Describe a time you almost died....

[Ellybelly909]

I was in the car today and got to thinking about a few times where I have had brushes with death and avoided the grim reaper, by the grace of a higher power.

Once, when I was 12, I was walking home on a frozen creek, it was March, so the ice was thin. My mom had forbid me to do this. I was with a friend, and on a dare, walked over to an area with even thinner ice. I fell through the ice and felt my self drifting away from the hole. I panicked and grabbed for the hole and somehow dragged myself out. I was in shock from the cold and really didn't realize how fatal this situation could have been until much later.

I have been lucky many times in water, as I have almost died two or three times by drowning. I also remember almost dying at least three different times in a car.

If cat's have nine lives, I am part canine.

 

[luckynumbah7]

I think a lot of people have had brushes with water. I don't count my brushes with cars because there's been too many. As for water, I was about seven, slipped and hit my head on the side of the pool at a family gathering. It's an interesting experience, knowing your drowning and not actually feeling any pain. Though you can feel yourself floating/sinking. One of the relatives who just happened to be a child molester fished me out in time.

I have, however, been in several nasty accidents, one involving an ax, another involving a small hot oil fire.

 

[Kulindahr]

Two river rescues come to mind, one involving two canoes -- lifeguarding for a canoe trip on a river literally just declared below flood stage right at the start was challenging; so is guarding for a youth group who don't take instructions seriously.

Hypothermia would have gotten me once if two Boy Scouts hadn't been alert.

Then there was the wreck where I woke up in the passenger's seat as we were coming to a landing among brush and trees -- I complained I missed the best part, wherein we left the driver's side mirror stuck on a limb a dozen feet off the ground.

Of course the suicide attempt where the doctors said they had no explanation for why it didn't work.

The ultimate, though, was on the Golden Gate Bridge, departing San Francisco, when the semi in front of us suddenly hit the brakes hard. There was no way we had stopping time, even though Steve was standing on the brake and trying to shift into reverse. But though we were doing a bit over 50mph, we came to a complete stop in under two car lengths. After, Vic took a piece of paper and wrote something down, then asked, "Did you see anything?" Turned out we had all seen an ephemereal hand pushing against the front of the car while Steve braked.
Though the thing that really strikes me about that memory is while watching the rear of that semi approach, I never once thought of ducking.

 

[luckynumbah7]

Ooooh, and one on a bicycle. I didn't turn when I was supposed to, hit the curb, flew over the handlebars and all my weight landed on my chin. Ended up with whiplash and a mild concussion. And a severe case of over-adrenaline, that shits' uncomfortable, to put it mildly. Oh, and a scar on the 'tip' of my chin, though I'm surprised it healed so well.

 

[Kulindahr]

I think a lot of people have had brushes with water. I don't count my brushes with cars because there's been too many. As for water, I was about seven, slipped and hit my head on the side of the pool at a family gathering. It's an interesting experience, knowing your drowning and not actually feeling any pain. Though you can feel yourself floating/sinking. One of the relatives who just happened to be a child molester fished me out in time.

I have, however, been in several nasty accidents, one involving an ax, another involving a small hot oil fire.

Ack. Reminds me I once got a mild to moderate concussion at a water park. I'd taken a youth group there, and one of the kids, with just a learner's permit, had to drive us home because I wasn't exactly responding well. Bad thing was I knew something was up with my head but couldn't concentrate to figure it out, so I swam a while then went back up to the high chute. One of the kids realized I was kind of spaced out and asked if something had happened. I just remembered a bump on the side of my head when I shot out the bottom of that slide, and it hadn't seemed like much.

Doctor later told me I was lucky I didn't finish myself off running around like nothing was wrong -- so I guess that counts.

 

[Kulindahr]

Ooooh, and one on a bicycle. I didn't turn when I was supposed to, hit the curb, flew over the handlebars and all my weight landed on my chin. Ended up with whiplash and a mild concussion. And a severe case of over-adrenaline, that shits' uncomfortable, to put it mildly. Oh, and a scar on the 'tip' of my chin, though I'm surprised it healed so well.

I had a rather dramatic bicycle wreck once, went over a too-low guard rail at something upwards of 50 mph, but there wasn't much risk: I landed in younger alder trees all tangled together with thick blackberry vines with underbrush poking up through. Seemed like it took forever to pull all the thorns out of my skin, and I had a row of bruises later where I'd slapped into probably the closest three alder trees. Nothing broken, just lots of pain and little rivulets of blood.

