Today was supposed to be 66 degrees; but the time I got to the lake it was very breezy and cool with the temperature more like high forties.
I was at the Boiling Springs Lake about an hour and saw a lady pushing a stroller near the spot I was painting. I heard her say, “ see; the ducks know you are here to feed them and they are coming here to see you!”
The next thing I knew, I heard “Help, help, help” and looked up and saw the lady and the baby with the stroller in the lake. The baby’s stroller was tipped over with the baby’s face in the water. I ran over and (God knows where the strength comes from) pulled the stroller out of the water without getting a drop of water on me. The grandmother was bleeding under her eyebrow; apparently, she slipped when she tried to lift the baby stroller out and cut her eye on the brickwork that lined the lake. Her glasses fell off her face so she might have even hit a rock in the waist deep water. The baby was crying looking at her grandma and her grandma was crying after this accident.
She had a very bad cut on the orbit just underneath her eyebrow; and it looked to me like she would be needed a stitch or two to close it up. The blood was dripping down her face onto her wet clothing. Another man appeared with his two grandchildren to help her get out of the water; but she said she’d manage herself. He went to the Appalachian Trail Center office to get some blankets for the baby and woman who were soaked from the cold spring water that is a constant mid-fifty degrees all year long. Needless to say, they were even colder with the wind that was blowing. Grandma’s wet clothing were now pretty blood-stained.
Her cell phone also went into the water along with her glasses which were recovered; the baby’s sippy cup bobbed and drifted away toward the dam. Because her phone had gotten wet and didn’t work now, I called her husband for her to explain what happened and to come get her at the Trail office. I later heard the baby crying again about fifteen minutes later when the grandfather/husband came to their rescue.
At last report, the child and grandmother went home for dry clothing and then would be taking grandma to the hospital. Grandma was going to need some attention to close the wound under her eyebrow; I’ll bet she’s going to have a bruised and blackened eye tomorrow morning and a bad headache too.
Plein air artists come across many different things during their adventures like wild animals, low flying birds that unload on your palette, swarms of bees or ants; but I’m not sure if there has ever been one that could tell you about pulling a baby out of a lake!
The painting had only gotten started and the photo shows what was done by the time of the accident; but, I’m glad I was there to help. (They fell in right by the bench)
Linda Young Watercolors P O Box 941 Carlisle, Pa. 17013
I was at the Boiling Springs Lake about an hour and saw a lady pushing a stroller near the spot I was painting. I heard her say, “ see; the ducks know you are here to feed them and they are coming here to see you!”
The next thing I knew, I heard “Help, help, help” and looked up and saw the lady and the baby with the stroller in the lake. The baby’s stroller was tipped over with the baby’s face in the water. I ran over and (God knows where the strength comes from) pulled the stroller out of the water without getting a drop of water on me. The grandmother was bleeding under her eyebrow; apparently, she slipped when she tried to lift the baby stroller out and cut her eye on the brickwork that lined the lake. Her glasses fell off her face so she might have even hit a rock in the waist deep water. The baby was crying looking at her grandma and her grandma was crying after this accident.
She had a very bad cut on the orbit just underneath her eyebrow; and it looked to me like she would be needed a stitch or two to close it up. The blood was dripping down her face onto her wet clothing. Another man appeared with his two grandchildren to help her get out of the water; but she said she’d manage herself. He went to the Appalachian Trail Center office to get some blankets for the baby and woman who were soaked from the cold spring water that is a constant mid-fifty degrees all year long. Needless to say, they were even colder with the wind that was blowing. Grandma’s wet clothing were now pretty blood-stained.
Her cell phone also went into the water along with her glasses which were recovered; the baby’s sippy cup bobbed and drifted away toward the dam. Because her phone had gotten wet and didn’t work now, I called her husband for her to explain what happened and to come get her at the Trail office. I later heard the baby crying again about fifteen minutes later when the grandfather/husband came to their rescue.
At last report, the child and grandmother went home for dry clothing and then would be taking grandma to the hospital. Grandma was going to need some attention to close the wound under her eyebrow; I’ll bet she’s going to have a bruised and blackened eye tomorrow morning and a bad headache too.
Plein air artists come across many different things during their adventures like wild animals, low flying birds that unload on your palette, swarms of bees or ants; but I’m not sure if there has ever been one that could tell you about pulling a baby out of a lake!
The painting had only gotten started and the photo shows what was done by the time of the accident; but, I’m glad I was there to help. (They fell in right by the bench)
 |
| I had only just begun; more to do! |
Linda Young Watercolors P O Box 941 Carlisle, Pa. 17013
3 comments:
We are going to have to award you the very first Susquehanna Valley Plein Air Painters Award of Heroism. Thank God you were there, and that you were able to take care of the baby and her grandma. I think I want you by my side every time we go out to paint!!!!!
On top of everything, you got this great painting - what a day to remember.
It was a blessing you were there! And as Claire said you did a wonderful painting also. Wow.
This is an amazing story, and thank goodness you were there to save the baby and the grandma. I like the start to your painting- airy and atmospheric.
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