During the school holidays, my family and I went to a resort in Kuantan. Since it was the monsoon season, my sons, aged 11 and eight, were content with just swimming in the pool.
On our final day at the hotel, my sons wanted to go into the Jacuzzi, and since there were many smaller children playing in it, I followed them in.
Suddenly, my younger boy called out that his brother was at the bottom of the Jacuzzi and was not getting up.
Quickly, I tried to pull him up, but to no avail. I screamed for help, and many people jumped in to help.
The suction was so strong that it took my husband and four other men to pull my son out. He was resuscitated and rushed to a hospital, suffering lacerations on his chest and stomach.
In the intensive care unit, my son cried, saying that he could have died.
We comforted him, saying he was a hero and that he had saved many children's lives. If it were not for him, a smaller child would have got stuck in the suction pump and could have drowned.
My son returned home to Kuala Lumpur three days later.
I thank God and all the kind people who helped us on that frightful day. With God's grace, though bearing the scars of that frightful day, he has returned to swimming, his one true love.
So all of you out there who feel like taking a dip in the Jacuzzi with your children, please bear in mind that it almost killed a 158-cm boy who weighed more than 50kg.
Winlita Sandosam, Kuala Lumpur (The Star reader)
Have a vacation horror story to share? Email us at relax@sph.com.sg and stand to win vouchers.
A Jacuzzi's suction was so strong that it almost killed a 158-cm boy.
During the school holidays, my family and I went to a resort in Kuantan. Since it was the monsoon season, my sons, aged 11 and eight, were content with just swimming in the pool.
On our final day at the hotel, my sons wanted to go into the Jacuzzi, and since there were many smaller children playing in it, I followed them in.
Suddenly, my younger boy called out that his brother was at the bottom of the Jacuzzi and was not getting up.
Quickly, I tried to pull him up, but to no avail. I screamed for help, and many people jumped in to help.
The suction was so strong that it took my husband and four other men to pull my son out. He was resuscitated and rushed to a hospital, suffering lacerations on his chest and stomach.
In the intensive care unit, my son cried, saying that he could have died.
We comforted him, saying he was a hero and that he had saved many children's lives. If it were not for him, a smaller child would have got stuck in the suction pump and could have drowned.
My son returned home to Kuala Lumpur three days later.
I thank God and all the kind people who helped us on that frightful day. With God's grace, though bearing the scars of that frightful day, he has returned to swimming, his one true love.
So all of you out there who feel like taking a dip in the Jacuzzi with your children, please bear in mind that it almost killed a 158-cm boy who weighed more than 50kg.
Winlita Sandosam, Kuala Lumpur (The Star reader)
Have a vacation horror story to share? Email us at relax@sph.com.sg and stand to win vouchers.
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