Freediving Could Lead To “Drowning at the Surface”

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“They both told me that they saw a really bright light,” remembered Julie. “David said mom it was like looking into a welder’s torch. It was so bright! And uh… I think they were teetering on the edge of life and death. And their friends brought them back and I just believe it was a miracle. There were 60 breath hold incidents reported to DAN that year Divers Alert Network. There were 3 survivors. Two of them were my sons. I, I just am very grateful.”

In fact, because so few freedivers survive shallow water blackout, few medical professionals even know how to treat survivors. Dr. Ivan Montoya is one of only three or four doctors in South Florida with that type of specialty.

“It’s basically you die or most of the time you have a problem with near drowning,” exclaimed Dr. Montoya with Mercy Hospital. ”A shallow water blackout diver or patient is a drowning patient. There’s nothing special that you do for that. You either die or it’s a near drowning.”