Underwater Rescue

Posted by admin

November 29, 2008

Veronica Mulligan and her three friends, then all in their early 20′s, took off from work to travel across the country. “We were all from Throgs Neck, in the Bronx, New York,” Veronica says, and they hadn’t visited the western part of the country. “Upon arriving at Yellowstone National Park, we met the Ranger in the welcome booth and found out he was from Long Island,” Veronica says. “Of course we all became friends and that afternoon he took us swimming in the park, in a place where you are not supposed to go, an off-limits area.”

The group was young, and obviously didn’t consider the risks of swimming without guards, and the rangers apparently swam there all the time. There was a giant waterfall and a beautiful swimming hole and Veronica, an excellent swimmer, was not at all afraid of the water.

Time passed. Suddenly, Veronica swam a bit too close to the waterfall—-and was pulled under! Eva, Veronica’s friend, saw her sink but when she screamed at the others they apparently did not believe her and assumed Veronica was teasing everyone.

Veronica, however, was stuck under the water pressure near the waterfall, and could not get out. The water was crystal clear, and she could see every rock, every fish… And she wasn’t afraid! “It was strange, but I never felt a moment’s panic,” Veronica recalls. “Of course I knew that I had to surface, so I swam down even deeper, thinking that the push of the water would weaken. But it didn’t.”

Finally, Veronica began to think—“this is it. I can’t believe it, but I’m probably going to die.” She thought of how terrible her parents were going to feel. How could she do this to them? There was so much she had planned on doing, especially having babies…..God, was her life over already? “I was never frightened,” she points out. “It was such a calm, serene feeling and there was no noise, everything very still.”

Then, without warning, someone shoved her, very hard. And yet she could see perfectly, and there had been no one anywhere near her. Suddenly she was released from the water’s hold and shot toward the top, behind the waterfall. Now Veronica was feeling the effects of being underwater so long; she gasped for air and Eva, who hadn’t known what to think, shouted for joy when she saw Veronica break the surface. Apparently, the others still hadn’t realized what was happening.

“I don’t know what other people who have had these experiences say, but I remember every detail as if it happened a moment ago, even that strong shove” Veronica says today. “And I still wonder why I was spared. What is my mission? I have three children and I have tried very hard to raise them as generous, compassionate people. “ Is this why she was saved? Veronica has never really known. “But I feel incredibly blessed all the time and never take my life for granted.”