 

[gsdx]

Anyone remember 'suicide doors' on old cars? They were the rear doors which opened backwards (i.e. toward the back of the car). I was the victim of one when I was a kid. We had been out for a drive one Sunday afternoon, a special treat back in those days. I was sitting on the outside near the door. My father stopped at a store and bought us each a treat - a box of Cracker Jack. As we drove away, I opened my box and reached for the window handle to roll it down, but grabbed the door handle instead. The wind caught the door and ripped it open, pulling me with it. I even remember scrambling to my feet, crying and screaming, and running after the car.

I still have the scar on my upper lip where my face met the gravel. What pissed me off most, though, was I couldn't eat my Cracker Jack.

I didn't know what death was back then, but thinking about it now makes me realise I wasn't particularly far from it.

 

[Keeland]

Anyone remember 'suicide doors' on old cars?

Betcha it was a Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth.

 

[Kulindahr]

Anyone remember 'suicide doors' on old cars? They were the rear doors which opened backwards (i.e. toward the back of the car). I was the victim of one when I was a kid. We had been out for a drive one Sunday afternoon, a special treat back in those days. I was sitting on the outside near the door. My father stopped at a store and bought us each a treat - a box of Cracker Jack. As we drove away, I opened my box and reached for the window handle to roll it down, but grabbed the door handle instead. The wind caught the door and ripped it open, pulling me with it. I even remember scrambling to my feet, crying and screaming, and running after the car.

I still have the scar on my upper lip where my face met the gravel. What pissed me off most, though, was I couldn't eat my Cracker Jack.

I didn't know what death was back then, but thinking about it now makes me realise I wasn't particularly far from it.

I've heard of that happening but never knew anyone who went through it. Wow.

 

[Kulindahr]

Whoa -- how could I have forgotten this one?

I'd gotten 'way up the beach past rock outcroppings and boulders but pushed my time limit. I was left counting the waves and waiting for the spot in the pattern where there should be a small one. I had to count over a hundred waves to get it right; waited, made my dash....

I'd forgotten to account for the refraction effect as waves come around large boulders. At a place where there was no way to go back, I saw this monster combined refraction shooting at me. My best chance was to plaster myself flat against a smooth rock face, and I got to one with not quite two seconds to spare.

The impact reminded me of wrestling practice when we did takedowns, three on one. If I'd been slammed against the rock, I would have gotten broken ribs; as it was I was just pounded by pressure, and it was all I could do to keep any breath in.

It was over in about four seconds. I sprinted through mid-thigh deep incoming surf, ignoring sharps rock under foot, to safety, and sat looking back. As I watched it happen again, I noticed the sheer ripping power of the waves as they converged -- not straight in, but sideways. That's when I realized that if I'd been wearing a stitch of clothing, I'd almost certainly have been ripped away from the rock face and slammed against sharp rock -- broken ribs at a minimum.

Can still give me a shudder.

 

[purina]

The first time I was no older than five. I was playing by myself in the backyard, pretending I was being made to walk the plank at swordpoint on a pirate ship with a noose around my neck.

I was sitting on the A bar of one end of the swing set with a length of old clothesline tied at the top of the frame at one end and the other knotted around my neck. I slipped my butt off the crossbar while keeping a tight grip on the legs of the A frame intending to simulate a last minute rescue by pulling myself back up. I found I didn't have the strength for that.

Just then I hear our side door open and shortly see my Dad going right past me about 12 feet away towards the allley with a bag of garbage. I couldn't call out either because the noose was too tight or because it took every bit of strength I had just to hold on. I was sure he would be able to see by the fear on my face that I was in real danger and would save, but he didn't even notice me. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to hold on till he came back the other way . When he finally did, I tried to signal my panic with my expression and what kicking I could manage, but he was completely oblivious.

Just then, the little girl next door came bopping out through the gate in her yard and saw my Dad going by, then glanced past him at me and her jaw dropped. As my Dad disappeared from view she ran back out her gate and around to ours and managed to push enough to enable me to regain my seat on the crossbar, despite her being smaller than me.

I felt so ashamed and she for me that we didn't speak.

The parents in Hansel and Gretel are what really scared the shit out of me.

 

[Telstra]

When i was around 5 and then 8 i think, nearly drown both times

 

[BillyT]

One time when I was around 10 years old I almost drowned and when I was 18 years old me and a friend was in his car (1962 Corvette) and we were hit by a drunk driver going over 100 mph. Total both cars and the drunk driver was killed when his car flipped and landed on top of him. The odd thing there was the owner of the car who was not driving was a high school friend of mine.

