Mario Vittone - Latest Comments in Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

Destination360 — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 14:11:09 -0000

Thanks Mario.

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

Kristi Lynn Levin — Sun, 08 Jul 2018 20:49:27 -0000

I read your article a few years ago and I saved a little girl who was drowning while being watched by her parents. Yesterday, I saved another boy whose parents sat next to the pool watching and thinking he was fine. I thanked you a few years ago and I thank you again. Without your article, two children would probably be dead.

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

gawkface — Wed, 30 May 2018 22:23:43 -0000

That part where the girl was saved and hugs her dad brought tears and goosebumps :')

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

Tomme Titmouse — Sun, 06 May 2018 01:43:46 -0000

Invaluable information. I had no idea and this info must be shared, shared, SHARED. LIVES WILL BE SAVED BECAUSE OF THIS KNOWLEDGE. Thank you so much!

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

Mary Palmer — Tue, 01 May 2018 12:31:48 -0000

I want to send this to everyone I know. Thank you for writing this!!

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

NoriMori — Sun, 03 Sep 2017 20:49:37 -0000

This is for both you and Dave Keays; it's a quote of a similar discussion I had with another reader on page #330 of the webcomic "Grrl Power", about gun safety, in response to the author's commentary denigrating unrealistic depictions of guns in the media:

Reader: Yeah, its a shame how action movies aren’t realistic like superhero comics. :) Come on, lighten up, some stuff in movies and tv
shows because it looks cool, not to say this is “realistic”. Must of the stuff you see in comics, shows and movies isn’t realistic right down to how the fictional world holds together. What’s so special about guns that they have to be treated with strict realism in a comic with
superpowers (the most physics busting fictional constructs after pure magic)? :)

Me: Well, for one thing, unlike super powers, guns are real, so it breaks suspension of disbelief far more easily, because anyone can
compare it to real life experience/knowledge if they so choose.
For another, for better or worse, most people base a lot of their perception of the world at large on what they see in the media,
knowingly or not. Combine that with almost universally inaccurate portrayals of extremely hazardous scenarios (weapon usage, fighting,
driving, CPR, first aid, wilderness survival, jurisprudence, criminal encounters, romantic relationships, etc.), and you have people getting
seriously hurt, killed, or screwed over because they assumed it worked the way they saw it on TV.
Obviously the relationship goes both ways, and people need to learn to think more critically about what sources they trust with which info. But considering that humans are riddled with cognitive biases and weak points that give them an immense handicap when it comes to reasoning, that most people are ill-trained in critical thinking, and that any sufficiently experienced content creator knows this, content creators are in a position of enormous power when it comes to influencing the beliefs and perceptions of the populations they serve. And you know what they say about power and responsibility.

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

Savannah Johnston — Sun, 03 Sep 2017 19:38:20 -0000

"I am a Christian and I respect your belief and the fact that we have different opinions."

Whether or not a god exists is not a matter of opinion. The gesture of conciliation is admirable, but that doesn't make it any less hollow.

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

EliseVanLooij — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 12:30:18 -0000

"Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface." What does that look like? I have no idea.

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

Larsen E. Pettifogger — Sat, 03 Jun 2017 15:25:23 -0000

I was a beach lifeguard for 4 years and performed hundreds of rescues, both on and off duty. The author's description of the signs of drowning is spot on. Read them multiple times, picturing in your mind what is being described. And never hold back if you think someone might be in trouble. What is the worst that can happen? You get embarrassed? Get over it.

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

emptymag — Sat, 03 Jun 2017 11:53:31 -0000

Really never thought about it. Thank you for this article. I know you've saved lives with it.

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

Ladythings — Sun, 07 Aug 2016 18:07:20 -0000

It's a very important article. When the people will learn humility. Everybody think, that are immortals. I would like to write more but my english isn't good...

