Professional surfer Bethany Hamilton said she was clinging to life after her young nephew nearly drowned and begged for help, but it appears her prayers have been answered.
Hamilton appealed to her fans in an emotional Instagram post shared on October 13th. She said Andrew had drowned the day before but had been “saved.” [sic] To Kapiolani on Oahu. ”
“He still has a heartbeat and is fighting inside,” she said, urging fans to contact Dr. Paul Harch, the world-renowned HBOT expert on adolescent drowning. I asked for
The urgency of her situation was clear from the frantic message that accompanied a photo of Andrew playing outside and looking happy.
“We are devastated,” she said.
Mr. Hamilton continued. “But I know that proper medical support can make or break a person's chances of survival. In this case, we have information on what we can do to give my nephew the best chance.” I'm asking for help from those who are.”
The 34-year-old surfer went on to write, “@soundhealthoptions, @flccc_alliance, @oxywellness1, @harch.hbot please help!”
It appears her request was fulfilled, as Hamilton returned to social media to give an update.
“I enlisted the help of Dr. Paul Harch to save my nephew.” [sic] Educating doctors in Hawaii. @harch.hbot,” she wrote.
She called Dr. Hirsch “a world-renowned HBOT expert on adolescent drowning.” The doctor is a Louisiana-based specialist in hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), which he has successfully used to treat patients, according to his website. He specialized in brain injuries and is credited with treating the “first drowning child.”
Hamilton, who previously lost an arm in a shark attack, concluded by writing: thank you! ” (Related: Soccer star George Baldock found dead in his pool)
The circumstances surrounding Andrew's drowning have not been publicly shared. His current condition is unknown.