 

[SaskGuy]

I almost drowned to death at the lake, and my friend came out to save me. I went out a little to far to the buoys, where the water was 6' deep... lol, how humiliating.

 

[Kulindahr]

The first time I was no older than five. I was playing by myself in the backyard, pretending I was being made to walk the plank at swordpoint on a pirate ship with a noose around my neck.

I was sitting on the A bar of one end of the swing set with a length of old clothesline tied at the top of the frame at one end and the other knotted around my neck. I slipped my butt off the crossbar while keeping a tight grip on the legs of the A frame intending to simulate a last minute rescue by pulling myself back up. I found I didn't have the strength for that.

Just then I hear our side door open and shortly see my Dad going right past me about 12 feet away towards the allley with a bag of garbage. I couldn't call out either because the noose was too tight or because it took every bit of strength I had just to hold on. I was sure he would be able to see by the fear on my face that I was in real danger and would save, but he didn't even notice me. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to hold on till he came back the other way . When he finally did, I tried to signal my panic with my expression and what kicking I could manage, but he was completely oblivious.

Just then, the little girl next door came bopping out through the gate in her yard and saw my Dad going by, then glanced past him at me and her jaw dropped. As my Dad disappeared from view she ran back out her gate and around to ours and managed to push enough to enable me to regain my seat on the crossbar, despite her being smaller than me.

I felt so ashamed and she for me that we didn't speak.

The parents in Hansel and Gretel are what really scared the shit out of me.

Parents can be so oblivious....

every time I was in any risky situation and my mom came, first she had to take a picture....

 

[SaskGuy]

I once almost choked on a sandwich, and I was alone. I was able to exhale hard and push it out, but if I had inhaled, it probably would have gone down too far for me to do anything about it, and I wouldn't be here to type this right now.

 

[tromploeil]

When I was ten I was jumping off the diving board into the deep end of the pool close enough to the edge to squirm out, I didn't know how to swim. as you might expect, I soon jumped too far out, became disoriented perhaps by the shadow of the diving board and couldn't hold my breath any longer so I started to breathe in the water. I remember thinking people were going to be really impressed with my trick when they found out I could breathe water. Suddenly I realized I couldn't breathe water and went through a brief paroxysm of panic, then a voice came to me seemingly from inside my head and I was instantly calm. The voice said only three words, "Choose a direction" and I knew I would either get to shallow water, where I could stand, or the edge of the pool. I also knew I might just drown; but whatever I wasn't afraid. For years I was unafraid of drowning after that. I don't know exactly how I decided to move, whether I was swimming or not, but the voice was all I needed to calm me. What or where the voice came from I do not know; it seemed to come from inside me yet it was not my voice and I have never heard that same voice since.

 

[MakeDigitalLove]

When I was real young I was in my Uncles pool in the deep end and was being supervised by my dad. I was in a float and it flipped over, my feet were stuck in the float and at the time I didn't know how to swim. My feet were stuck for quite a while because I was panicking, but I eventually got them out. I was wailing under water for what seemed like an eternity, slightly peaking my head above water at times. My dad noticed and put his hand out to grab be, I don't understand why he didn't jump in to get me though.

It was at a family get together and my father and I were the only ones out where the pool was. My uncle made a couple jokes about it right after it happened and people had a few laughs, I know they were trying to make me feel better at the time but it didn't make me feel better.

 

[luckynumbah7]

I've heard of that happening but never knew anyone who went through it. Wow.

Happened to my mother. She always makes sure her doors are locked and seatbelt on these days.

 

[Kulindahr]

When I was real young I was in my Uncles pool in the deep end and was being supervised by my dad. I was in a float and it flipped over, my feet were stuck in the float and at the time I didn't know how to swim. My feet were stuck for quite a while because I was panicking, but I eventually got them out. I was wailing under water for what seemed like an eternity, slightly peaking my head above water at times. My dad noticed and put his hand out to grab be, I don't understand why he didn't jump in to get me though.

It was at a family get together and my father and I were the only ones out where the pool was. My uncle made a couple jokes about it right after it happened and people had a few laughs, I know they were trying to make me feel better at the time but it didn't make me feel better.

NOT fun! As a lifeguard I pulled a few kids out of the situation -- never went in; they were all close enough to use the giant "shepherd's crook" to pull to shore. And joking is no way to try to ease the reaction.