Man drowns and lifeguard in critical after 'breath holding' exercises at NY pool

Daily Mail ^ | 7/14/11 | Daily Mail Reporter

[Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears]

A man died and a lifeguard was left in critical condition after they passed out doing underwater breath-holding exercises in a crowded swimming pool.

Horrified families looked on as Bohdan Vitenko and Jonathan Proce, both 21, were found face down in 3ft of water at the Lyons Pool in Tompkinsville, Staten Island, New York.

They were practicing techniques similar to those used in military training.

Both men were taken to Richmond University Medical Center after they were rescued from the crowded pool at 8.25am.

Officials confirmed Vitenko died at 9.45am while Proce, who works as a lifeguard for a pool in another borough, was still in a critical condition. Proce's uncle Jerrier Atassi told the New York Daily News: 'We're very surprised about what happened because Jonathan is a very accomplished swimmer.'

[Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears]

A lifeguard and another guy, in top physical health...one drowns, one is in critical condition, in a pool that you can stand up in and have your head above water at all points.

I've never heard of anything like this.

Critical condition.

Drowned.

[silverleaf]

Well, we know who won the contest

[Opinionated Blowhard]

In 3 feet of water in a crowded swimming pool? This is bizzare. You’d think once you reached a certain point you’d simply stand up and take a breath.

[Venturer]

Darwin??

[Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears]

That’s the only thing I can figure. Freaky.

[jagusafr]

A case of “mine’s bigger than yours”, I’m afraid. Seen it more than once. Prayers for the families and the survivor.

Colonel, USAFR

[sonofagun]

You’d think once you reached a certain point you’d simply stand up and take a breath.

They probably super saturated with oxygen using deep breathing techniques prior to this contest.

That subjects you to what is known as shallow water blackout which comes on suddenly with no warning.

I used to do the same thing when I was young and ignorant.

I was amazed, though, at how long I could hold my breath.

[mikey_hates_everything]

A case of “mine’s bigger than yours”

Or drugs.

[JRandomFreeper]

Yep, testosterone poisoning. They are the correct age for it.

Prayers for the families.

/johnny

[Portcall24]

This was a “duel” that nobody won.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

That’s interesting information. I used to swim in high school and we did deep breathing. I would try to see how many lengths of the pool I could swim underwater without a breath. I always got myself into a somewhat sleepy state doing the deep breathing but as you said, I could stay under for a long time. I didn’t realize I was putting myself in such a dangerous state.

[Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears]

>>Or drugs.<<

I doubt it.

[thackney]

Thanks for posting that. I have done the same and never knew about this. I thought I was supersaturating the blood with oxygen.

After your post and some quick searching, I learned that there is little difference in the O2 level, only the CO2 level is depressed, which is what triggers the urge to breath.

People hyperventlate, reduce the CO2 levels, run out of O2, pass out without feeling the urge to breath.

http://www.scuba-doc.com/latenthypoxia.html

[rokkitapps]

sounds like a horror movie where suddenly the surface of the water from underneath is suddenly solid and can’t be penetrated.

[surroundedbyblue]

I don’t think you can supersaturate the blood with oxygen unless it’s pressurized (hyperbaric) or you’re breathing a percentage higher than room air (which is only 21% oxygen). The hyperventilation would reduce CO2, which is actually your drive to breathe. With reduced CO2, one wouldn’t have the necessary chemical trigger of receptors in the brain to initiate a breath.

Maybe I’m wrong but I’m only basing this on what I’ve learned in nursing school.

[HangnJudge]

I used to do the same thing when I was young and ignorant.
I was amazed, though, at how long I could hold my breath.

I used to practice breathholding after hyperventilation

Records:
swam 3 lengths of swimming pool underwater
Held breath once for 4'45”

I don't recommend it to others, but
it did, powerfully, teach self control

What it does is strip the CO2 from the blood stream
Most breathing efforts are driven by
raising CO2, not lowering O2

Drastically dropping CO2 levels can cause
the breathing reflexes to simply "forget" to breath

[Crolis]

Thanks for posting that link. It’s really interesting how human physiology adapts to water, sometimes with negative results.

[thackney]

It is rather scary to think I have often done this in front of my kids. The thought of me passing out underwater in front of them and drowning a few feet away is tough.

[NonValueAdded]

Just out of curiosity, isn’t that a recipe for SIDS?

[captbarney]

Agree, real scary. My boy, when he was about 10/11 (now 22)would do this in the pool while I sat on a beach chair watching. Who knew?