A Silent Event… A Near Drowning

May 15, 2014 Jean 4 Comments

And it was awful… it still haunts me… I don’t think I will EVER forget about it… the image is forever ingrained in my mind…

In all of our 30 years of parenting it has happened just once. AND once is ENOUGH…

I am not going into specifics. It’s private and it will always be extremely painful. But if I can help just one other family and spare them from this horrible experience than it will be worth it.

It could have been worse… our child could have drowned. Praise God for His saving grace. Praise Him for his mercy and praise Him that our child survived.

It was called a near drowning.

We were all together swimming. We (the parents) were watching closely and being careful. Dad was in the pool with the kids and I was circling around the pool. Accomplished swimmers were allowed to be more independent. While other children that were new at swimming were instructed to follow our safety rules very carefully with included life jackets and pool bounaries. One child found a way to disobey. He/She didn’t intend to hurt anyone or get hurt himself/herself, it was an accident, a bad choice.

It wasn’t at all like the movies. There was no screaming or yelling for help. It was silent and it was almost unnoticed… gulp. It was also confusing because I thought the child was fine and then I watched just a little longer and then saw the almost lifeless body begin to sink… In my mind I still see it happening in slow motion.

We were able to get the unconscious child out immediately and call for help. The child was not breathing initially but by the time help arrived the child was breathing and eyes were open. I was holding my baby and crying – praising the Lord for His mercy.

It happened to us and I don’t want it to happen to you…

Please go to this link below and learn, so this does NOT happen to anyone in your family! It’s different than you think…

http://mariovittone.com/2010/05/154/





4 responses to “A Silent Event… A Near Drowning”

  1. Anne says:

    Jean- I am so sorry this happened to you guys. Praise God for His incredible mercy! Thank you for educating us so that we’ll be prepared for a safe summer!

  2. Susie says:

    The exact same thing happened to my child. If I had not know child CPR, I would have lost her, I still have nightmares, 30 years later. I see it in slow motion when I think about it. It changed me forever,

  3. Leslie says:

    Sadly, this is a sight and feeling that never leaves you. Seven years ago, while wading at a public swimming area with my then three year old son, I pulled a lifeless toddler from knee high water. My son spotted her floating body- a pink buoy as he referred to it- just in time because she also was a near drowning.Thank you for sharing this information so that other families are able to spot signs of potential risks while in water. Wishing all a safe and enjoyable summer!

  4. Marlo says:

    When my daughter was about one year old, she toddled near the pool with me right behind her. In a split second, she fell in. She flipped over and her diaper floated her. I jumped right in to get her and all I remember is her grandpa’s arm coming out of nowhere, pulling her out. That image has haunted me for 20 years, and I’m sure it will never leave me. Since that day, I have been, as all of the kids still call me, a “freak around the pool” and that is just fine with me! I am so sorry this happened to you. Bless you and your beautiful family!

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