this post was submitted on 14 Aug 2023
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I nearly drowned when I was 8 years old.
I was at camp and didn’t quite know how to tread water. There was a large pond that they let us play in during our free time and I went under the water for a bit, but when I came up for air, the water was too deep and I couldn’t stand up over the water.
I immediately panicked and just kept jumping to try and stay above the water. It was burning my eyes and right into my lungs. Every time I jumped up over the water, I couldn’t get enough breath to focus and I went back down with more water than air.
I have some very clear memories of those moments. I was very close to the dock and I could see the older lifeguards kind of playing around on the dock as it was getting harder and harder to jump. The clearest memory of all was me literally thinking “Oh my God. I’m 8 years old and I’m going to die.”
I started to get tired and I remember this tall blonde girl reaching out to me and saying “Are you okay?” and just pulling me to the shore.
From that point, things got a little fuzzy. I remember a lot of people standing around me and I remember vomiting up pond water. My mother, after finding out what happened, threatened to sue the camp, and I couldn’t hardly look at the water without three of counselors around me after that.
I think about that moment before the girl saved me a lot. That “Oh my God. I’m going to die” moment. It’s very sobering, and even though it’s been more than 30 years, it’s still been difficult to shake off.
You've unlocked a core memory for me. Think I was about 4~5 yo, we were on a family trip to a resort. I was sitting on a noodle bent in a U-shape in the pool and had waded towards the middle, still next to the wall though because I didn't know how to swim. Although my mom always had me wear the life vest, this one time i didn't as I thought the noodle was all I needed and also didn't want to look like a baby in front of my older cousins.
Before I even realized, the noodle shot out from under my butt and I just silently sunk. None of that flailing and splashing that they do on TV happens. I also clearly recall just looking up at the super-close surface, gulping down mouthfuls of water in an attempt to breathe, thinking this was the end. And I think the worst part was feeling the wall with my hands but being unable to grab the ledge because it was too high (I was underwater, my arms were short, etc).
My uncle was sitting literally feets away from me, he said he was watching, it just looked like I was playing- bobbing my head in and out. Then he realized I wasn't coming up and jumped in to save me. My parents almost quite literally threw me into ymca swim classes as soon as we got back home.
If I ever have kids, swim lessons will be a must.