A 27-year-old mother from Asheville, North Carolina, died while swimming in Lake James on Friday April 21. The mother, Hannah Maria Walker, was on a pontoon boat with her 5-week-old baby, 5-year old child, her fiancé, and his friend, reported The Telegraph.
Walker was swimming in the water when she reportedly began feeling unwell. Her fiancé gave her an inhaler because she had asthma. She later lost consciousness while swimming, the news outlet reported. Walker was given CPR for 30 minutes, but was later pronounced dead, according to Burke County Sheriff’s Office.
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The mother reportedly felt worse after using the inhaler.
Walker jumped off the boat to swim in the water, but started to feel unwell, reported The Telegraph. Walker’s fiancé handed her an inhaler while she was in the water, but it made her feel worse. She reportedly became unconscious while still in the water.
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The pontoon boat made it more difficult to get the mother out of the water.
Walker’s fiancé said he had trouble retrieving her from the water because of the size and height of the pontoon boat. A Lake James community officer had to help Walker’s fiancé and his friend get her and the boat back to shore. On shore, they conducted CPR for 30 minutes before she was pronounced dead, according to the Burke County Sheriff’s Office media release.
An autopsy on Walker is still pending and the investigation is ongoing, The Telegraph reported.
Some sources say cold water can trigger an asthma attack.
The Outdoor Swimming Society notes that “cold” can trigger an attack in some asthmatics, and to be cautious of this when swimming in cold water.
The National Center for Cold Water Safety also notes water with a temperature below 70F should be treated with caution. The organization’s website also cautions that while an air temperature of 75F may feel nice, in the water, breathing begins to be affected at around 77F.
This devastating story highlights the importance of water safety.
Sadly, this story points to the importance of following, knowing, and understanding rules for water safety, such as checking the local weather conditions (air temperature and water temperature) and not swimming alone.
The National Drowning Prevention Alliance website states, “When in doubt, get out.” Suggesting that whether the water or weather conditions get rough or if you begin to feel fatigued or have a cramp, it’s best to get out of the water right away.
