Rescued, revived – and fully alive
The search that late afternoon – Dec. 4, 1987 – seemed endless. Rescue workers in boats chopped their way through the frozen Red River, then with long poles probed the murky river, hoping to locate the 11-year-old who had broken through. By the time they found him, Alvaro Garza had been under the icy water for an estimated 45 minutes and showed no signs of life – no pulse, not breathing and a 77-degree body temperature.
An ambulance rushed Alvaro to a team of specialists at MeritCare. Within minutes, he was in the operating room. With the use of a heart-lung bypass machine – the kind used in open heart surgery – the medical team implemented a plan: slowly warm the body temperature and re-establish circulation and oxygenation. An early sign of hope: For the first time since the rescue, Alvaro's heart began to beat. But could he fully recover?
Several hours later, under close watch in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of MeritCare Children's Hospital, Alvaro finally opened his eyes and began to move. A ventilator continued to help him breathe, intravenous tubes provided nourishment and medication kept him comfortable. Two days later, in critical but stable condition, he showed another promising sign: He blinked an answer to a question asked by his anguished parents. "Every question I asked him, he answered back with his eyes," said his dad, Alvaro Garza Sr. "I think he's going to survive."
Seventeen days later, smiling and waving, Alvaro returned home with his thankful family. Media outlets across the world followed the entire story, prompting prayers and well-wishes from every corner. Many called it a miracle. The worldwide medical community gained new knowledge about near-drowning in cold water.
Today, Alvaro lives in Texas with his wife, Erica, and their four children. Though it's been more than two decades since his rescue and recovery, he'll never forget. "I remember it every year," says Alvaro, a driller on an oil rig. He reminds his children to respect the water – and when it comes to safety, take no chances.