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A drowning survivor Tuesday publicly thanked the first responders who saved his life. Read more

A drowning survivor Tuesday publicly thanked the first responders who saved his life.

Lawrence “Larry” Gambone and his wife, Marilyn, visitors from Texas, went to Hanauma Bay on May 24 to enjoy one of the island’s most famous snorkeling spots. Gambone, an experienced snorkeler and former Oahu resident, believed he went into cardiac arrest as a result of a previous heart condition.

With tears in his eyes, Gambone hugged and thanked the individuals who played a role in his recovery. “Pulling through, I’ve been told, is miraculous, but a lot of people helped,” he said.

Elizabeth Bradshaw, an Ocean Safety lifeguard for almost three years, noticed Gambone in distress from shore. Along with fellow lifeguards, Bradshaw performed a water rescue on the then-unconscious Gambone. On the shore, lifeguards performed CPR and administered one shock from an automated external defibrillator, or AED, until Gambone could breathe on his own. The Honolulu Fire Department also assisted with CPR and helped Gambone with his breathing. Hono­lulu Emergency Medical Services administered advanced life support and transported Gambone to The Queen’s Medical Center, where he is recovering.

Gambone will undergo surgery today to have a defibrillator placed in his chest. He and his wife plan to return to Texas on Friday, where he will begin rehabilitation.

“The way you thank them (first responders) is by being here, right now, with everybody,” Honolulu EMS Director Jim Howe told Gambone.

Gambone had mentioned that after recovering from his near drowning, he wanted to meet and personally thank his rescuers.

Those recognized were Bradshaw; Ocean Safety Lts. Kawika Eckart and Josh Guerra; lifeguards Jared Jovero, Alika Cavaco, Matt Beall and Blayne Fujita; paramedic Stacy Yoshikawa; emergency medical technician Lane Natori; acting Fire Capt. Jonathan Chun; and firefighters Gregory Eckart, Erica Fernandez and Lucas Arnold.

For nonresidents, snorkeling is one of the most common causes of injury-related death in Hawaii, according to Honolulu Emergency Services Department spokeswoman Shayne Enright.

First responders rescued 978 individuals from Hanauma Bay in 2017 alone. The natural preserve, which sees about 1 million visitors a year, was the site of nine drownings in 2017.

Gambone’s expression of gratitude for his rescuers happened to fall during National CPR and AED Awareness Week, which takes place June 1-7.