IT’S A beautiful sunny day. You and your family and friends are spending the day at the lake. The kids are playing in the water while most of the adults lounge on beach towels, soaking up the sun. You turn your head just for a few moments to answer someone’s question. When you turn your head back to the water, you can’t see your child anywhere.
This scene nearly took Lynchburg native Lexi Snider’s life when she was only 22 months old. Snider was spending the day at the American Legion Lake off Greenview Drive. As Snider learned much later in life, a young boy pointed out Snider floating face down in the water near the rope that separates the swim area from deeper water. Children playfully pretend but this young boy was serious and pointed out that she wasn’t moving. The mom called her husband, who rushed into the water and pulled Snider to shore. The woman quickly began CPR, and eventually, Snider came to, coughing and spitting up water, but alive.
The odd part about Snider’s story is that she didn’t find out the details until only a year ago. Snider, now 27, works locally as a nurse. She had heard about her near-death experience from other family members but never knew all the details. After talking with her sister, Skylar Joyner, last year, Snider requested her medical records from that fateful day. What she discovered could only be described as a miracle.
When Snider was rushed to the hospital via ambulance, her attending doctor was amazed at how well she had recovered. Snider suffered no ill effects from the near drowning, but the hospital held her overnight for observation. Her doctor noted that Snider was “like a wild snake,” almost unfazed by her accident.
Some people might be content to have the medical details of such a shocking event covered, but Snider wanted to go one more significant step further. She wanted to meet the woman who saved her life.
Snider thought, “What are the chances this woman is even still alive?”
Joyner, who is younger than Snider and wasn’t born until after Snider’s near drowning, encouraged her sister to post her quest online. Joyner posted Snider’s request to meet the woman who saved her on Facebook’s Living in Lynchburg group.
Less than 30 minutes later, Debra Wilson responded, “I know without a doubt it was me that day.”
Snider had found her rescuer! At the time of Snider’s rescue, Wilson worked in the Bedford school system, so she was required to be CPR-certified. That skill, along with Wilson’s quick action, allowed Snider to live to tell her story. Not long after that initial connection, Snider and Wilson met face-to-face. They keep in contact and have met a few more times in person. The ironic part of their combined story is that Wilson had experienced a similar situation in her life. She needed CPR one day, and someone came to her rescue. In 2014, Wilson met her rescuer as well.
With the details of the day in hand, Snider knew she needed to do something with the new lease on life she was given so many years ago. She and her sister have teamed up with a strong, clear message about water safety.
“Always be aware of your surroundings,” Joyner, who now has five children of her own, warned.
“Toddlers can slip, can get curious, can knock each other down in a crowded swim area.”
The two also emphasized guidelines for parents purchasing swimwear for small children. They urge parents not to buy green, blue, or black swim outfits. Instead, purchase highly visible neon colors — ones that can be easily seen whether a child is standing or floating in the water. The pair encourage families to learn water safety and to become CPR-certified.
Snider reflected, “Life really, really is a gift.”
Over the past six years, Snider has worked as a nurse. Currently, she serves in psychiatric care but spent two years in hospice care. She said that many of her patients there told her how much they appreciated her care for them in their final days. She felt that her near-death experience had given her the ability to relate to her patients more.
Snider’s miraculous survival opened up a unique perspective on life, inspiring her to cherish every moment and help others do the same. Is there more to come from Snider sharing her story? Perhaps. She admitted she is still discovering the reasons. GN
