A 10-year-old girl saved her dad’s life after he tried to show off and ended up bleeding and paralyzed, rushing down a river.
Speaking to the New York Post, Michael Painter looked back on what was supposed to be a lovely day out with his daughter. The sun was out, and the two of them had a trip to the river planned. It was softshell turtle egg season. The painter had bought her a kayak, and they were going to see some wildlife.
They headed to the Louisiana River and paddled out into the water together.
Along their route is a spot that is perfect for flips into the water, according to Painter. Looking to show his 10-year-old daughter that he’s still got moves, he headed up. But, it didn’t go to plan. “I took off down the hill and I’m fixing to do a front flip,” he said.
But on his approach to the river, he lost his footing and slipped. Falling badly, he landed on his head, smashing into sharp rocks under the rushing torrent. At the time, he didn’t realise it, but he was bleeding and paralyzed.
Daughter Saves Father From River Death
Unaware that he was paralyzed, he attempted to swim to the surface of the river, but it simply wasn’t happening. “I can see the surface of the water, and it’s not even a foot away, but I’ll tell you, it might as well have been 100 miles away, man, and I’m drifting down the river. I can feel my heels dragging along the bottom.”
With a bruised spine and broken vertebrae, the river was pulling the 10-year-old’s father under, quickly drowning him. “I can see the blood in the water all around me, man, but that’s the least of my worries. I’m thinking I’m paralyzed.”
“I can’t hold my breath anymore. I’m fixing to die. This is it, you know, bruh,” Painter recalled, facing down death under the river surface. “I’m preparing for it. And it’s going to hurt.”
But his daughter had realised something was wrong, and in a burst of strength and bravery, put her life on the line for her father. Wading into the river, she came to pull her 6-foot dad to safety. “She grabbed my hand, bro,” Painter said. “That was the biggest relief in my life, man.”
She pulled her father to the riverbank and positioned him so he could breathe. Scared and crying, it was up to Painter to calm her and tell her who to call. But the ordeal wasn’t over yet.
A Tense Hour For Barely Beached Father
His keys and cell phone were back up the river, and lying paralyzed, it was up to his 10-year-old daughter to recover them. Unable to see her, he had to pray she was able to paddle back to his truck and make the call. As he waited, a storm struck up, pelting his face with sand, barely out of the river.
For an hour, he lay there, not knowing if his daughter had made it up the river or if he would survive. But, after what felt like an eternity, a rescue team made up of the friends his daughter had called arrived. They pulled him to safety, and paramedics arrived shortly afterward.
Now, Painter is recovering from his river accident and has some movement back. According to doctors, he came as close as being permanently paralyzed as possible. But thanks to the bravery of his 10-year-old daughter, he survived the river.