Positivity: How an £85 suit saved this grandad’s life

From South Wales, UK:

Dec 29 2007

IT was bought as an early Christmas present to keep the rain off – yet this blue and yellow suit saved David Davies’ life.
Early on Wednesday morning, the 51-year-old grandad became the first man known to survive being washed off the popular fishing rocks at Witches Point, Ogmore.
Experienced lifeguards say they have seen at least five fishermen die in the past 20 years at the beautiful but treacherous point.
Plumber Mr Davies, who has been sea fishing for just two-and-a-half years, survived because of his £85 suit, a calm friend and a brave lifeboat crew.
Yet at about 9.30am on Wednesday, as a giant wave hit him amid gale-force winds, the Bridgend dad of two and grandad of three thought he was done for.
He said: “It was as if a hand had grabbed me and the next thing I was under water, and, it may sound silly, but I just remember being surrounded by greyness.
“I thought I would never come to the surface. Because I had so many clothes on I thought that was it.
“But then the flotation suit started bringing me to the surface. I could see I was getting washed away from the shoreline but I could see my friend on his mobile phone and he gave me the thumbs-up. I thought ‘Just keep calm and wait for the lifeboat’.
“I kept watching my friend all the time.
“Apparently, I am one of the first to have been pulled out of there alive.”
Phil Missen, the lifeboat manager, said Mr Davies was the first fisherman he had seen who had survived being swept off Witches Point.

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