Huntington Man Saved From Drowning; Dies in Hospital

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Huntington Man Saved From Drowning; Dies in Hospital

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Posted: 11:45 AM Jul 2, 2008
Last Updated: 11:07 PM Jul 3, 2008
Reporter: WSAZ News Staff
Email Address: news@wsaz.com

28 comments

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PORTMSOUTH, Ohio— A man saved from nearly drowning at a community swimming pool died later that evening.

Portsmouth Police say 37-year old Noel Sayre of Huntington was pulled from the pool in Wheelersburg, Ohio about 6pm on Tuesday.

They say lifeguards immediately began giving Sayre CPR before he was taken to SOMC in Portsmouth..

Police say that Sayre’s girlfriend had recently been teaching him how to swim.

The Columbus Dispatch reported Thursday that Sayre died hours later in the hospital of what is believed to be a heart attack. An autopsy is being performed, according to the newspaper.

According to the Dispatch, Sayre was an accomplished violinist who played with the bands Pretty Mighty Mighty and the Black Swans. There is a memorial to Sayre on the Black Swans website, which we have linked to below.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 14, 2008 at 06:33 PM
I was there when he was pulled out of the water. I had been setting outside when one of my friends ran out and told me. We went back inside and all I saw was him laying on the concrete, and a few high school life guards attempting CPR. He was purple and there was a crowd of adults around him, but kids were kept away. He didn't move and I was walking through the parking lot with one of my close friends when an ambulance rushes in and almost runs me over. They took him out on the stretcher and he was still bright purple. One of my friend's mom is a nurse and took him into the room. I love the lifeguards there, as I know most of them, but they really aren't prepared should this happen.

Posted by: Josh on Jul 19, 2008 at 11:35 PM
i was at the pool when this happend. a woman told the lifeguard that someone was drowning. he did not blieve her. then she pushed him in to show him. the lifeguard saw him at the bottom of the pool. then he started to do cpr. i think hs should get in trouble beacuse he did not even check to see if their was some one drowing

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 6, 2008 at 08:54 PM
to chris--young people are just that--young and inexperienced-performing cpr/rescue breathing on a person is MUCH different than a dummy--knowing exactly what to do in a emergency situation is difficult even for people who do it everyday--not just people who have "learned" about it. I am sure that this particular group of lifeguards will go over in their minds the situation and what could of, if anything be done differently. This will change their practice forever. Young people have to learn--just as babies have to learn to walk. In a professional discipline learning is a progressive task--it is started as a beginner, and goes though stages until a person is deemed as an expert provider. Not meant to be insulting to young people. Like i said, they are just young. Would you let a 1st year med student operate? No, it takes experience. I am sure that these lifeguards at the pool did the best they could. I have never been to this pool, but I have only seen teens as lifeguards at pools.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 6, 2008 at 05:44 PM
I wasnt the one who posted about "young people" but i agree with him. Go to any pool, watch the "young" lifegaurds. they do anything but guard the swimmers. i've seen them reading books, talking to friends, and not watching the swimmers. i was only 16 when i was a lifegaurd,at london pool in Syracuse,oh. Back then we lifegaurds were "gaurded" to make sure we did our jobs. its easy to blame the kids but it all falls back to the management, who should be responsible for making sure these young people are watching the swimmers. Remember young people usualy feel expect things to be alright and are not as vigilante. its not these kids fault its the way God made us.All of these pools need to stress the "gaurd" part of the job.the things they did to save him afterward ,which i agree was heroic,would not have been needed if they watched the swimmers closer.

Posted by: Ethel on Jul 6, 2008 at 05:19 PM
im so sorry for mr sayre's family and friends but the pool is a good one i have taken my kids there many times but the lifeguards cant not see everyone at the same time that why it's also the parents responiablity to help watch their children and i beleive no one is at fault i was just a terriable thing that happen and im sure that if mr sayre had lived he would have been very thankful to all who tried to help him.... so i don't beleive anyone should try to give porter township pool a bad name, cause if its ur time it can happen anywhere.....

Posted by: Norma on Jul 6, 2008 at 01:14 PM
First, I want to extend my condolenses to Mr. Sayre's family and friends. My grandson was one of the lifeguards on duty when this accidental drowning occured. I know he takes his job and training VERY SERIOUSLY! This sad event has caused him, and I'm sure the other lifeguards and witnesses, much sorrow. They did everything they could to save this man. They followed their training to the letter. His girlfriend witnessed the rescue and was very appreciative and thankful for their efforts. So I say "I'm VERY PROUD OF MY GRANDSON AND HIS CO-WORKERS"! God Bless everyone touched by Mr.Sayers life.

Posted by: chris on Jul 6, 2008 at 04:09 AM
to "anonymous" what exactly do you mean by "young people"? just because people are young doesn't mean they are any less qualified than someone older. I'm not trying to be rude but the way your statement is, it sounds like your talking down to young people. please explain what you mean by that.

