Lake Travis Fatality@Windy Point

[Dee]

I think we are all interested in learning how/why Michael died. It's always sad and hard to accept when a fellow diver dies. Understanding what happened or went wrong may help someone else but we definately don't want to start placing blame.

What I mean is that in alot of these type reports, along with the how's and why's, people start second guessing and assigning blame to someone for what happened. It doesn't solve anything so I was hoping we could avoid that part altogether. If we learn what happened, let's use the information to make ourselves and buddies safer.

Please pass along our condolences and thoughts to his family and friends.

 

[Hawkeye Mark]

Received email indicating that cause of death was a heart attack as determined by coroner.

 

[PurduEE]

The viewing is today from 4-8PM. I didn't know Mike, but I plan on attending briefly out of respect.

Here's directions for the funeral home:
http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?Pyt...855200&cs=5&stat=:pos:3:regular:regT:19:fbT:1

 

[victoriawtx]

especially sorry for his friends and family, at this sudden loss.

I thought this seemed fitting:

"It is not length of life, but depth of life."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

[ScubaTexan]

Please extend my deepest sympathies and condolences to Mike's family. We can never be prepared enough for something like this.

Ken

 

[tlessard]

Hello folks. I can confirm, based on the coroners report, that Mike did in fact have a massive heart attack. He had 60% blockage in his heart. While this wasn't truely a diving accident, I hope this will be a wake up call for many divers and non-divers alike that it's a good idea to be in decent shape and to have a regular check-up performed by a doctor. Outwardly at 54, Mike was in incredible condition, but his heart was not. If he had found out sooner, I'm sure he could have had the necessary corrective surgery and still would have been with us today.

While the situation sucks, this does in fact come as a great relief to me personally to know that it wasn't a SCUBA related accident, malfunction, or personal error on the part of Mike or his instructor. I've passed along all of your condolances to his family. It was greatly appriciated.

From what I understand, this will still be considered a drowning on the death certificate due to the fact that the coroner found water in his lungs. Can anyone tell me why this is the case? Especially considering that the heart attack was determined as the actual cause of death? Just curious...

Thanks everyone, and happy diving! Do one for Mikey!

-Trey

 

[pops]

Would he be alive if his heart attack occured on land?

 

[tlessard]

Can you imagine a better place to have a heart attack than with a bunch of people who are trained CPR and O2 providers?

Sorry pops...I took off part of the message I left a couple days ago. I think I was a bit harsh. I don't believe that he would have lived either way...maybe if he had his heart attack above water in a hospital...but who knows. I think only God could answer that question.

I think you should do what you feel comfortable doing. It's a bad idea to do anything related to diving that makes you uncomfortable...that's when you make mistakes. I know Mike was comfortable with what he was doing that day, or he would not have done it. I think it was just his time. I can't think of any other reason.

Don't hesitate to take the advanced class unless you get into it and become uncomfortable. It can only make you a better/safer diver. I think that if you feel uncomfortable diving in general, it may not be a good idea to take the Adv. class (or maybe even to dive anymore at all). But if you are somewhat at ease, it will only make you feel more comfortable and in control of your underwater situation.

Try not to psych yourself out...diving is a fun and safe sport. It's just best to keep it within reason and not do anything you are not trained to do. That even goes for your confidence in what your instructor has taught you...if you feel you have not learned everything you need to know to be safe, you should go back to your LDS and tell them you need more instruction from a different instructor. I've had/seen BAD instructors before. It may just be a matter of finding a teacher who is better at teaching you. Everyone is different!

Lastly, I would remind you, it's a good idea to make sure your in decent shape...your general health (especially fat content) affects your ability to off-gas. In Mike's situation, I think it was a matter of bad or unexistant monitoring of his cardiovascular system by his physician. He had been under a doctor's care as recently as a year ago for pains in his chest...it was determined to be a 'separated rib', or something to that effect. Question your doctors diagnoses in situations such as this! and...

Dive! Dive! Dive!

My 2 cents...
Trey:dunce:

 

[army_roofus]

My thougts and prayers to the friends and Family. Keep Diving.

Mike, Houston...

 

[-=>Larry<=-]

Things have been very quiet around OHS the last couple of weeks - and as one of the second circle out - I'm not about to impose on them, or you, and have been content to worry & pray.

Nevertheless - I totally agree:

tlessard once bubbled...
While the situation sucks, this does in fact come as a great relief to me personally to know that it wasn't a SCUBA related accident, malfunction, or personal error on the part of Mike or his instructor. I've passed along all of your condolances to his family. It was greatly appriciated.

I do believe it's time for a dive, and I will definitely:

tlessard once bubbled...
..... and happy diving! Do one for Mikey!

-Trey