Why Did a Healthy Former Swimmer in His 30s Die in a 1.8-Meter-Deep Pool?

Former College Swim Team Member Found Unconscious
Drowned After Staying Underwater for 2 Minutes 14 Seconds at 1.8 Meters Deep
"Hypoxic Blackout"... Unrelated to Swimming Skill Level

A man who previously held records as a member of a U.S. college swimming team died in an accident while practicing breath-holding underwater.

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According to People magazine on August 12 (local time), Jack Ronie, a former member of the North Carolina State University swimming team, was found unconscious in a pool on July 5 and was transported to the hospital, but ultimately passed away.

Ronie was born in West Palm Beach, Florida, and moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, as a child, where he began swimming. While attending Myers Park High School, he won the state championship five times, and after receiving an athletic scholarship to North Carolina State University, he set the 200-yard breaststroke record, which he held for three years from 2008. After graduating in 2009, he worked as a coach for local swim organizations and his alma mater. After stepping down from coaching in 2016, he transitioned to the software industry.

At the time of the accident, his wife had briefly stepped away, only to return and find her husband collapsed in the pool. Emergency responders performed CPR for about 40 minutes on the scene, but Ronie could not be resuscitated. His wife, Maresa, had met him while competing on the college swim team, and just days before the accident, the couple celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary. They had five children together.

The police obtained footage showing Ronie staying underwater for approximately 2 minutes and 14 seconds in a pool with a depth of about 1.8 meters. He briefly resurfaced but dove underwater again and was unable to come back up.

The North Carolina state coroner's office ruled the cause of death as accidental drowning. The autopsy report stated that Ronie "was in healthy condition as an athlete. There was no evidence of drug abuse or foul play, and no trauma was found."

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His father, John, stated, "He died due to hypoxic blackout in shallow water. Although rare, it accounts for a significant portion of unexplained drownings and drownings involving skilled swimmers," adding, "It is particularly common among healthy males under the age of 40, freedivers, spearfishermen, and competitive swimmers." He also said, "I want to raise awareness about the dangers of prolonged breath-holding underwater. I hope such incidents never happen to anyone else. Ronie would have wanted that as well."

North Carolina State University's athletic department released a statement saying, "His legacy within our program and the community will be remembered for a long time." Current head coach Braden Holloway wrote on social media, "Ronie was a rare person who made those around him better." Reportedly, more than $135,000 (about 191 million won) has been raised to support his five surviving children.

Medical experts also warn about the dangers of hypoxic blackout. In a 2015 report, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that hypoxic blackout can result in unexpected injuries or death regardless of swimming proficiency. According to the report, 16 cases occurred in New York State in the U.S. between 1988 and 2011.

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