Submerged and Emerged Alive Against All Odds
The following was adapted from a post on social media bringing alive the story of a miracle child who survived 35 minutes under water and bounced back.
Thirty-five minutes underwater, he submerged and emerged alive against all odds.
On September 30th, on a Sabbath morning, a seven year old child attempted to retrieve a ball from a very cold lake, but frighteningly he ended up drowning. An emergency call was made to Hatzoloh of Rockland County, 911, and Chaverim Of Rockland, triggering multiple responders and urgent requests for County of Rockland 911 Dive teams. Monsey Fire Department, Stony Point, and Thiells Dive Teams all rushed to Suzanne Lake.
Multiple first responders went straight in to the water with zero visibility, relying solely on touch. After close to 30 minutes he was found underwater by Hatzalah Volunteer Yidel Badansky.
A Hatzoloh of Rockland ambulance staffed with Paramedics, including VitalOne’s Fishel Litzman, David Strohli, Yaakov Goldberg, and Tzvi Follman began CPR and other life-saving intervention as they fought to revive the child.
Fishel Litzman successfully intubated on the first attempt, but despite all they could do, he coded again en route to the hospital. Efforts continued at B Bon Secours Charity Health System, Inc. where the child codes once more, but no one gave up.
Ultimately, the young boy was stabilized and was transferred the Westchester Medical Center, where after 33 days in the PICU the child was transferred to RJW Barnabis Children’s Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick, NJ for 75 more days before being discharged home.
Currently, this miracle child is awaiting transfer to a specialty care center in Florida, involving hyperbaric and neurological treatments for a full recovery.
Realizing the need to move states, the parents called Chevra Hatzalah Volunteer Ambulance Service for assistance, and Hatzalah directed the family to VitalOne who flew the boy to South Florida. There, on the tarmac a Hatzalah South Florida Ambulance and crew awaited their arrival.
Now in sunny Florida, this boy, whose story began in Rockland County, prepares to continue his recovery thanks to the many Chesed organizations and medical facilities that made this possible.
*posted with parent’s permission