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

brbonanno — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 22:50:42 -0000

I am a 68 young woman. I went to the local aquatic swim club with my grandson. He wanted me to go down a circular water slide. Sure why not...I have done it before at water parks in the past years. I went down and it was great until I hit the bottom. I can't explain what happened but I almost drowned in 4 feet of water. I could see the light at the top of the water and lots of bubbles. I felt like my body was being pushed down but I could not get up because I could not figure which direction was were. I was struggling trying to get my arms up and out but could not do it. My body was in a panic stage. Finally (it seemed like forever) I somehow was able to emerge but not until after I was sure I was going to drown. The life guard did nothing. It was not until I came up myself and felt like I was going to pass out, had terrible chest pain and stomach pain (I am sure it was from panic) that someone noticed I had been in trouble and got help. It was one of the scariest experiences I have ever had. Oh, and I do know how to swim and have taken most all the red cross classes in the past years. No body realized I was in trouble. Life guards really need to watch what is happening to all people when they come off those slides. There was one sitting right there next to it. I felt I needed to share my story. Thanks for reading.

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

American clear through! — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 12:27:17 -0000

It brings back a memory of many, many years ago. We were with a group and we camped on the gravel alongside the river below their cabin. I looked out at the river and there was a boy floating down the river, not making any motions. Just floating with the top of his head showing. His sister came screaming down the riverbank, yelling he can't swim. I looked again as he was drifting by. Ran out of my trailer, into the water, swam across the river to the boy and grabbed him and brought him back to shore. He was actually drowning. His parents packed up the kids and left saying their several acres of pastureland looked pretty good right then. Happened so fast and I am so glad I was nearby.

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

Violet — Tue, 31 May 2016 01:37:06 -0000

I share this every single year and am so glad that you took the time to write this six years ago. I know from experience how scary it is. My experience mirrored what you outlined here, but I'd always attributed it to my age and the fact that I didn't know how to swim at the time. Until reading this years ago, I still thought drownings were more like what TV portrays. You have done a valuable service, and likely saved lives, by writing this.

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

JS — Wed, 11 May 2016 15:31:30 -0000

I've shared this every April or May for the past 3 years. I'm grateful that you've written it.

When I was 18 and 'invincible', I came close to drowning once (in water shallower than I am tall--we got too close to a 'small' dam's floodgate and I couldn't get my feet under me) and looking back, the IDR is exactly how I reacted. Thank god one of the men swimming with my friend and me recognised I was in trouble.

I've gotten a lot smarter about where I swim.

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

Philip Brown — Wed, 04 May 2016 21:20:44 -0000

Thanks ,(Again,I've posted this every year since it came out).

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

Guest — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 14:08:28 -0000

Here a little late via slate via vox, but I just had to thank you; this is one of the most interesting and valuable articles I've read in a long time.

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

MonikaK — Sun, 26 Jul 2015 04:12:34 -0000

I was drowning once. Just the way it is described. It was not awful, just sooooo disabling but peaceful and weirdly not unpleasant; all my friends just feets away splashing in water. Thankfully when I submerged one pulled me out on a piece of foam desk by my hair. She had a gut feeling smth was wrong and I was struggling cos I wasn't able to answer her, she pushed me just a meter forward when I was able to stand in water. We were 12-14 at the time. Great article!

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

Gh0st — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 14:55:37 -0000

I had to rescue my brother from drowning as a child. Fell in and just floated face down until I got to him. Made no noise, but I was watching.

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

adrienne — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 07:51:19 -0000

I was a lifeguard at my public pool when I was younger and was never taught this. It's kinda scary.

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

Sherrie Smith — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 00:31:27 -0000

When I was four and my brother was two he fell in the deep end of the pool. He just kept trying to dog paddle but couldn't get his head or even his hands above surface. If I didn't start hysterically screaming you wouldn't even know he was under the water.

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

Adam — Tue, 23 Jun 2015 22:16:02 -0000

I experienced drowning once at a wave pool even though I knew how to swim. My brother was right beside me though and pulled me up. It was very much how this article described.

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

English Girl — Sat, 20 Jun 2015 05:33:28 -0000

A child can die in a bathtub or a bucket of water. Don't assume it has to be a large body of water like a pool...

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

English Girl — Sat, 20 Jun 2015 05:30:31 -0000

I'm, unfortunately, a bottom swimmer. I've had two lifeguards jump in to save me. But this gave me confidence that, if I was ever really in trouble, they would be there to save me. I did witness a resuscitation at that pool once... Someone dove into the water with chewing gum in her mouth. When she came up for a breath, she lodged the gum in her throat and began to choke. If you are swimming, do NOT have food in your mouth.

Re: Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

dave — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 05:05:48 -0000

Excellent insight on drowning....not what the layman is looking out for.
thanks