Fun Day with Special Needs Krithin & Nikkel

This week I volunteered with Diveheart, an international non-profit organisation that assists persons with disabilities to experience life underwater.

Syed invited me to join back in 2020 and I have been volunteering ever since when I have time. I am elated when I see them enjoy the water. This week, we had the opportunity to share the joy of diving with two kids, Krithin and Nikkel. Sheng was supposed to join but it started to rain heavily just before he arrived for his private session.

The sessions were held at Amir's Gym, Bangsar. They do water therapy for special needs. The pool was about 6 feet deep. It was my first time seeing a device to assist getting in the pool. I've seen it in videos and this was the first time I'm seeing it with my eyes. They also had so many toys and mermaid tails to encourage fun water activities.

Device to assist getting in and out of the pool

The many toys Amir's Gym have

We started with Krithin first. He was excited to wear the Mares rashguard and go in the swimming pool. The last time he went in was way back in 2020. He was asked if he could hold his bite, because you need to bite on the regulator for it to stay in place. He couldn't sustain his bite, but he was given the regulator to try and get used to breathing from the scuba tank.

He was happy to breathe a slightly different kind of air, like Aquaman he said. Then, he tried the full face mask. This would be easier because you could breathe normally through your nose without worrying about remembering to breath using mouth from the regulator.

Before diving, Krithin first tried using the full face mask underwater where he was sitting at the steps of the pool. When he was ready, Syed and Hazmie brought him around the pool. And it was amazing to see him walking in the water. He did another round in the swimming pool using the equipment, and he was really happy afterwards.

Video of Krithin underwater trying scuba diving for the first time using a full-face mask. He's walking underwater!

Next, Nikkel came and he also tried the regulator first before putting on the full face mask.

Fun fact, full face masks were used during the rescue of the 12 Thai boys and their coach that were stuck in a cave in 2018. Nikkel too seemed to enjoy his experience underwater with full wide smile after the session.

Nikkel underwater and after the session was all smiles

Unfortunately for Sheng, it rained heavily. There were lightning and thunder when he came. Even though the swimming pool was partially covered on top to trapped leaves, it was still dangerous to swim in. So we postponed his session for another day, God willing.

Here are more pictures from the day. As usual, I had such a great time, and I wouldn't have the 22022022 date spent any other way.

Until then,

Coach E