Teen set to make full recovery due to quick response at lough

THE teenager rescued from Emy Lough last month is expected to make a full recovery thanks to the quick reactions of numerous people including local schoolchildren.

However, when the 16-year-old was airlifted to hospital after the near-drowning incident, doctors at the Mater discovered he was born with a serious condition, which, if had gone undetected, could’ve been fatal.

Those who rushed to help the teen described how he went underwater for at least four minutes.

The Co Tyrone teenager was swimming at the popular beauty spot about three miles from Emyvale on the hottest day of the year, when he got into difficulty.

Two experienced adult swimmers who were in the lake at the time, managed to find the teenage boy and drag him to shore where CPR was performed until paramedics arrived. He was then airlifted to the Mater Hospital, Dublin, where it’s understood he will make a complete recovery.

From raising the alarm, reaching the teenager, calling an ambulance and his removal to hospital, many people did their bit.

Last week, founder and CEO of Pro Training, Carol McGirl, ran a free CPR/AED training session for members of the public and extended a special invitation to everyone who was at Emy Lough on May 25.

Carol described the efforts of all involved as a “near-perfect chain of first responders”.

The Celt spoke with each of them.

Johnny McConnell, who lives in Tyholland, is a regular swimmer at Emy Lough. He also takes part in triathalons and has life-saving training with St John’s Ambulance. He had just finished a kilometre swim and stood up when he heard people calling ‘Help!’.

“As I reached the people who were looking for him, they were saying ‘he’s gone down here’ or ‘he’s gone down there’ and I had the idea to tell people to feel around for him with their feet,” Johnny recalled. Wearing the diving mask he always uses when swimming, Johnny tried unsuccessfully several times to reach the distressed teen.

“My lungs were bursting,” he added. “Someone was underwater and pushed him up, but he was totally ‘out’, it was terrible, he was so pale and floppy that even holding him was difficult.”

Johnny and another swimmer, Dzintra McConnon, grabbed each side of the boy and they swam him to shore where they took turns in performing chest compressions and CPR.

“I only knew Dzintra’s name up until then, but she was a force. She was in charge; she was focused and calm and I followed her lead.”

When the Celt spoke with Dzintra she was also modest about the role she played.

A member of Civil Defence and the Emy Dippers swimming club, Dzintra McConnon said when she was out for a leisurely swim with her friend that day, she noticed two people swimming then one go under.

“I just didn’t think it was normal the way he went under for a long time and knew something was wrong,” she explained. “I swam over very quickly but by the time I got over to where he was, he was gone. I reached for him three times and could feel him but then lost him until someone lifted him to the surface.”

While Dzintra and Johnny were in ‘rescue mode’ at the time, they both describe how they were overcome with emotion after the event.

“I was the very last to leave the beach that evening probably because I was a bit emotional,” Johnny said, “I have four kids myself and to see a lad without a flicker in his eyes…

“In the days after, the whole thing kinda takes a lot out of you.

“At the time I just did what I had to do,” Dzintra said. “I didn’t panic actually, and I even thought ‘what’s wrong with me?’ as I saw people around me panicking.”

Dzintra, who has been a member of the Civil Defence for two years and just completed her training in March, said bringing the boy to shore and performing CPR was “tough going”.

She also admits to feeling overwhelmed afterwards.

“I didn’t feel well for a few days afterwards but, I don’t see what I did as anything extraordinary,” Dzintra said, “I am just grateful that I could use my skills.”

YOUNG PEOPLE

The event hosted by ProTraining was about honouring all those who helped on the day.

Many young people from the area were just hanging out at Emy Lough until they saw the incident begin to unfold.

Five students from Beech Hill College: Dara Jean McCormac (Emyvale), Katalina Quinn (Glaslough) and Dylan Goodchild, Dane McQuaid, and Cody Swift all from Monaghan Town described “chaotic” scenes where “one minute there was music playing and the next it just stopped, and people were screaming”. Another student, Jamie Gavan, who also helped, from Killymonaghan, did not attend on the evening.

One of the Leaving Cert students described having problems sleeping in the days afterwards. It wasn’t until about four days later when they received word that the young man was going to pull through that they felt they could relax.

“When he came out of the water, his head just snapped back and he was so pale,” one of the students told the Celt, “and I said to myself ‘he’s dead’.

The student admits seeing his face every time he tried to sleep and was relieved to hear he would make a full recovery.

"When I knew it was a person who survived my whole perspective changed.”

Dane McQuaid had done work experience at Pro Training during his fifth year. He was just one of the young people who assisted until paramedics arrived.

“It was very frantic. Johnny was asking him if he was OK, but he wasn’t responding,” Dane said.

Cody Swift was one of the swimmers who helped bring the young man to the surface and then to the shore.

“I was screaming for people who knew him,” Katalina recalled, “his brother was there crying.”

The young people, between them, helped search for a defibrillator, make sure the access route to the lough was clear for emergency services and also take younger kids away from the distressing scenes.

Two fourth-year students from Emyvale who attend St Macartan’s College were also at Emy Lough that day. Friends Morgan Hackett and Odhran McConnell entered the water from different parts of the shore and swam to where the commotion was.

“People were calling for anyone who can swim to get in and help,” Odhran told the Celt. When asked how he felt at the time, 16-year-old said: “Alright as long as he was alright.”

The people the Celt spoke to were either strong swimmers or had some level of first response training. All had advice for anyone swimming in open water.

While Johnny McConnell advised people to stay at their depth and use a flotation device like a tow float, Dzintra warned people to ‘be careful’ and remain vigilant of your friends at all times.

Some of the young swimmers said they thought it was important that everyone learns to swim and perform CPR, others called for a defibrillator and even a lifeguard to be installed at Emy Lough and similar swimming spots.

The young people praised the response of emergency services who they said were “amazing”.

Apart from providing free CPR and AED training last week, Carol McGirl of Pro Training has offered everyone involved in the rescue operation free breathwork training for the next year.