tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636567097339297046.post9112242599532762976..comments2023-10-31T05:30:22.563-05:00Comments on Trial by Fire: Triathlete Down.Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00058994751103189361noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636567097339297046.post-46488534820844500722007-06-29T09:23:00.000-05:002007-06-29T09:23:00.000-05:00I was at the race cheering two of my friends on as...I was at the race cheering two of my friends on as they did their first race. I did not see them pull Kevin up but I did see them doing CPR on him for what seemed like forever. I remember him looking lifeless and blue and I knew at that moment he was not going to make it. Thankfully my friends had already gone so they did not have to see it and I did not have to worry about them. <BR/> I have not been able to get his image out of my mind. Or his friends and family who were hysterical watching the rescue efforts. I have been googling him often to see if there has been any more news. I think it would make us all feel better to know that he died from something else besides just drowning. It would make more sense and make us all feel like it couldn't happen to us after all, even though we know it could. I had my 20 month old son with me and I held him that much closer the rest of the day.<BR/> Thanks for your post and giving us a place to vent about this. It is something I will never forget. I will continue to say daily prayers for his family so they may find some peace.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636567097339297046.post-66305890577332550992007-06-29T07:31:00.000-05:002007-06-29T07:31:00.000-05:00That is devastating. It makes each triathlete stop...That is devastating. It makes each triathlete stop and take a look at their life. It happens. How do you want to live?Michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01292678542833662248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636567097339297046.post-76834652944521403392007-06-28T13:58:00.000-05:002007-06-28T13:58:00.000-05:00Honestly, this all happened very quickly, with lot...Honestly, this all happened very quickly, with lots of confusion about what was going on. Since we were diving under, we weren't all hearing the instructions being yelled and didn't know anything we know now except that there was an urgency. We were swimmiing into each other under the water, so it was kind of crazy. There wasn't any time to think about anything, just that we needed to get as many people as possible to that spot quickly. It certainly didn't take any courage to swim over there from my warm up. I'm even embarrassed to admit that the area was so close to shore (though probably 10 feet deep) that I thought in the back of my mind while we were searching that it was probably a mistake; someone just thought they had seen someone go under. Of course, that thought disentegrated when I saw Kevin surface. Then I was just shocked and very sad. There was a definite sallow mood afterwards and I heard several guys contemplating whether they would race. Most guys went back behind the beach fence to tell their loved ones they loved them and that they were okay. Everyone present was shook up pretty badly. <BR/><BR/>Anyway, I personally came out of this with the reinforcement that "Life is not a dress rehearsal." Now is all the time we have and it could be gone without notice. <BR/><BR/>A little known fact from this that you might find interesting: Daniel Bretscher, from Illinois, was the guy who found Kevin and pulled him to the surface before several other guys grabbed him and helped swim him back to shore. The press credited someone else with finding him, but that is excusable since there were so many guys helping to find and swim him to shore. I know it was Daniel because I watched him pull Kevin up, and I had just met Daniel 30 minutes earlier on the beach when we discussed a mutual friend. Daniel is very personable and friendly young guy. After Kevin was pulled out, and we were waiting for the helicopter to arrive, several other guys and I talked to Daniel about his experience finding Kevin on the bottom of the lake. Anyway, the interesting thing is that Daniel is an elite triathlete who just won the amateur division of the Hy-Vee Triathlon last week in Des Moines, an extremely competitive race. He also won the overall at the Quartermax race after pulling Kevin up that morning. We will probably be hearing young Daniel Bretscher's name in the future alongside the ITU and long course pros. <BR/><BR/>"At least we don't live no hum drum lives."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636567097339297046.post-44366376038858188272007-06-28T13:52:00.000-05:002007-06-28T13:52:00.000-05:00Thanks for letting us know about this...it's just ...Thanks for letting us know about this...it's just so horribly sad-especially the fact that no one could get to him in time. I don't get that part...but it happened and I guess we just have to keep moving forward.