Northwest Dive Club

Its with a heavy heart that I share this news with my diving family.

After a pretty scary medical experience last week, I decided to stop diving and hang up the fins..

After being rushed to the ER and subsequent blood test resulting in highly elevated troponin enzymes, (Which is the heart attack gold standard test), I spent 3 tiring days in hospital undergoing cardiac catheterization ops where the cardiac surgeon was going to clean up and fix any coronary blockages and issues that he could.

He was blown away that there was nothing to fix.. more EKG’s and blood tests showed the enzymes returned to normal and heart showed no signs of permanent damage.. Which was a SERIOUS relief..

After 3 days, I was discharged with the diagnosis of experiencing a “Coronary Arterial Spasm”, which is a condition that is possible to present a repeat event. In itself these are typically not fatal and can be controlled medically with “Calcium Channel Blockers” (that i am now on..) and reduces the likelihood and severity of repeat events.

Having gone through this on dry land, I can not imagine a good outcome if I were to be on technical or advanced dive and it happened again. I can simply not in good conscious look my wife, child, family, friends and students in the eyes and continue to flippantly do something that would risk not coming home.

Diving is supposed to be serious fun, and when you and your family worry about you not coming home every-time you disappear underwater, then it becomes not fun anymore..

After looking your wife in the eyes in the ER and telling her you love and and goodbye, you cant help but to re-evaluate a lot things in life when you catch her again on the flip side..

So - I have made a painful, but in all honesty, very easy decision, that hanging up my fins, is the right thing to do.

I’m pretty black and white about these things, so its a no brainer what must be done. As one door closes, a thousand others are waiting to be opened.. SO many things to experience on this planet!!

I have had 10 years of AMAZING adventures with all of you and have made some seriously awesome friends along they, which i fully intend to keep

Feel free to drop me a note, a call if you have any questions.. I’m completely content with decision and happy to talk about it more over a beer or coffee..

Yes, you will see quite a bit of dive gear show up on the for sale groups in the next while..

“So long, and thanks for all the fish!”

Koos

I am so very sorry you went through that, how terrifying! It's absolutely understandable that you'd not wish to dive after that.

Best of luck to you in your future endeavors, and I hope to keep seeing you around here in the virtual diving world!

Sorry to hear you went through this and totally understand your decision. You have had an exceptional dive career and I have always respected you as a diver. Hang in there Koos I will continue to watch your journeys on the book of faces.

Glad you are okay! Sorry to see you hang up the fins. But please stay in touch and you start your next adventure

Koos,

We've never met in person, but you have a stellar reputation. I'm sorry you've had to make this choice, but obviously it was the right one. I wish you all the best in your next pursuits.

Kosta

Koos, I am relieved to hear you are ok. What a frightening experience and one that your are right to not take lightly. Thank you for being such a great figure in the diving community and I hope you can continue having fun adventures in other ways.

Dude. I'm really happy to hear you're OK. Yep, that's a no-brainier decision. Be well.

Wow. I can certainly relate. As you may know, I gave up diving when I was pulled out of the water and given CPR. The near drowning triggered an afib. My wife walked into the emergency room just as they were restarting my heart. She was freaked. After many EKG's, echocardiograms, an angiogram, a cardio mri, and the thing with the radioactive injection, they determined that like you, my heart was undamaged and arteries clear. While the docs cleared me, wife says no. Like you, family comes before diving. I'm grateful that you survived to make this decision. Good luck in what comes next.
-Curt

First, glad you're going to be okay. Second, sad to hear that this chapter of your life has come to an end, Third, really glad that you found out about your medical issue while above the waterline, and that you'll have lots of time to write more "chapters".

Even though it may not have been a hard decision, I'm sure it wasn't easy. Your optimistic attitude for what comes next is pretty impressive. Good for you.

damn, I just read this on the gue seattle fb site...

so many folks retiring from diving lately....

Glad you are ok.

Koos....Lord knows that I understand and feel for you, buddy! While losing diving is hard (I know!) I'm SO very glad that you made this medical discovery about yourself while you were on "terra firma"!

So sorry to hear that! But it's clearly the right decision for your family.

My first thought was "he's having a bit of April Fool's fun". My second thought was "holy shit ... he's serious!"

Be well, dude ... diving's something we all do for fun. And the risks have to be worth the rewards. You've got a wife and kid to go home to ... they're your priority.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Well I only met you once, the time you gave me your drysuit! Still using it today, here it is in bluefish cove point lobos, California yesterday. At least a small piece of your legacy will continue to dive on. I can't imagine how rough a decision that was.

For that next chapter, I just might have a horse for you.....

Holy crap - thought this was April fools till I saw the date...

Wow...

Respect for a really good decision, and a really hard one.

I am moved to appreciate each trip beneath the waves - we don't know but that it may be our last.

I sorry to read this but extremely happy to not be ironing a shirt to wear to a funeral. Hanging up your fins seems like a small price to pay when you are able to enjoy so many other things. I'm fortunate to have had the opportunity to dive and train with you. Hopefully you'll do a better job of keeping up with folks in real life that I have during my recent period of cyber diving.

Thank you all for the amazing adventures and the encouraging words here.. Hope to see y'all on land for a beer, coffee, cookout or other social gathering

Scary, but at least it was above water and you get to make the decision!

Best of luck to you Koos, and please hang around our board, we value your input!

I just read about this Koos as I'm taking my lunch break at work. I'm glad you're okay. What you said is true, there are so many things to do outside of the diving world. Twenty years from now, you'll be looking back at this decision knowing you made the right choice. Especially, perhaps, holding your grandchild in your arms and having a grand time with him/her and family. I'll buy you a beer next time we see each other. Take care Koos.

Good Luck in your next adventure Koos! Thanks so much for everything! You are such a great guy and your family is very lucky to have you!
I hope we can see you around for coffee or a BBQ soon.

Live Long & Prosper!