CARLSBAD : Epileptic Surfer Nearly Drowns
An epileptic 19-year-old man nearly drowned off the Carlsbad coast Friday morning while surfing, lifeguards said.
Ryan Jansen, a Solana Beach resident, and his roommate, Eric Cline, went surfing at 9:30 a.m. when Jansen appeared to have suffered a seizure, said Grant Larson, spokesman for the Del Mar lifeguards.
Cline, 19, lost sight of his friend, but was able to find Jansen’s surfboard, which was attached to Jansen. After finding Jansen, Cline screamed for help, and a lifeguard paddling nearby, Jim Poland, came to their aide, pulling Jansen up onto the board, Larson said.
After reaching shore, lifeguards administered CPR to Jansen until paramedics arrived. Jansen, a student at MiraCosta College, was taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla where he was listed in critical condition Friday afternoon, Larson said.
Larson said Jansen had a history of epilepsy and had not taken his medication on Friday before the accident.
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