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YourHub.com \\ Jupiter \\ Stories \\ Outdoor Sports, Activities \\ Boating

Near Drowning from shallow water blackout

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Contributed by: Chris Dimond on 5/12/2008

My son is Mike Dimond. He is a junior at Jupiter HIgh School. He is a Palm Beach County Lifeguard for the North County Aquatic Center, a member of the Jupiter Dragons swimteam, a member and state finalist for the high school swim team and he was a near drowning victim off the coast new Jupiter Island on May 4, 2008. My son and three of his friends, Kegan Stack, Clint Kainec and Kyle were freediving and spearfishing in 55 feet of water off of Jupiter Island. My son and his friends had been down multiple times. Although my son is an experienced swimmer, he is a novice free diver and did not understand the risks. On the last dive, he hyperventilated so that he could stay down longer. He did know that by hyperventilating he was getting rid of all of his CO2 which is what lets your body know that you need to breathe. He and his friend were down 55ft looking at huge goliath groupers. He lost track of time and decided to come up, not for a need to breathe, but thinking he had been down for a while. As he was coming to the surface, he felt the need to get to the surface, but he was not out of breath. The next thing that happeded, his snorkel filled up with water and he was dreaming. He experienced a shallow water blackout and that is when his friend Kegan Stack saved his life. Kegan was already on the surface waiting for him to surface. He knew it was taking him longer than normal. Mike popped up to the surface unconscious. The boat was about 50 yards away and Clint and Kyle were already at the boat. Kegan performed the heimlich, to get rid of some of the water out of his lungs,then he gave him rescue breaths inside the ocean and revived my son. He did not wait to get Mike back to the boat.He reacted immediately. The next thing my son heard was Kegan calling his name out of his dream. They got Mike back on the boat and he was coughing up a lot of water. They called Kyle's Dad's friend who was a doctor and then they called Florida Free Divers. They both told them to get Mike to the hospital asap. Mike was taken to Jupiter Hospital and then transferred St. Mary's Pediatric ICU. He is doing wonderful and if it was not for Kegan Stack acting on instinct, applying what he had learned in health class. We would have had a much different story. I wanted to get this story out because a lot of kids free dive and spearfish and may not know the risks. My son sure did not think there was any risk involved. I want other people to know his story and maybe learn what to do in that type of emergency.

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Submitted By: Julie Richardson

posted on 5/19/2008 @ 12:24:40 PM

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I want to add that one of my sons who was diving when their accident occurred has been free diving and spear fishing with Hawaiian sling for 11 years, is a certified free diver and dives 100 ft +, is SCUBA certified, a certified Firefighter, EMT and paramedic-in-training. He knew the safety precautions but because of his excellent shape and experience he felt blackout would not happen to him. One of the dangers of free diving is it is done by young men who feel invincible. My "invincible" sons will never again dive without the safeties in place.

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Submitted By: Julie Richardson

posted on 5/19/2008 @ 12:03:10 PM

Rated Story

My sons both nearly died, but three friends saved their lives. This is actually a safe sport if you follow the safety precautions. First, never dive with the snorkel in your mouth. If you blackout, it fills with water and you can drown. If you blackout without the snorkel your mouth and esophagus close and you will not take in water until the body does what is known as "last gasp" - this takes a while. Second, one dives while one waits. When the diver ascends, the one waiting meets them 1/3 of the way down and accompanies them to the surface to assist them if blackout occurs. 90% of blackout occurs at the surface. The other 10% between 30 ft to the surface. If blackout occurs without the snorkel in the mouth, remove the mask and blow on the victims face. This signals the body to breathe. Kegan and the other buddies did just the right thing in this emergency. I am very thankful this story had a happy ending, as my sons' did. God bless you all!

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Submitted By: Jan McCarthy

posted on 5/13/2008 @ 7:20:50 AM

Rated Story

This should be talked about in high schools all over Florida to make kids aware of the dangers of free diving & what to do in an emergency. Jan & Pat McCarthy

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Showing 1-3 of 3 comments

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Chris Dimond

Jupiter , FL

Chris Dimond has posted 1 story and 0 comments since joining on 5/12/2008. Chris Dimond 's average story rating is 5.

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