At first glance, he appears to be a normal, happy eight year old.  He is a charming kid, with huge, inquisitive blue eyes and a bright smile.  He likes Star Wars, hockey, swimming and playing with his friends.  He swims on the swim team at Middle Tennessee Swim Club in Hendersonville, Tennessee.

This all seems pretty average for a boy his age.  However, Ricky’s involvement with the swim team is what makes him a hero.  At age 6, he almost lost his young life in a swimming pool accident.   With the loving support of his parents and a caring, nurturing swimming education program, Ricky has turned a near tragedy into triumph.

What started out as a pleasant day quickly turned to every parent's worst nightmare.  Ricky’s inline hockey team and their families were celebrating with an end of the season party at a teammate’s backyard pool.  None of the 20 people in attendance noticed when Ricky slipped from the shallow end of the pool to the deep end.  Ricky lay motionless at the bottom of the pool.

After several minutes of being submerged, one of Ricky’s coaches noticed him lying at the bottom of the pool.  Someone dove in and pulled Ricky’s lifeless body to the deck of the pool.  One of the parents began performing rescue breathing, while another called 911.

Ricky’s mom, Connie Spolar, recalls the scene all too vividly.  “It was so frightening.  When I watched them pull Ricky out of the water, I just kept screaming, ‘My baby…somebody PLEASE help my baby!’”

Ricky also remembers the accident.  “I remember sliding in and just seeing blue.”

Initially, the attempts at rescue breathing were unsuccessful.  Someone thought to flip Ricky over to try to force some of the water out of his lungs.  Rescue breathing efforts continued.

“Many people nearby began praying and Ricky began to come around.  His eyes were rolled back in his head, and he didn’t have any comprehension of where he was,” said Connie.

Fortunately, the ambulance arrived, and the medical team took over resuscitation efforts.  Ricky was rushed to Hendersonville Hospital, and was later transferred to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he was closely monitored for twenty-four agonizing hours.   Ricky was one of the lucky ones.  By the next day, his blood oxygen levels were normal, and he was sent home.  He had no evidence of brain damage from the lack of oxygen.

Connie remembers the interaction with the medical staff.  “It was difficult because none of the medical support staff would respond when I asked them if Ricky would be OK.  He had been underwater for so long that it was hard for anyone to answer that question.  It was not until the oxygen levels in his blood stabilized that anyone responded.  When the doctors released him, they said it was not necessary for him to have a follow up visit.  What they did put on his chart in capital letters was ‘GET THIS CHILD SWIMMING LESSONS!’”

“The entire medical staff who evaluated Ricky kept telling me that this was a miracle and that 90 percent of the time the outcome is a disaster in such a case,” said Connie.

Statistics confirm the opinion of these medical professionals.  According to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission, an average of 300 children under the age of five will drown each year, usually in a swimming pool owned by either a family member or a friend.  Additionally, another 2,000 children in that age group will be admitted to hospitals with “submersion injuries” like those sustained by Ricky Spolar.  Medical costs for treating these injuries are astounding.  Costs can range from $4,000 for a victim who recovers fully to approximately $300,000 for children who suffer severe brain damage and require a lengthy hospitalization.

Connie and her husband Rick followed the doctor’s advice.  They immediately sought a swimming program for their son.  They found a program at Sea Star Swim School in Hendersonville, where they enrolled him in lessons.  After conversations with Ron Chlasta, the owner of Sea Star Swim School, Rick and Connie knew they had found a perfect fit.

“Sea Star’s program was just right for Ricky,” said Ron Chlasta.  “We are professionals who strive for excellence in aquatic education, and we take our work very seriously.  We successfully teach children and adults with varying degrees of fear every day.  Our goal is to make the student comfortable and confident in the water.  Once that confidence is achieved, the student can focus on improving skills to prepare them for a lifetime of enjoyment in the water.  Ricky has made excellent progress.”

Things did not go smoothly on that first lesson.  The trauma of the accident resurfaced that day.

Ricky remembers that day.  “I was freaking out; I was really, really scared,” he related.

Said Connie, “Both Rick and I spoke positively about the lessons.  Ricky was excited to go until he had to sit on the edge of the pool and put his feet in the water.  At that moment, he began to relive the entire experience.”   Watching Ricky go through this experience again was no less difficult for Rick and Connie.  “It was quite traumatic even though we absolutely knew this was the right decision.”

Connie also faced her fear of the water.  “I was also afraid of the water and in order to empathize with Ricky, I enrolled in a private lesson to learn how to swim.  This was very helpful because I had my own fear of the water to deal with, let alone Ricky, who was scared to death,” Connie said.

Ricky and Connie have both learned to swim over the past few years.  Ricky’s swimming has progressed so much, that he now swims for the Middle Tennessee Swim Club at Sea Star.

“It hasn’t been easy because there were many days when Ricky was afraid to go to class.  He tried every way to negotiate his way out of it.  I knew what the doctors had said, and I knew in my heart that it was the right thing for him.  At six years old, Ricky was not emotionally mature enough to make this decision.  He had to learn to swim, and at the entry level, it was very painful for Ricky to face his fear and overcome it,” said Connie.

And overcome his fear, he has!  Ricky progressed rapidly from swim lessons to the Sea Star Swim School time trials, where he caught the eye of Middle Tennessee Swim Club Coach Craig Chlasta.  “I saw Ricky swim backstroke.  After watching him in the time trials, I asked him to enroll in the Stroke and Conditioning class, which prepares our younger swimmers for competitive swimming.”

In June 2001, Ricky swam in his first USA Swimming meet in Nashville.  “It’s amazing to see how quickly he has progressed since the accident,” said Coach Chlasta.

Ricky is very enthusiastic about his swimming.  “It’s awesome!” he said.  “I’ve done about six meets and I’ve gotten about six ribbons.  At my first meet, I got a trophy for bravery from my mom and dad.”

His favorite events are backstroke and breaststroke.  Ricky has set some high goals for himself in swimming.  “I want to get a scholarship and compete in the Olympics,” he declared.

“Today we are so thankful that we stayed with it and that Ricky knows how to swim.  I encourage all parents to get their children into lessons…the earlier, the better.  If you think it is hard to get your child in the water at three years old, just think how much harder it will be at seven or eight,” Connie stated.

She continued, “Don’t let your child become a statistic.  Be patient, be persistent and encourage your child no matter how frightening the aquatic environment seems.  If you as a parent can’t swim—LEARN!  Every experience your child learns about the water comes from you as parent.  My own inhibitions limited Ricky from learning at an earlier age.  In my opinion, the sooner, the better when it comes to the aquatic environment.”

How does Ricky feel about his “second chance”?   “I want to thank God for helping me through this, and my hockey coach, Chad, for saving me.”

His advice to parents?  “You should get your kids swimming lessons!”

For more information about the swimming education and other programs available at Sea Star Swim School, contact Ron Chlasta at (615) 822-8800.