Who would have the courage to do this...

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do it easy:
I think of Matt as a pioneer who is exploring the limits of what is possible. I consider his dream more of an expedition into uncharted territory, literally, where no one has gone before. Much like an expedition, it takes planning, determination, courage, and persistence. I'm sure Matt ran into many people who didn't think that he could do it, but he's proving them wrong. Way to go Matt!!

...snap, snap, snap, snap!

I agree!
 
Doc Intrepid:
Achieving dreams is, ultimately, the only real meaning life offers. It's the only worthy thing that remains after we die.

All the rest is administrivia.

You have a good way with words Doc. May I steal that for a sig line?
 
ianr33:
You have a good way with words Doc. May I steal that for a sig line?

No. You can't have it.

Instead, you need to add something to your sig line that will help spread the word about Matt. He needs our support.
 
jepuskar:
Green, is Matt breathing underwater when he does his pool dives?

Matt's website states he requires a ventilator. So no, he is not breathing; he is being ventilated. There is a difference. I recall a young woman in Fl who required a feeding tube, etc. to maintain her life. They pulled the plug on her because she was not "really living" and she died. If Matt is left off the ventilator he will die; I cannot imagine how that must feel and I give him all due credit for doing what he could, despite obstacles and risk, to reach his goal.

The original post asked opinion of whether or not what Matt is doing is diving, not what I think of Matt as a person, etc.

In my opinion he is not diving. And I provided alternative examples of other activities.

In your opinion he is; so what?

You must be a liberal; only liberals elevate their feelings and opinion to the level of fact and truth thereby, in their minds, rendering irrelevant the opinion of anyone who holds a different opinion.

Later.
 
I have my Diving a Dream shirts.. They are nice. Y'all all buy one, y'hear?
Rick
 
.....but aren't the general effects on his body the same as a regular diver, regardless of how the breathing occurs?
IE, the feeling of weightlessness, to some degree, or the sound of bubbles going past your ears.....or the feeling of water surrounding your body (yes I know he's in a drysuit)? I don't think the analogies are the same.

There's so much more to the experience than being ultimately in control............
 
Green, my most sincerest apologies about my last remark. You're right, he is not breathing. He is being ventilated. You clarified that for me, but decided to add on a few extras to your post...sooooooo

You said "The original post asked opinion of whether or not what Matt is doing is diving" The original post mentions nothing of this. It states "Wow! Guts... determination... this guy must really want to dive. But is this really something that he should be doing? What do you all think?" You actually didn't even answer the question of is this something that he should be doing.

You chimed in and said he is not really diving and you anticipated comments about it and I am commenting on it. No need to label me, but if it makes you feel better to group me in some category by all means go for it.

You come up with a lot of conclusions pretty fast. I think your opinions are pretty fascinating and in no way irrelevant. If they were irrelevant to me I wouldn't bother commenting on it. But I am sorry you feel this way, its a shame.

Ok, enough of that. :lol3:
---------------------------------------------

I agree with Walter. It's really none of our business. If he wants to do it..go for it and have fun diving.
 
Lucky people have dreams -- so many people have none. Very lucky people dream of doing things that God gave them the talent and ability to accomplish. The rest of us may dream of doing things we just don't have the ammunition to achieve. The man who is 5'2" will never play for the NBA . . . but he can play basketball, and he can play the best danged basketball that his body will play, and if he works very hard, he may eventually play somewhat well.

Matt has a sad discrepancy between what he dreams of doing, and what his physiology will let him accomplish. Far more than the short basketball player, he has to bring determination and drive and unrelenting persistence to bear. Most of us find diving somewhat expensive -- what of someone who has to arrange to do it on a ventilator? Many of us may have found diving somewhat daunting or anxiety-provoking to begin with -- how much more someone who is depending on a machine to breathe, and a support team to get out of the water?

Someone in Matt's position has to use as much grit as most of us have, to face living through each new day. To add to those burdens by trying the near impossible shows an aspiring spirit and perserverence we can only regard with admiration.

Whether it is diving or not is not worth debating. Whether it is amazing what he has accomplished should be easy to agree upon.

I had a very frustrating and unsatisfying dive tonight, and Matt would give his eyeteeth to do that dive. Think about that.
 
Very well stated, TSandM! :clapping:

TSandM:
Lucky people have dreams -- so many people have none. Very lucky people dream of doing things that God gave them the talent and ability to accomplish. The rest of us may dream of doing things we just don't have the ammunition to achieve. The man who is 5'2" will never play for the NBA . . . but he can play basketball, and he can play the best danged basketball that his body will play, and if he works very hard, he may eventually play somewhat well.

Matt has a sad discrepancy between what he dreams of doing, and what his physiology will let him accomplish. Far more than the short basketball player, he has to bring determination and drive and unrelenting persistence to bear. Most of us find diving somewhat expensive -- what of someone who has to arrange to do it on a ventilator? Many of us may have found diving somewhat daunting or anxiety-provoking to begin with -- how much more someone who is depending on a machine to breathe, and a support team to get out of the water?

Someone in Matt's position has to use as much grit as most of us have, to face living through each new day. To add to those burdens by trying the near impossible shows an aspiring spirit and perserverence we can only regard with admiration.

Whether it is diving or not is not worth debating. Whether it is amazing what he has accomplished should be easy to agree upon.

I had a very frustrating and unsatisfying dive tonight, and Matt would give his eyeteeth to do that dive. Think about that.
 

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