Diver drowned, says medical examiner
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
By ANDREA EILENBERGER
The Express-Times
The Rhode Island Medical Examiner's office has ruled deep-sea diver Stephen Hardick's death a drowning related to heart, liver and gastrointestinal conditions.
Hardick, 60, of Phillipsburg, died Sunday afternoon during a diving expedition off the coast of Block Island, R.I. The renowned diver and instructor hadn't been feeling quite right in recent weeks but didn't suspect any serious health conditions, according to his wife Kay Hardick.
"He hadn't been feeling himself, but he knew he'd be going to the doctor within the next few weeks," she said.
Hardick was diving about 120 feet below the water filming footage of a sunken German U-boat Sunday but was unconscious when he reached the surface. The experienced diver was a founding member of the Garden State Underwater Rescue Unit, had instructed federal agents during search and recovery courses at a naval base in Key West, Fla. and taught local YMCA diving courses for about 40 years.
According to the Rhode Island Medical Examiner's office, Stephen Hardick died as a result of "saltwater drowning associated with upper gastrointestinal bleeding due to cirrhosis of the liver, cardiomegaly and urolithiasis."
According to the Warren County Medical Examiner's office, cirrhosis of the liver can involve a group of chronic liver diseases characterized by scarring and loss of the organ's normal lobes. Cardiomegaly refers to an enlargement of the heart, and urolithiasis is a condition in which mineral deposits, often called stones, build up in the urinary tract, according to the Warren County Medical Examiner's office.
Kay Hardick said her husband received yearly physicals and that she wasn't aware of any heart or liver conditions.
He underwent surgery for kidney stones within the last two years, his wife said. He also had told doctors about stomach pain for several years. Doctors diagnosed him with diverticulitis about a year and a half ago, meaning he had trouble digesting certain foods like nuts and corn, she said.
The Marine Safety Office of the U.S. Coast Guard is investigating and reported Monday that Hardick's equipment had been examined and was in proper working condition.
The investigation could take several weeks, according to Lt.j.g.Merridith Morrison, who is also the command duty officer.
Friends Sam Cirillo and Dave Firth Sr., both Phillipsburg residents who dove with Hardick on Sunday, said he seemed to be in fine health that day. On Monday, they reported nothing unusual about the trip and said Hardick had been in good spirits.
Reporter Andrea Eilenberger can be reached at 908-475-8044 or by e-mail at
aeilenberger@express-times.com.
