38-Year-Old Father Loses Life During Cold Water Swimming at the Kent Coast

Nature is beautiful but it can also be unforgiving. Our species has challenged nature since before the dawn of civilization and while, we have ended up doing fine for ourselves, this is a battle we have lost more than we have won. And that seems to be the recurring theme of our times. Case in point, the serene waters off the Kent coast conceal the hidden dangers lurking in the cold water. But that doesn’t stop people from taking a swim in its waters. Unfortunately, that idea might be given a second thought after this incident.?

Matthew Collins, father of six, wanted to have a nice leisurely day on the coast when he went swimming in the frigid seas. But the day didn’t go as he had planned. Collins ended up losing his life while swimming in the cold waters of Kent.

An innocent dip ends up in a swimming tragedy

Accompanied by his friend, the duo decided to visit the sea and cool themselves off by taking a dip at Cliff Promenade in Broadstairs followed by their training sessions at the gym on October 18. However, the relaxing session soon turned out to be a tragic ordeal when Collins found himself in distress, losing his life in the cold waters.?

The untimely death of Collins has left his family in a profound state of grief. The family has taken an initiative to raise awareness about the perils associated with cold water swimming stating that it is a form of paying tribute to Collins by saving people from going through the same fate he went through.?

Based on the reports of Kent Online an online fundraiser has been organized by his step-sister, Debbi Brett raising an amount of ?4,000 to which she said, ?Any funds raised will help pay towards his funeral cost, and if there is any left over it will be split between his babies to give them some support.?

Cold water dangers devastate Collins? family

The member of the Royal Lifesaving Society, Matt Croxall highlighted the dangers that swimmers expose themselves to while stepping into open water in inhospitable weather conditions. Croxall said in an interview with BBC, “We often have issues with cold water shock, where people literally can have their breath taken away, particularly if they jump in rather than slowly acclimatising to the water.”?

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Hence, it is assumed that Collins might have experienced cold water shock resulting in breathlessness that in turn led to his abrupt demise.? The situation had been so intense that it failed to provide those around him with enough time to revive the 38-year-old out of his dire state.

Even though the real cause of his death remains obscure, the post-mortem will be providing leads to the investigation procedure helping the Kent police to prepare a report.?

Collins is survived by six children and three grandchildren along with his mother and siblings. Even though the pain is unbearable, the family progresses towards taking action to save lives in the future raising awareness of the potential risks that come with cold water swimming.

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