Created 16-Feb-18
Modified 27-Dec-23
Just found this 41 year old newspaper clipping from the Beverly Times. I get the chills every time I think about it.
This one event is the closest I've ever come to death. It is a sobering memory that I will never forget. Even today I'm reminded of it when I spill food with my clumsy fingers and their slightly numb finger tips. Since then I have gained a lasting respect for cold water and tend to shy away from cold water of any temperature.
When I read the article today it seems impossible that Ric and I could have survived for over 1/2 hour in that salt water which was probably below 32F. To approximate the effect, take off your shirt and place a big piece of ice up against your chest and hold it there. Then imagine what it would feel like to slip your whole body into water at this temperature. It's like being in a vice, you can hardly breathe.
Somehow we survived! To me it felt like a second chance at life. Less than 7 days later I would meet the woman who would become the mother of my four children and grandmother to my 6 grandchildren (so far). What if I had not made it?
Life is so precious, so unpredictable, yet so easy to take for granted. I give thanks to God for giving me a chance to continue on.
© Robert Peek Photography
