Michael's fear of water

[mikewill]

Andrew, what do you think is the origin of Michael's (i.e. Peter Pan's) fear of water? Theory: Could Michael have fallen in a lake or stream over his head while swimming or fishing at a young age and had to be rescued? I shared his fear of water since age six when an uncle of mine decided I could learn to swim by tossing me in six feet of water at a public pool. I almost drowned. It took me almost to age 16 to overcome the fear of deep water and I still am not a good swimmer.

I completely agree that Michael accidentally drowned... in his panic at wadeing out too far, calling Buxton for help, and pulling both of them down.
On a couple occasions when I was a young teen, I waded out in a pool up to my neck and began to panic. There are documented cases where when in a panic (similar to the superhuman strength of a mentally deranged person in a rage) Michael may have clung so hard and desperately to Buxton that he overcame Buxton's superior size and strength.

[TheWendybird]

Andrew, what do you think is the origin of Michael's (i.e. Peter Pan's) fear of water? Theory: Could Michael have fallen in a lake or stream over his head while swimming or fishing at a young age and had to be rescued? I shared his fear of water since age six when an uncle of mine decided I could learn to swim by tossing me in six feet of water at a public pool. I almost drowned. It took me almost to age 16 to overcome the fear of deep water and I still am not a good swimmer.

I completely agree that Michael accidentally drowned... in his panic at wadeing out too far, calling Buxton for help, and pulling both of them down.
On a couple occasions when I was a young teen, I waded out in a pool up to my neck and began to panic. There are documented cases where when in a panic (similar to the superhuman strength of a mentally deranged person in a rage) Michael may have clung so hard and desperately to Buxton that he overcame Buxton's superior size and strength.

I have no idea about his fear of water but I did have an experience myself in kindergarten..my class went to learn to swim..one teacher..too many students..lost my footing and couldn't get myself up...panicked...clawing the side of the pool..ended up with bleeding knuckles and knees from the concrete...i will go in pools still but only in the 3 foot area....scared to death of drowning..don't know how to swim and it's 20 years later. I wouldn't doubt it if he did have such an experience as it would seem both you and I have a similar fear based off similar experience. I think the panic theory is very very possible..people are known for this...unfortunately it's one draw back to having a swimming buddy..if one panics the other may die in the process. Still better to not swim alone tho

[Hannah High]

You know, I don't think Nico even knew why he was afraid of water in general.

It's easy to come with ideas, but it might have not even been something to do with experience, just part of the way dem genes made him. Then again, it might have been emotional trauma, not litterally with water, but loosing a dad at such a young age, and later a mom. He may have been nervous to begin with, but the death/loss could have intensified it. Those experiences can enrage demons and fears within you. Then again, just a speculation. I totally agree that the day he died, it was panic. But as for Michael's reason throughout his life, it's one of those things we can't know while curving at this point in time.

[mikey2573]

As a former lifeguard myself, one of the things we are taught in Lifeguard training is how to approach a drowning victim.  You NEVER approach them from the front because they will grab and claw at you and you will then BOTH drown.  We were taught to swim around to the back of drowning person and grab them from behind, around the shoulder using your body under the water to hold them up.
But we were always warned to NEVER approach a drowning victim from the front.