Surviving the First Real Fight with Death: A Gripping True Story

The first four minutes facing death…
With a heart full of excitement, I arrived at the Kainstali River, eager to experience the thrill of rafting. However, fate had other plans. At the very first big drop, I was unceremoniously tossed out of the raft and into the icy waters. The moment I hit the water, my mind went blank. As I worried about my only pair of sandals and how I would manage if they were swept away, it dawned on me that the situation was far more perilous than I had anticipated.

I struggled desperately to lift my head above the water, but every attempt was thwarted by powerful undercurrents. No matter how skilled a swimmer I was, it seemed utterly futile in that chaotic moment. I felt like a rag doll being tossed around underwater, unable to raise my head or open my eyes. Each time I reached out for something to hold onto, there was nothing but the relentless force of the river.

Panic set in, and my thoughts spiraled from a blank slate to a chilling realization: “This might be the end. I could die here today.” Despite the water choking me, I somehow managed to stay calm and hold my breath. In retrospect, that initial composure was the key to my survival.

I have no idea how long I fought against the current. When I finally managed to lift my head, I saw a large rock ahead. With all my might, I tried to grab onto it, but in less than a second, the current ripped me away, leaving my hands bloodied. In that brief moment, I experienced a flash of hope followed by crushing despair.

After what felt like an eternity, I was eventually washed down from the drop into a slightly calmer part of the river, but the current remained strong, and I still couldn’t keep my head above water. Thoughts of my family and their grief if I didn’t make it flashed through my mind. Suddenly, I heard a voice calling out to me.

I strained to lift my head and saw our coach searching upstream, preparing to throw a rescue rope. As he hurled it towards me, I mustered the last of my strength to move upstream. Thank God, I managed to grab the rope. But as I faced the current, I began to choke on water and felt completely drained.

Adrenaline surged through me, and the will to survive pushed me to hold on. It felt like an eternity, but finally, the coach pulled me to safety.

That moment was surreal—the first time truly facing death, the first time understanding the terror of a near-death experience, the first time feeling utter despair. During the next two hours of rafting, I was still in a daze. It wasn’t until I dragged my injured and exhausted body back to the bus and sat down that the full weight of the experience hit me, and my emotions began to unravel.

It feels so good to be alive. I successfully saved myself, and I am eternally grateful to Shawn for throwing the rescue rope and pulling me to safety. Reborn, I will cherish life, every person, and every moment even more.