Nicholas Mevoli was a talented and passionate freediver who achieved remarkable feats in the sport of diving deep underwater on a single breath. He was the first American to dive to 100 meters in the constant weight category, and he won several medals in international competitions. However, his quest for glory and adventure also led him to his untimely death at the age of 32, when he suffered a fatal lung injury during a record attempt in the Bahamas.
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What is freediving and why is it dangerous?
Freediving is a form of underwater diving that relies on the diver’s ability to hold their breath and regulate their body’s response to pressure and oxygen deprivation. Unlike scuba diving, freedivers do not use any artificial breathing apparatus or equipment, except for a mask, a wetsuit, and sometimes fins or a monofin. Freedivers can explore the depths of the ocean, interact with marine life, and experience a sense of freedom and connection with nature.
However, freediving is also a very risky sport that requires extensive training, preparation, and safety measures. Freedivers face many physical and psychological challenges, such as hypoxia, nitrogen narcosis, decompression sickness, barotrauma, and blackout. Hypoxia is the condition of having insufficient oxygen in the body, which can impair the brain’s function and cause loss of consciousness. Nitrogen narcosis is the effect of breathing nitrogen under high pressure, which can cause euphoria, confusion, and impaired judgment. Decompression sickness is the result of dissolved gases forming bubbles in the blood and tissues, which can cause pain, paralysis, and even death. Barotrauma is the damage caused by the difference in pressure between the air spaces in the body and the surrounding water, which can affect the ears, sinuses, lungs, and other organs. Blackout is the sudden loss of consciousness due to hypoxia, which can occur at any depth or even after surfacing.
Freedivers have to master various techniques and skills to cope with these challenges, such as equalizing the pressure in the ears, controlling the heart rate and blood flow, conserving oxygen, and managing stress and fear. They also have to follow strict rules and protocols, such as diving with a buddy, using a dive line, and having safety divers and medical personnel on standby. Despite these precautions, freediving accidents and fatalities still occur, especially among competitive freedivers who push themselves to the limit.
How did Nicholas Mevoli die?
Nicholas Mevoli was one of the most accomplished and respected freedivers in the world. He started freediving competitively in 2012, and quickly rose to the top of the sport. He won titles twice at the Deja Blue competition in the Cayman Islands, and finished third at the Caribbean Cup in Roatan, Honduras, where he set an American record of 100 meters in the constant weight category. He also finished third in the constant weight without fins category at the world championships in Greece in September 2013.
Mevoli was known for his adventurous spirit, his dedication to the sport, and his friendly and humble personality. He worked as a prop technician in the film and television industry in New York, and was also an actor, writer, and musician. He lived a simple and frugal life, saving money to travel and dive around the world. He was passionate about exploring the ocean, and often said that freediving was his true calling.
On November 17, 2013, Mevoli participated in the Vertical Blue competition at Dean’s Blue Hole in the Bahamas, the deepest known blue hole in the world with a depth of 202 meters. He attempted to break the American record in the free immersion category, which involves pulling oneself down and up a dive line, by diving to 96 meters. However, he had to abort the dive at 80 meters, after experiencing an upper respiratory squeeze, which is a type of barotrauma that causes bleeding in the lungs. He surfaced safely, but was visibly shaken and coughed up blood. He was advised by the event physician to rest and not dive again for the rest of the competition.
Two days later, Mevoli decided to attempt another record in the constant weight without fins category, which involves swimming down and up using only the legs, by diving to 72 meters. He was confident and determined to succeed, despite the warnings from his friends and the organizers. He descended smoothly, but at 68 meters, he hesitated and started to ascend. Then, he changed his mind and dived down again, reaching the target depth. He resurfaced after 3 minutes and 38 seconds, and gave the OK sign to the judges. However, he soon fell backward into the water and lost consciousness. He was immediately attended by the safety divers and the event physician, who performed CPR and oxygen therapy. His pulse disappeared, and he was rushed to the nearest hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:44 p.m. He was the first athlete to die in an international freediving competition.
The cause of death was determined to be pulmonary hemorrhage due to barotrauma, which means that his lungs ruptured from the pressure difference and bled into his airways. The autopsy also revealed that he had a preexisting condition called pulmonary fibrosis, which is a scarring of the lung tissue that reduces its elasticity and function. This condition may have made him more susceptible to barotrauma, and may have been aggravated by his previous dive two days earlier. The exact reason why he decided to dive again after his initial turn is unknown, but some speculate that he may have been influenced by nitrogen narcosis, peer pressure, or his own ambition.
What is the legacy of Nicholas Mevoli?
Nicholas Mevoli’s death shocked and saddened the freediving community and the public. He was mourned by his family, friends, and fellow divers, who remembered him as a kind, generous, and inspiring person. His death also raised questions and concerns about the safety and ethics of freediving, especially in competitive events. Some critics argued that freediving is too dangerous and should be banned or regulated, while others defended the sport as a legitimate and rewarding pursuit that involves personal choice and responsibility. Some divers suggested that the rules and standards of freediving should be revised and improved, such as limiting the depth and frequency of dives, increasing the medical screening and supervision, and enhancing the education and awareness of the risks and prevention of diving injuries.
Mevoli’s death also highlighted the need for more research and understanding of the physiological and psychological effects of freediving on the human body and mind. Freediving is a relatively young and niche sport, and there is still a lot of mystery and uncertainty about its impact on the health and performance of divers. More scientific studies and data are needed to improve the knowledge and practice of freediving, and to prevent future tragedies.
Mevoli’s death also inspired many people to appreciate and pursue their passions and dreams, and to live life to the fullest. Mevoli was a person who followed his heart and did what he loved, despite the challenges and dangers. He was a person who pushed the boundaries of his potential and explored the wonders of the ocean. He was a person who touched the lives of many with his spirit and smile. He was a person who left a lasting mark on the world of freediving and beyond.