<BR/>Thanks for the link too.Fe-ladyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07986479866903093934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636567097339297046.post-91779696308874547692007-06-28T01:00:00.000-05:002007-06-28T01:00:00.000-05:00When I first got into open water swimming practice...When I first got into open water swimming practices I almost drown 60 meters from safety. I posted a blog on it back in Sept 05 if you care to read it. I scarred me and scared me until I finished ironman florida in terrible open ocean swim conditions. <BR/><BR/>During that race (IMFL) a man died. He had a heart attack or similiar in the water. I watched the rescue boat and people shouting into the water thinking someone had cut the buoy and not the unthinkable. As I swam feet away from this tragedy and the enormity reached me there was more than enough hands to bring the man out. <BR/><BR/>Each breath I watched the helicopter come and go from the scene. The spectators including my waiting wife felt something wrong. My wife wasa near a walkie and the description was the same as me. It was dificult for her to be happy and sad at the same time. <BR/><BR/>Seek quite time and meditation to put this through you. Pray to whomever or whatever you like and seek solice.Comm'shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01351781836311483147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636567097339297046.post-22925444063660204812007-06-27T16:33:00.000-05:002007-06-27T16:33:00.000-05:00Yes, very sad, and unexplainable, of course. Beli...Yes, very sad, and unexplainable, of course. Believe me, I have had those same thoughts many times, particularly after my accident, about feeling selfish for continuing to do things that put me at risk--because of others I am responsible for. But there are things we cannot control, and this was one of them. I'm sure that had he still known something would happen, he would have taken his chances with fate. None of us knows when our time will come, but we would like it to be in a happy situation like this. Leaving others behind makes it hard, because they will be the ones to suffer the loss. Take solace in the fact that it was an isolated incident, but naturally one which touched you personally, and isn't likely to happen to you. I am a firm believer that there is always a reason why things happen, and we just need to have faith in that. Hope you feel better soon.Vickiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12302710072433158197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636567097339297046.post-1734650067600261842007-06-27T14:02:00.000-05:002007-06-27T14:02:00.000-05:00we had a death in The Boulder Peak two years ago i...we had a death in The Boulder Peak two years ago in the swim.<BR/><BR/>it's a tragedy.<BR/><BR/>my condolences to his family, and my sadness for his father having to witness his death.<BR/><BR/>it stays with you forever.Bolderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11468747570730558685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636567097339297046.post-48961407443467931802007-06-26T23:19:00.000-05:002007-06-26T23:19:00.000-05:00that is so sad. I'm so sorry to hear about him - a...that is so sad. I'm so sorry to hear about him - and I hope his death is not wasted. I'm sorry for his family's loss.the Dread Pirate Rackhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06758895507726373202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636567097339297046.post-81538037977690299232007-06-26T20:05:00.000-05:002007-06-26T20:05:00.000-05:00Rob, I can't tell you how amazed, impressed and to...Rob, I can't tell you how amazed, impressed and touched I was when I heard of your and the other athlete's efforts to save Kevin. Thank you for being the light in this dark, sad event.Larissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00058994751103189361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636567097339297046.post-52287558556416010832007-06-26T18:26:00.000-05:002007-06-26T18:26:00.000-05:00I was there when it happened. Part of the human c...I was there when it happened. Part of the human chain warming up to begin the Quartermax race. You're blog comes very close to expressing how I feel. I'll never forget my first sight of him 10 feet from me when he was first pulled out. RIP Kevin Hunt.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636567097339297046.post-25248892777504015532007-06-26T18:14:00.000-05:002007-06-26T18:14:00.000-05:00That is a terribly sad story. I would assume he a...That is a terribly sad story. I would assume he aspirated a lot of water very quickly or had a very fast, fatal heart attack. With all of those people around to pull him out it had to have happened very, very quickly. So sad. So young. And yes - we have to carry on in spite of these scary incidences. They happen and they are always tragic but mostly they don't.21stCenturyMomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02370504811536749950noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636567097339297046.post-47925660500646550072007-06-26T15:31:00.000-05:002007-06-26T15:31:00.000-05:00oh wow, that is horrible. it seems so senseless. e...oh wow, that is horrible. it seems so senseless. especially with so many people around trying to help!<BR/><BR/>Please do let us know if you hear more about what happened. I wonder if he had a heart attack or something. Who knows.<BR/><BR/>a very thoughtful post.jeannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15105083650427355181noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636567097339297046.post-19988101762054203202007-06-26T14:20:00.000-05:002007-06-26T14:20:00.000-05:00If you hear anything more about why he drowned ple...If you hear anything more about why he drowned please let us know. I agree that it doesn't make sense. <BR/><BR/>We can't live in fear each and every day. Live it to the fullest.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15903883660163304283noreply@blogger.com