"Drowning Doesn't Look Like Drowning" from Slate.

[Laffy Kat]

People need to read this. I saw it happen once, fortunately someone smarter than me rescued the little boy, who was my son.

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/family/2013/06/rescuing_drowning_children_how_to_know_when_someone_is_in_trouble_in_the.html

[Snarkoleptic]

1. k&r

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. Somebody ran this last year. It's a good article, and it's worth repeating.

It should appear every year at the start of the summer.

Thanks for posting it.

[Laffy Kat]

3. First time I've seen it and it sure hit home.

Made my blood run cold.

[mopinko]

4. my son nearly drown once.

hotel pool at my nieces wedding. he couldnt swim but was paddling around holding on to a soccer ball.
luckily i saw him lose his hold on it. he pretty much quietly went right down.
tons of people around, but all laughin talkin and drinkin. no lifeguard.

jumped in fully clothed and grabbed him on his third bob.
everybody was so absorbed in having a good time that only a couple even noticed me jumping in after him.

but is he grateful? no.

[Laffy Kat]

5. Yes, it happens quietly and so damn fast.

My son was around eight at the time and an ok swimmer. We were at a private lake and both my sons decided to swim out to an anchored platform which wasn't all that far from the shore where I stood. The water was very cold and he fatigued quickly. I saw his head go under the water just a couple of feet from the platform. At that instance a teenage girl on the float noticed too, jumped in and pulled him out. He told me later he simply felt his energy evaporate and he could no longer hold himself above water. I was so grateful for that young woman.