Article In Kingsport Times Today

**Unchained** · May 22nd, 2005, 11:27 AM

Anybody other than me read the article on the young man from DBs drowning? Did it strike you as odd that the young man swam within 5 feet of the boat, only to perish while another teen on the boat called 9 1 1? Makes me wonder what kind of friends the man had. No doubt were ANYBODY drowning 5 feet away from me, i would have at least made an attempt to save him/her.

**starbuck** · May 22nd, 2005, 12:50 PM

Post deleted by starbuck

**LPDfanincarolina** · May 22nd, 2005, 08:04 PM

I am not attempting to defend the 9-1-1 calling "friend", but a drowning person is a panicing person. If you can not get to the person from behind then they will take you down too. This is a lesson that I learned after attending the funerals of two of my friends because one tried to save the other from drowning.

**starbuck** · May 22nd, 2005, 09:35 PM

that is so true

**R0cketer** · May 23rd, 2005, 08:49 AM

What we were told one time in a rescue class was that unless you were considered an excellent swimmer, do not try to jump in and save someone, because most likely there would be 2 bodies. If you had multiple people, flotation devices, oars, or something, then you could try, but otherwise, best thing is to try and get help.

It's natural to want to try and save, but its extremely difficult to save a paniced swimmer.

**1inStripes** · May 23rd, 2005, 09:06 AM

A person I go to church with, went to school with the kids. They said they had been swimming and goofing off, even fake drowning. The guy said they had all gotten back to the boat, but him, and they asked if he needed help. He said he was fine, and then they turned back around and saw him underwater. They waited a minute thinking he was goofing around like they had been. Unforunately, it was too late when they got into the water, and they couldnt get to him. It really is a sad situation.