Just saw a man die…
Kristin and I were at the beach today and the waves were really rough. We went in to the shallows briefly and I was riding waves in like a little kid, until one of them flipped me and I hurt my left arm. Seem to have pulled one of my shoulder muscles. In any case, we went back to our little hut to read and for me to complain about my shoulder when we saw a guy running back to the beach with a circular orange floater (what’s the word for these? escapes me now). We watched and then we noticed Thyra’s (the bride) sister Margaret (who is a nurse) sprinting across the beach.
We walk over to see her giving CPR to a guy who has turned slightly bluish. Evidently, he had swam out pretty far and got stuck. Several people had been trying to get him back in by throwing him lines, etc for about 20 minutes. When they finally managed to get him to shore he was passed out. Margaret and another guy were working together administering CPR for a good 15 minutes as they waited for someone to come to help. Evidently the guy still had a light pulse, but wasn’t breathing on his own. Finally a little truck from the club came down with a guy with a little medic pack, and we thought he had paddles and was going to zap him and then drive him off. We walked away, but then noticed more people from our party headed out to the same spot. We headed back over to find Margaret still giving CPR.
They lost him just as the ambulance was pulling up and she walked away in tears. His wife had been standing there crying for the first bit of the CPR but then was walked away by someone else.
Can you imagine going on vacation and losing your husband? So sad…
August 9th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
:(
Thoughts and prayers…
August 9th, 2007 at 3:04 pm
I’m so sorry. I’ve watched several people die (including my dad). It never gets any easier.
August 9th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
wow, that’s horrifying
August 9th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
Oh man, tragic :(
August 9th, 2007 at 3:41 pm
Sorry pal…I’m sure that’s hard.
August 9th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
That’s tough. It reminds me of the months that I started school in Seattle I was riding my bike in the downtown and saw a fight between kid in front of the mall that ended with one of them shooting the other one in the face in point blank range.
That just plain sucks and you’re never ever prepared for things like that. (My high school English teacher would be appalled at my lack of poetic grace in that last sentence
August 10th, 2007 at 9:03 am
so sad…being a witness to death is not easy.
August 15th, 2007 at 9:19 am
[...] I saw a man die last week. 2. My left shoulder is in pain, so that’s slightly waking me up whenever I move in [...]
August 17th, 2007 at 11:17 am
Hello, this past Thursday August 9th, my father-in-law (we were as close as birth father and son) drowned on the beach at the Melia Cabo Real. From what you have written in your blog, it sounds like you witnessed his passing. There have been many unanswered questions, and frustrations as to why it took so long for the hotel to send help. Please send my sincerest gratitude to the people that were trying to revive him. While he may have appeared out of shape, he was in fact very fit. He has owned a plumbing company for over 25 years. He lifted heavy machinery and worked with his hands every day. Just 2 weeks ago he helped me move a large refridgerator and stove, and did it almost all by himself. The funeral was this Wed. 8/15…there were over 500 people in attendance. Again I just wanted to say thank you on behalf of my wife, and the rest of our family.
August 17th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
Dear Evan,
I’m so sorry for your loss. I will pass along your gratitude to Margaret.
My thoughts are with you and your family during this time of mourning.
Sincerely,
C.K. Sample III