Wes Skiles death - July 21, 2010

[dumpsterDiver]

We have no right to any information. We are not his family, nor his close friends. Any information his family chooses to make public is their own decision, and they have the right to do whatever they feel comforts them the most. As soon as he passed, this stopped being about him, and started being about his family. No matter how much of a public figure someone is, it gives us no rights concerning their next of kin.

Tom

I agree, however the family should probably release information in a manner that they think would be consistent with Wes's desires. WWWD?

 

[Thalassamania]

We have no right to any information. We are not his family, nor his close friends. Any information his family chooses to make public is their own decision, and they have the right to do whatever they feel comforts them the most. As soon as he passed, this stopped being about him, and started being about his family. No matter how much of a public figure someone is, it gives us no rights concerning their next of kin.

Tom

I have to disagree. I did not know Wes well, a little more than casually, that was it ... but he took me aside at one of the Tek conferences and asked for details of a case that I had served as an expert on. Due to some circumstances I was not permitted to discuss that specific case (I still can't) and apologized. Wes understood (sort of) but decried, in no uncertain terms, the idea that information that could save other divers was not freely and easily available. I'd say that Wes would have wanted as much information as possible to be made public as quickly as possible, those were his views and he was that kind of guy.

 

[boulderjohn]

. I'd say that Wes would have wanted as much information as possible to be made public as quickly as possible, those were his views and he was that kind of guy.

I never met Wes, but from what I know I have to agree with Thal.

To carry this to the absurd, look at the attention that was paid to the details of the death of Micheal Jackson. Those details serve little public benefit, since only a handful of the world's population can possibly be in that situation, yet no one questions the public's right to know.

In this case, knowing what happened can actually serve the public good. I am sure that is what Wes would want. In fact, I cannot imagine it otherwise.

 

[TSandM]

Honestly, I think that, when a diver with Wes's public profile and unquestionable experience dies, there is tremendous value in releasing the reason why. If it is medical (which I am personally certain it was not, for reasons already stated) it reassures people using the same type of equipment and doing the same type of dives.

If it was not medical . . . well, whatever choice of technique, gas, profile or other parameter he used that may have contributed to his death, the rest of us need to know what it was so that we can avoid the same error. There ARE places in diving where increased experience makes different decisions attractive and perhaps even reasonable. If there is some point at which that kind of liberalizing becomes fatal, it would be an enormous service (and a fitting epitaph for a man who contributed enormous amounts to the diving world) for us to know what it was.

 

[ucfdiver]

I would like to know the reason. The cause of Wes' death will not change my opinion of him at all. He did far too many good things for schools, the community, the state...everyone, for me to summarize his life by a single mistake.

His photos are one of the top motivations I became certified to dive 11 years ago.

 

[gcbryan]

I'd like to know what happened just like everyone else but it's either a medical or judgment issue more than likely. I tend to agree that if it was medical that would probably have been made public by now. Even if an O2 sensor was bad, unless all three were bad it would more or less still be a judgment issue.

Pilot error, operator error, human error ... these are the root causes in most accidents regardless of the sport or activity. Since it's unrealistic to think that these will ever be eliminated I'm not sure there is really much to learn. I'm pretty sure all of the basic lessons to be learned with CCR's (or cave diving or anything else) have already been learned.

That's not to say that we shouldn't keep trying but learning how (why) he died more than likely would be useful only in the sense of reinforcing what we already know.

 

[Cruisin Home]

you are living in a different world than me if you say that privacy of a famous person is their right: somebody already said Michael Jackson, but add to that Lady Di, John Denver, JFK jr. , John Lennon, etc. Maybe Denver is the best example because these things have influenced new laws and regulations. Do you want that?

I already said What would Wes say? and I think their is three outstanding posts above that reflect his sentiment. Thanks guys. Maybe we will just have to wait a bit longer.

 

[b1gcountry]

I never mentioned privacy. I simply stated that his family and friends are under no obligation to share any details that they may know. What claims do we have over them?

Tom

 

[Rick Murchison]

I never mentioned privacy. I simply stated that his family and friends are under no obligation to share any details that they may know.

And you are quite right.

What claims do we have over them?

Tom

Zero,
zip,
nada.
Rick

 

[Cruisin Home]

maybe not under obligation to us but maybe to local, state and/or federal law enforcement officials who I am sure were/are involved here.

pobably gonna take lots of time, maybe forever. too bad, another great diver going out in pure silence. Only the sea knows.