The day I died in Chaos

23 years ago I died.

I was 7 years old and had been out digging holes in a snow bank with my cousin. We really didn’t see any danger in it and it was fun seeing who could dig the deepest.

My cousin left to go snowmobiling and I decided to stay out and keep playing. I remember sitting on the snow bank inbetween the two holes we had dug and then the next memory I have is being stuck head first in one of them. I remember being trapped. My arms were stuck near my chest and I couldn’t move them. I remember kicking my feet and screaming for help hoping that maybe someone would walk by and see or hear me. That actually made my situation worse. Kicking my feet caused the snow to cave in on me making me even more trapped.

I have no idea how long I was trapped there but I do remember it becoming harder to breathe. I started to get really sleepy and one of my very last thoughts was that I was going to die. I remember telling myself that I was going to fall asleep and I wouldn’t wake up. I don’t remember being scared by this. I remember feeling this strange calm feeling come over me and I closed my eyes and lost consciousness.

My next memories are waking up in my dads arms throwing up. Everything else was pretty foggy. There were a lot of people around and a lot of noise. I remember being put in the back of an ambulance and my dad being there. I remember being tired and wanting to close my eyes and go back to sleep and them yelling at me to stay awake and to keep my eyes open. I remember being at the hospital and them cutting my clothes off and being upset that they ruined my favorite sweater. I was kept overnight at the hospital for observation but released the next morning with very minor injuries.

I was told after that my cousin returned home from snowmobiling and he was the one that inititally found me and ran back for help. One of my uncles had a surge of adrenaline and grabbed me by my feet and pulled me out. My mom told me that my lips were blue I wasn’t breathing and my heart had stopped. My other Uncle thankfully knew CPR and was able to get my heart going and me breathing again.

Every year on Good Friday I remember this. And I’m reminded of just how lucky I am to be alive today.

Last updated April 19, 2019