all OK and glad other people are learning something new with me.

Originally posted by Domo1
reply to post by SubTruth

 

Glad you learned something too! It terrifying to think I never realized what drowning looks like. I got some goosebumps when I read about the guy telling the parents to get out of the way.

My wife nearly drowned July 1st whilst in Canada on a whale watching Zodiac tour off Victoria. The only reason she didn't was because I had a death grip on her survival suit and am ex-Coast Guard. If she went, I was going to go too.
The US Coast Guard and Canadian NTSB are investigating the company who about killed us. Two passengers broke their backs, my wife being one.
I didn't want her to drown. What a horrible way to go for my dear wife.

reply to post by klaxon


WTF man!? What happened? I'm glad you're OK and I would really consider getting some legal counsel. Companies like that don't need to stick around.

When I was 8 years-old, I nearly drowned. We were at a picnic on a lake that had a beach. I will never forget how I lost my footing and fell face first into the water. It was only waist deep, but I had no idea what to do. The kid with me thought that I was trying to swim and kept yelling, "You're doing it! You are really doing it!" I was drowning and had finally given up and took in my first breath of water. I'll never forget how it just flowed in. No real pain, just flowed in.

My teen-aged brother was a good ways away on a tower with a slide and spotted the commotion the kid with me was making. The next thing I remember was him lifting me out of the water. I have no idea how he got there so quickly.

I'm still afraid of the water.

Originally posted by Domo1
reply to post by klaxon

 

WTF man!? What happened? I'm glad you're OK and I would really consider getting some legal counsel. Companies like that don't need to stick around.

I did get an attorney the next day. The company said the only way to get their insurance info. or anything else was to sue them. He asked me three or four times sue. Welcomes it. He has 500 million in insurance alone. He doesn't care. Made it very clear. Said this is Canada. Things don't quite work here like they do in the states so good luck. I demanded the police to come as its a criminal investigation. They said to leave or I'll be arrested. I invited them to arrest me. I'm not leaving without a report. Didn't even offer to refund our money for the excursion. Smiled and laughed. Two people had their backs broken. I feel like #.
Be careful in Canada. They just don't care for Americans there.
I'd advise to stay away. They will F you up and send you on your way.

so glad this thread was started...really good info! so what happened that 2 people broke their backs on that trip????glad your wife made it.

As a young kid (12 years old), I didn't know how to swim. Being raised in a landlocked desert city, there wasn't a whole lot of water around. So finding a place to learn how to swim wasn't that easy.

I remember once falling into a pool. In a state of complete terror, I beat the water with every ounce of energy in me, hyperventilating, gasping for air, and desperately trying to stay afloat. I can't even begin to describe the fear. Fortunately someone stuck a long pole into the pool, and I grabbed onto it.

At that point in my life I was scared to death, of the water.

It's funny but things in life that frightened me the most, like water, mathematics, and girls for example, were things that I had to spend years trying to overcome.

As far as the water, when I got out of high school, I packed my bags, left home, and moved to a desert beach city. It was my dream to learn how to surf.

I spent 30 straight years surfing my brains out, and can remember being very scared and coming extremely close to drowning on many many occasions.

To learn how to swim, ya gotta wanna.

No Fear

Good advice for this time of year.

I almost drowned a few years ago. I don't really remember much of how I acted. I know I was pleading for help. I'm fairly sure I spoke and said this is really deep for me and I'm being swept back, help me. i felt my husband was ignoring me. That was before I started going under. I knew it was getting deeper and deeper and dangerous. I couldn't swim into the shallow zone, I kept being swept back by the waves, the shore getting further away. I went under several times, swallowed water. I thought for sure this was it, I die by drowning. It was terrifying. I was choking on salty sea water for a long time after it. It burns like acid. After being dragged to shore, I couldn't stand up, I kept collapsing. I didn't seek medical attention. I just wanted water to wash down the burning feeling.

I almost drowned once when i was 5 y.o.

My mom was about 15 feet away.. she didn't even notice.

Eventually i got tired of flapping my arms around and that's when i noticed i could float

I brother drowned in France on holiday when he was 16, he was in a coma for 10 days before dying so at least I got to see him before he went.
Cheers OP I have always had nightmares about him drowning thrashing about so hopefully those dreams will be a little more peaceful.
RIP Alun, you were my bro.

i drown when i was very young i was at a tidel pool and went to far in couldnt hol my breath and took in a breath of air under water it felt like air going in my lungs but then i remember seeing my body floating there in the water it was very quiet then i woke up on the beach the person supposed to be looking after me was doing cpr

Wonderful post, and an exceptionally important one. I am off to share this information with friends and family.

Thankyou!

I drowned when I was 5 years old.

& yep ...
my parents we're right there.

Had been in the country club pool all day.
Got out to have lunch, took off my water wings.
Parents & I both forgot to put'em back on after lunch.

I jumped back in the shallow end.
sank like a rock, then bobbed up and down a bit.
tried grabbing @ the ankles
of some swim team members standing pool side.
No help there, I grabbed @ a few others.... no help

everything went black...
I woke up out of the blackness
I was in the back of an ambulance.
I think I remember a needle in my arm.
And my mother next to me crying.

Needless to say I was enrolled in swim lessons immediately
upon my recovery.

I was so young when it happened
that I never developed a fear of water do to this experience

I am now a avid diver and spear fisher.
I am PADI certified to Rescue Diver.

My advice
Parents get swimming lessons for your kids
ASAP
I believe it to be as important
as learning to walk