Posted by: josephine on Jul 5, 2008 at 10:24 PM
that is very sad..someone should have been out there and watching..it doesnt matter if you are the best swimmer in the world stuff like this happens all the time so i think that someone could have saved this one from happening.

Posted by: sherrie on Jul 5, 2008 at 04:33 PM
I BELIEVE THAT THEY NEED TO PAY ATTENTION MORE AT THAT POOL AS WELL AS THE LIFEGUARDS. I MYSELF HAVE VISITED THIS POOL ONCE AND I NEVER WENT BACK THAT SHOULD TELL YOU SOMETHING.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 4, 2008 at 11:20 PM
that is sad. I don't trust anyone to watch my kids (or anyone who can't swim) around water but me. Most of the life guards although have training,are just young people.

Posted by: Kathy on Jul 4, 2008 at 05:04 PM
My prayers are with the family. May God Bless you and keep you in his arms during this time of sadness and mourning.

Posted by: A PASTOR on Jul 4, 2008 at 02:54 PM
I am glad to see by "student" that Noel had accepted Jesus as his savior. We never know when we will leave this life for the next. Makes it a lot easier on those left in this evil world to know what his focus was.

Posted by: student on Jul 3, 2008 at 08:54 PM
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/07/03/sayre_obit.html?sid=101 He's with the Lord now: He was too good for this evil world.

Posted by: Annoyed on Jul 3, 2008 at 03:14 PM
From what I seen it wasn't just one lifeguard that pulled him from the pool, there was at least two lifeguards and his girlfriend trying to pull him out. And ther wasn't just lifeguards attempting to help this man. Somewhere along the lines there have been some facts either left out or twisted. It wasn't a lifeguard that noticed the man at the bottom of the pool it was a woman who was getting ready to dive off of the diving board to swim herself, she then yelled for help and that when the lifeguards dove in to try and save Noel. I don't know this man but I really wish things would have turned out better for him and his family. I will keep his loved ones ecspecially Christy in my prayers!!

Posted by: Dreama on Jul 3, 2008 at 03:11 PM
Noel passed away last night.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 3, 2008 at 01:52 PM
Actualy i wasnt trying to be cute. My comment was actualy sarcastic. You have lifegaurds at these pools who are suposed to watch for just such a thing as this. How was he able to drown in a "safe" enviroment? I was a lifegaurd as a teen, and never had that problem, we actualy took our jobs serious enough to watch the people at all times.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 3, 2008 at 11:00 AM
He also suffered a cardiac arrest. He passed away this morning.

Posted by: jimiray on Jul 3, 2008 at 10:39 AM
Noel passed away early this morning. He was a Professional area musician playing the Violin in both the Huntington and Portsmouth Symphonies for over 20 years. He will be deeply missed by his friends and family.

Posted by: anonymous on Jul 3, 2008 at 10:05 AM
He has passed but it's not been on the news yet.

Posted by: A Friend on Jul 3, 2008 at 09:45 AM
Noel did indeed pass away last night. He will certainly be missed by me and the many other people who knew him and had the pleasure of listening to his music.

Posted by: Angela on Jul 3, 2008 at 09:42 AM
The person helping with the cpr was not a lifeguard, but a nurse. She needs credit for this too..not the just the lifeguards. She gave him breaths and a male lifeguard did the chest compressions until the squad arrived.

Posted by: carl/lifeguard on Jul 3, 2008 at 09:17 AM
as a instructer i know wat going thru your mind did i do it right!well if you had ben trained by me yes!hold your head up high you did good.

Posted by: anon-1 on Jul 3, 2008 at 01:28 AM
annoyed, I don't thinkg anonymous was trying to be rude or funny. You misintrepreted his comment.

Posted by: Keith on Jul 2, 2008 at 10:15 PM
I say hats off to the lifeguards for helping out and saving his life

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 2, 2008 at 10:05 PM
How come they don't say anything about the life guards who pulled Noel out of the pool and gave him CPR(a girl pulled the man out of the water and a boy gave the man CPR)? I am just wondering. Has anyone heard anything about whether he passed or not? I really hope Noel will be okay. I also hope that the life guards who had to see Noel get pulled out of the pool (I heard he was blue when the girl pulled him out)will not be scarred for life and wont have to work for a couple more days. My brother is a life guard at Porter Township Pool and hopefully he will be working some overtime for his buddies, because I sure wouldn't want to work after having to see that much.

Posted by: to Anonymous on Jul 2, 2008 at 05:46 PM
Not sure what was meant by that comment, but the above story does state that the cause of him going under is not known. If you're trying to be "cute," it isn't cute at all. Strange accidents happen all of the time.

Posted by: annoyed on Jul 2, 2008 at 05:39 PM
Why would you post something like "the undertow in those pools can be quite deadly"? That's a rude comment. If this was your family member or friend you wouldn't be laughing. Pray that the man makes it without brain damage or any other ill effects.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 2, 2008 at 12:32 PM
The undertow in those pools can be quite deadly.

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