Family time at pool turns into life-threatening situation for Alberta man

While under evacuation and staying at a campsite due to a wildfire near Drayton Valley, Cory Blackmore decided to take his family to a hotel for the night and hang out at the pool to get their mind off things.

“My daughters were like, ‘hey dad go down the waterslide’” Blackmore recounted. “And I was like ‘absolutely, I love waterslides, let’s go down.’”

What started as a fun experience at the pool as a family soon turned into a life-threatening situation.

“Everything was good until I exited the waterslide, and water goes up my nose like crazy. And as it goes up my nose, it forces me to open my mouth, which isn’t good when you’re underwater, and so I inhale a bunch of water,” Blackmore said.

Blackmore was able to pull himself out of the pool, still unable to breathe.

“I try to give myself the Heimlich maneuver,” he said. “I slump over and I’m trying to make myself gag, and at that point I’m starting to get lightheaded.”

That’s when Ethan Lenz, a swimming instructor with British Swim School, saw what was happening.

“I was just teaching my final class of the day,” said Lenz. “I actually had my back to the slide, and I heard a little commotion behind me, so I turned around and he was just hopping out of the pool. He had his hands around his neck which is the international sign for choking.”

“I look over and I see a bunch of red shirts,” said Blackmore. “And in my head, red shirts meant lifeguards. I made the international choking sign, and went over to the lifeguards, and this young man named Ethan, like Superman, jumped out of the pool and was like ‘he’s choking, he’s choking.’”

“Nobody was really helping so I was like ‘OK I have to hop into action here,’ recalled Lenz. “I ended up hopping out of the pool, flipping him around, and did the Heimlich a few times. Luckily it only took four or five pumps, he spit out some water, and he was a lot better after that.”

Looking back, Blackmore says he fears the worst could have happened if Lenz wasn’t there to spring into action.

“I love water, and I did not expect anything like this to happen to me,” said Blackmore. “Without him there, I don’t think I’d be here today talking to you.”

“I’m really happy that he’s OK,” added Lenz. “I know it definitely can be a scary experience for somebody, but I’m definitely happy I was there to help him out.”

Judith Mbeleke, the owner of British Swim School Edmonton East, says she got emotional when she heard what happened.

“He literally saved the day. “He turned around the situation that could have potentially been more severe,” she said. “Ethan is a great employee, he has been an addition to our company that we just can’t value. He’s been doing amazing work, he goes above and beyond, not just teaching lessons, but making the kids feel welcomed, making the parents feel welcomed, and everyone in the program just loves him.”

British Swim School teaches methods and a survival-first approach to help people of all experience levels become safer, stronger swimmers.

“One of the tricks we teach them is breathing skills. How to take a deep breath before going under the water,” said Mbeleke. “So a child who has gone through our program, they will be able to take a deep breath, so they will have enough air, so if they are going down, the probability of them taking in water is very reduced.”

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Mbeleke hopes this incident can be a reminder to everyone the importance of having water safety skills, as more families head to the lake or pool this summer.

“We believe if you can roll on your back and float and you can breathe and call for help, you can literally save your own life,” she said. “We do believe drownings can be prevented, and if we do have the right skills, we definitely can prevent drownings.”

“Just going down the slide, it honestly can happen to anyone,” added Lenz. “That’s why it’s never a bad idea to take swimming lessons, even if you think you’re a good swimmer, you can never be a good enough swimmer.”

Blackmore says he’s thankful for Lenz’s heroic actions: “It’s cliche, but not all heroes wear capes.”