Twins Rescue Their Dad from Drowning, a Reminder to Us All to Learn CPR

After the twins rescue their dad from drowning during a terrifying near-drowning experience in the family pool, the father emphasizes the importance of water safety this summer and urges families to take CPR lessons to be prepared in case of emergencies.

After he nearly drowned in the family pool, a father in Alabama is sharing his terrifying near-death experience to encourage families everywhere to learn CPR.

Brad Hassig told ABCNews that the incident began when he was performing breathing exercises for underwater meditation, something he has done numerous times. But, he lost consciousness as a result of an error.

“We were just swimming. The lads enjoyed themselves. I enjoy performing relaxing breathing techniques in the water, which involves simply sitting underwater,” Hassig revealed in an interview with ABC affiliate WBMA in Birmingham. “I recited the Lord’s Prayer. And I simply cannot recall finishing it.”

Underwater meditation is exactly what it sounds like: guided meditation practiced underwater. It is typically conducted with a snorkel to allow breathing or by holding your breath and listening to your body and the surrounding water. It is gaining in popularity among scuba divers and yoga enthusiasts who wish to deepen their meditation experiences. Unsurprisingly, this style of meditation requires the practitioner to hold their breath as long as possible.

According to the CDC, one way to prevent drowning is to avoid holding your breath for long periods of time. If a swimmer holds their breath for too long, they may have a “hypoxic blackout” or “shallow water blackout,” which causes them to pass out and drown.

Unfortunately for Hassig, it looks that holding his breath beneath water caused him to pass out.

Luckily, Hassig’s twin 10-year-old boys Bridon and Christian, as well as a child from the neighborhood, were in the pool with him and witnessed the incident. The lads immediately performed CPR and struggled to drag their 185-pound father to the side of the pool.

“They weigh perhaps 80 to 80-plus pounds, but I weigh 185 pounds. Thus, they should not have been physically capable of doing what they did,” Hassig informed WBMA. Everything transpired as flawlessly as it probably needed to.

The lads disclosed to WBMA that they lacked CPR training but could recall moments from the famous 1990s films Hook and The Sandlot. Although they could not unlock their father’s iPhone, they knew to perform chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth while their neighbor raced for aid.

Hassig’s tale is a good reminder that CPR is a crucial life skill that even children can learn, especially during the summer when families are enjoying swimming and water sports in pools and natural bodies of water.

Drowning kills 4,000 people annually and is the leading cause of injury-related death for children under the age of four. Families can prevent drownings by taking a few preventative measures, such as taking swimming lessons, wearing life jackets, and learning CPR.

The Hassig family wants everyone to be cautious around water and to learn CPR, according to ABCNews. They are currently preparing a neighborhood event to help other families obtain CPR training to prevent such incidents from occurring.

If you are interested in learning CPR, numerous organizations across the country may assist you. If your city does not currently offer CPR lessons, you can locate great infant and toddler CPR classes online.

According to the CDC, formal training is not required to conduct CPR on an individual. They recommend that anyone needing CPR in an emergency dial 9-1-1 first. Then, attempt CPR by pressing down swiftly and firmly on the center of the chest 100 to 120 times per minute. Consider the beat of the song “Staying Alive” for a simple approach to accomplish this. The CDC also recommends doing CPR until medical assistance arrives.

Studying CPR as a family is an excellent method to ensure everyone feels empowered to assist in an emergency. It is also a fantastic reminder that no one is ever completely secure from drowning, regardless of how experienced they are at swimming or how comfortable they feel around water.

To learn more about enrolling in in-person CPR lessons, phone 2-1-1 to locate nearby resources.

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