Frozen to Death

This winter was unlike most winters for us in Rochester, New York. It was a tad bit warmer than usual but still cold enough to freeze over most of the small bodies of water that are scattered throughout upstate New York. Today was one of the rare sunny days that we get so we decided to grab our skates and head for Mendon Ponds for a day of fun on the ice. My mom and dad, 2 brothers, 2 sisters and my best friend and I all piled up in our station wagon and hit the road.

When we arrived at Hundred Acre Pond which is the biggest of all the ponds it appeared as if everyone in Rochester had the same idea as us and there were people as far as the eye can see. This let us know that the ice was thick and safe to skate on but didn't leave much room for us to skate freely. We decided to take the trails to one of the other ponds. Because of the fact that it was quite a long walk from the only parking lot and the trails were steep and slippery we knew that not many people would be there. A while later we arrived at the second biggest pond named Deep Pond and there was barely anyone in sight. My dad went over to the edge of the pond and picked up the biggest rock he could find and hurled it far out onto the ice. We all waited in anticipation to see if the ice would crack. To be extra cautious we all did the same as dad and picked up big rocks and threw them onto different areas of the pond. None of them sank and no signs of cracking so we laced up our skates and hit the ice.

There was 8 of us all together and we were having so much fun pretending to be figure skaters and playing our version of ice hockey using sticks and a rock for a puck. Suddenly my little sister shouted out, "Let's play Chain Whip". This was a game that we had made up and it was so much fun that we all instantly agreed to play. We all took the hand of the person in front of us so that we made a 8 person long chain. We then started to skate in a large circle shaped pattern as fast as we could until we reached a rapid pace gaining speed with every turn. My younger brother was the last one in line and the first to let go my sisters hand and he was thrown across the pond as if he was at the end of a whip. He twisted and twirled out of control until he landed on the bank of the pond upside down laughing hysterically. So the next person in line let go and the next person and the next until it was my turn. I didn't think that I would be flung so hard being that the chain was shorter and was not as fast as when we started out. I was wrong, when I let go of my mothers hand I was whipped so hard that my skates actually left the ice for a split second and I was spinning in circles out of control. I was headed directly for my little sister who was sitting on the ice trying to regain her equilibrium. I was going so fast that I started to panic so I quickly had to try to redirect myself before I crashed straight into her. This was not an easy thing to do being dizzy from the spinning and not yet in full control of my skates. At the last second I somehow was able to turn to the left and avoided colliding with her. When suddenly the blade from my left skate hit the blade of my right skate which made me fall hard onto the ice and I slid far away from my family and stopped about 5 feet from the shore.

I was relieved that I had both avoided hitting my sister and that I finally stopped spinning. I was still quite dizzy and laid there with my eyes closed until everything stopped spinning. It was then that I heard the worst sound I have ever heard, the sound that would never leave my ears and would change my life forever. The sound of the ice below me cracking filled my ears and I quickly got up on my knees and started to scream to everyone that the ice was moving under me and I knew that I needed help. Not but a second after I said the last word the ice broke open and I was in the freezing water barely able to move. The ice was thick and the more I thrashed around trying to keep my head above the water the more the ice would break free. This only made matters worse due to the heaviness of the ice closing in around me it was pushing me downward and I quickly went under.

My will to survive was strong and I knew that if I stayed under the surface much longer I would be pulled away from the very small opening and my chances of making it out would disappear. Hypothermia had taken over and my muscles were freezing up. I looked up almost out of breath and used the last bit of strength I had to grab onto a chunk of ice and I managed to raise my head above the water. I gasped and coughed trying to fill my lungs back up with air but even that had become hard to do. I knew that time was not on my side as I felt my chest tighten as if a thousand pound rock was sitting on top of me pushing me down and crushing my lungs. I couldn't hold on anymore because I couldn't feel any of my limbs and I took the deepest breath I could manage and slipped below the ice once more. I was sinking and fast and there was nothing at all that I could do no matter how hard I tried. I started to pray and my life flashed before my eyes and then a calm washed over me. I was dying and I was well aware of that then everything went black.

The next thing I remember I was laying in a hospital room still unable to move or talk with just barely enough strength to crack open my eyes. I couldn't feel my limbs and I was so confused. I slowly tried to move any part of my body I could but the message from my brain to my body was lost somewhere in between and no part would respond to my mental command. I then noticed that I wasn't even breathing on my own. I was hooked up to machines and had a tube down my throat and all I could do was lay there motionless and think. I was angry, very angry in fact. Why was I still alive if all I was able to do was lay there motionless unable to live the life I once did? This was so unfair and I wished I had just died instead of coming back to life with no ability to really live. A million thoughts flooded my head and I started to feel too many emotions at one time and then once again blackness surrounded me.

I heard every voice of every one I loved talking to me. It felt like I was dreaming but this one would never end until one day it suddenly did. I'm not sure what it was or how it happened all I know is that my entire family was there praying together over me. I heard them ask God to heal me and show them any signs that I would pull through this. This must have been the day that had come when they had to make the choice to take me off of life support. It was as if God himself came into my body and took control because my eyes slowly cracked open and I blinked a few times. Apparently a single tear slowly ran down my cheek and my sister started to scream. I was then aware of myself and my surroundings and I realized that I could feel a tingling sensation in my left arm.

It took 4 years and a lot of pain, sweat and tears to make it through all of the therapy I had to in order to live as normal of a life as I possibly could. I had to learn to walk with my new prosthetic left leg and with only 2 toes left on my right foot. I lost them to hypothermia but somehow I managed to accept that. I was alive and filled with newfound appreciation for even the smallest of things. I am grateful for each and every breath I take. Even though it is not perfect and things will not always be easy I will never take a single second because God has given me a second chance to live my life.