[CLBS] FW: Jeff Child

Thu Apr 10 17:25:49 MDT 2014

From: Steve Wetzel [mailto:swetzel at jvwlaw.net] 
Sent: Thursday, April 10, 2014 1:25 PM
To: 'Kim Stearns'
Cc: 'Susan Weeks'; 'Sharon Curtis'; 'Stephen McCrea'; 'Mary Sanderson';
'Mark Wetzel'; 'Melanie Baillie'; 'Anne Solomon'; 'Art Elliott'; 'Dave
Gerber'; duffyadon at gmail.com; 'Renee Huling'; 'Ron Ouren';
deborah at jvwlaw.net; 'Cindy Meyer'; 'Heidi Fisher'
Subject: RE: Jeff Child

Hi Kim,

Jeff drowned last Saturday (April 6) while the four of us were snorkeling.
It was a freak accident related to a spike in his blood pressure. All of
this makes little sense.  Jeff was an accomplished diver. This location was
not dangerous but became so when he went into the rocks full of sea urchins
and bashing waves.  

This is what happened. We were all together coming through a channel between
some rocks and coral heads. Snorkeling out to a coral reef with the plan to
go around a rock peninsula to get to a secluded coral beach. We all came out
of the channel between the rocks with no problems.  Dana, Heidi and I all
checked to be sure that we had all made it into the deeper water.  We were
all there including Jeff.   We had to fight a little wave action in the
channel but then came out to a placid deep area. We then turned north along
some coral heads.  It was great snorkeling over a shallow coral reef. The
water depth in the coral was around 8 feet to 1 foot. Dive plan was to
follow the reef back to a secluded beach no more then 100 yards away.  I
popped up again to check on everyone and notice Jeff was not with us.  

I circled back with Heidi and Dana close behind.  Jeff was back toward the
channel but was to the north of the channel holding onto a rock in the
waives.  I thought he was looking over the rock at something.  When I got to
him he said he was in trouble.  He said he just needed to rest.  I helped
him get up on the rock he was holding then a wave hit us.  Jeff stayed
sitting on the rock but the wave threw me over the rocks and into the
approximate pool and another rock. Jeff was still sitting on the rock. I
told him that he needed to get his fins on and we needed to get out of the
rocks before we got hurt, he just kept saying give me a moment.  I really
thought he was just tired and so I yell at Dana and Heidi to stay away from
the rocks.

Suddenly he vomited and slid forward in to the water. Dana and Heidi were
still swimming into the rocks towards where Jeff and I were. I grabbed his
arm and pulled his face out of the water and Dana was there supporting him
and Heidi as just one stroke behind Dana. His face could not have been under
water for more than 2 seconds.  We were to him in seconds but according to
the autopsy report he apparently blacked out and took in enough salt water
in those few seconds to drown.

None of this makes a lot of sense.  Jeff would never swim into the rocks or
take off his fins.  He must not have been thinking clearly and was just
heading back from where he came but saw the rocks or got pushed into them by
the waves.  The autopsy showed cause of death was drowning with a severe
constriction of the arteries to the brain. He like many people had high
blood pressure but his blood pressure spiked dangerously.  I held him and
Heidi and Dana tried to give mouth to mouth resuscitation and keep his face
above the water.  It was difficult in the bashing waves and rocks.  There
was no way to stretch him out or do any stronger moves to dislodge water
from his lungs. Dana soon swam to shore to get someone with a fishing boat
to come to our rescue.  The boats were on the beach but the local fishermen
were in the next village so Dana had to find a ride to the village and it
took 40 or more minutes to organize a boat to go out to the rocks.  By that
time Hiedi had swam to shore and she and Steve knew Jeff was dead.  The
fishermen helped load Jeff's body and helped Steve into the boat and came to
shore.  We all checked again but it was obvious that Jeff was dead.  The
local people covered his body with palm fronds and held us and said a prayer
with us on the beach and then we waited for another 3 or more hours for the
local authorities, ambulance and hearse to show up to remove the body.
Since this was a Saturday we remain eternally grateful for the kindness and
timeliness of their collective actions.  To us however each minute was sheer
hell.  I retrospect it looks like he drowned immediately after passing out
and falling face first into the water.  Jeff never regained conciseness.  He
died doing what he loved in a beautiful place in the arms of the people who
loved him.  Good for him but truly tough on us. 

Kim this is that first time I have written the details and the first time I
have related the facts without breaking down so I hope you do not mind that
I'm going to forward this to some others.  I don't have a lot of Jeff's
friends email addresses so I hope others can forward this to those who need
to know.  Maybe if word gets out we can minimize the obvious questions to
Heidi about what happened? The three of us beat ourselves up about if we
could have done more but it looks like there was nothing to do.  It was so
fast.

We put Hillary and Heidi ( and Jeff's cremations) on a plane yesterday.
They will be back in Cd'A Thursday.  We are hoping that friends and well
wishers can avoid asking Heidi to go over and over the details of what
occurred.  If anyone takes food remember both Heidi and Hillary are
vegetarians.  Dana, Heidi and I are thinking about having a get together
soon - prior to the time that a memorial service can be set.  We think we
need to get all Jeff's friends together to clarify the strange and sad
occurrence and toast to the great joy that he brought to all of our lives.  

The good thing was that Jeff's passing was very peaceful and quick.  It
happened in a beautiful place on a magnificent day - he was happy.  He
passed with lots of love around him doing something he loved.  

Please feel free to forward this email.

Every day is gift we need to understand and appreciate how all can change so
fast.

Thanks,

Steve and Dana and Heidi

Steven C. Wetzel

Attorney

James Vernon & Weeks, PA

1626 Lincoln Way

Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814

Tel: (208) 667-3400

Fax: (208) 664-6741

E-mail: swetzel at jvwlaw.net

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From: Kim Stearns [mailto:kim at panhandleparksfoundation.org] 
Sent: Tuesday, April 08, 2014 1:54 PM
To: 'Steve Wetzel'
Subject: Heidi Fisher husband

Steve:

I just heard from Ron the Heidi Fisher husband died in Mexico?  Do you have
any information.

Kim

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