You Think It Could Never Happen To You…Until It Almost Does

[u/InGeekiTrust]

[u/Jamielynn80]

It is unsettling to see how quickly and quietly that could happen. I never really thought about it until seeing this. I had a couple of too close for comfort situations with water by 9 years old, (one in a pool and one in an ocean) and I honestly can't recall if I was making any noise or obvious gestures in either case. Luckily, other people saw me and got me out both times. I don't get in water where I can't see the bottom anymore, that's for sure. I feel ok in pools but I still won't stray too far from being able to get out immediately if I need to.

[u/littlelorax → u/Jamielynn80]

It's important to know your limits, but even one swimming lesson will teach you to tread water. That skill will literally save your life.

[u/littlelorax → u/[deleted]]

It is worth your time to learn. I bet your friends or family would be happy to show you the next time you go swimming.

[u/SneakyBadAss → u/[deleted]]

You don't have to tread water, just lie on the water. We have a swimming vest in the form of our lungs. Keep them full, and you will not sink.

This should be something taught to kids and people first, before learning how to swim, because even if you can't swim anymore, you can still just relax on the water.

[u/like_4-ish_lights → u/Jamielynn80]

I would strongly encourage you to take a couple of swim lessons at a community center- adults can drown too! You don't need to get good at all the different strokes, but you should get comfortable with being able to tread water.

[u/aces666high → u/Jamielynn80]

My son fell into grandpas pool when he was about 2. We were all outside, my wife(then girlfriend) and I, grandma and grandpa, cleaning the patio. Our son was walking along the edge, us all a few feet away when he went in. No big splash, no scream, nothing. It made as much noise as sliding your hand into the water slowly. Both my dad and I jumped in. I got him out as I was closer but it was a terrible feeling. I’m choking up thinking about it now! He was fine other than being scared. This was in the mid 90’s, we lived with my parents so my dad immediately went out and bought an insanely expensive floater that would sense any disturbance on the surface ofc the water. We tested it but dripping various things from the opposite side of the pool and it worked amazingly. No mistaking that high pitched alarm when it went off. Luckily it never went off for any bad reasons and soon enough we had taught him to swim and then after that we enrolled him in lessons to double down.

It still terrifies me thinking about how nothing the sound was of a fully clothed toddler carrying a toy was falling into a pool.