OAK RIDGE, TENNESSEE.
CHRISTMAS DAY, 2004.
My entire family was preparing to have our traditional Christmas lunch at my grandparent’s house - a meal like Thanksgiving on steroids.
My mom and aunts were making food, setting the table, and cleaning dishes. They looked like a trained unit organizing a meal like this for 16 people.
My dad and uncles were visiting my grandpa in the hospital - who had shown signs of a heart attack the prior night.
While the adults were occupied - all the kids were playing in my grandparent’s indoor pool. We kicked, splashed, and laughed - having a blast together.
My grandparent’s pool in Oak Ridge, Tennessee
After a while - my sister and oldest cousins were exhausted and decided to get out.
But a few of my younger cousins and I wanted to stay in the pool. My 3-year-old self had been taking swim lessons and wanted to see how long I could hold my breath underwater. I was confident in my swimming abilities and didn’t think I needed my life jacket.
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I submerged myself - and the timer began.
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10 seconds.
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20 seconds.
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30 seconds.
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After what seemed like an eternity - something went off in my cousin Patrick’s head.
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“Max isn’t holding his breath anymore - he has drowned.”
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Patrick then dove underwater and pulled me out from the bottom. The little 3-year-old that my parents and family knew was now unrecognizable.
Baby Max - who was now unrecognizable
My entire body was purple, swollen, and puffy like the Michelin Man and Barney had a baby.
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My eyes were open, completely fixated, and bulging out of my head like they were going to explode.
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I was anoxic and looked like a monster.
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“MAX IS DEAD! MAX IS DEAD! MAX IS DEAD!”
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Hearing Patrick’s screams - my mom and aunts rushed from the kitchen to the pool room. They all froze when they saw me - unable to comprehend what they were looking at.
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Patrick was right - I was dead.
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By God’s luck - my dad and uncles walked through the front door immediately after I drowned. Hearing the screams of the moms and kids - they sprinted to the pool room to find me lifeless on the floor.
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My Uncle Joe - a US Navy Captain and Flight Surgeon at NASA - took control of the situation like it was a ship. He ordered my aunts and uncles to take all the kids upstairs to limit any trauma from the situation. My parents called for help as Uncle Joe began to resuscitate me. I was throwing up gallons of water until I finally had a pulse again.
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But even though I had my pulse back - I still had no neurological activity.
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I couldn’t see.
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I couldn’t hear.
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I couldn’t talk.
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I couldn’t move.
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I began to posture - clear signs that I had experienced severe brain damage.
I was both decorticate and decerebrate posturing - clear signs of brain damage
The paramedics quickly arrived to transport me to the Children's Hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee. It was a 45-minute drive to the hospital - but this hospital was the best place for making a potential recovery. My mom - who rode with me in the ambulance - was bawling her eyes out during the 45 minutes that felt like a lifetime.
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Once we reached the emergency room at Children’s Hospital - the doctors confirmed I was in a coma.
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Then - the waiting began.
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Each passing minute was slowly carving my family’s hearts out - not knowing what was going to happen to me.
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Will my parents lose their youngest child?
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Will I be a vegetable if I did make it out of this incident?
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Will my family witness the death of a child? Worse - will they witness the death of a loved one on one of the happiest days of the year?
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Will this be the end of my story?
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After an entire day - my family and I were blessed with a Christmas miracle.
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I came out of my coma with very minor brain and body damage - something that was unthinkable.
What’s up y’all.
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My name is Maximillian Goswitz - and this is my story.
WHY DEATH WAS A BLESSING
My drowning was one of my most impactful and defining moments.
Yes - I’m grateful I drowned.
My near-death experience as a toddler taught me so many lessons at such a young age that I will value forever.
The first lesson this accident taught me was about humility and the fragility of life.
Within the blink of an eye - I could have been gone.
Forever.
As a toddler - this precious gift we call life could have been taken from me as fast as it was given.
I am humbled every day knowing that like everyone else - my day to leave this world will soon come.
Contemplating my drowning and death every day has shaped my mindset to try and live every day like it is my last.
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My gratitude has also increased tenfold from drowning.
Every day - I give thanks for being on this beautiful planet.
I give thanks for being able to do the smallest things - things I never should have been able to do. Things many of us often take for granted like moving, eating, drinking, and communicating with no problems.
I give thanks that it wasn’t my time to go yet - and that I have more opportunities to chase my dreams and leave a positive impact before my time comes.
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Lastly - this accident taught me there is no such thing as a good or bad situation.
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The most important thing is how you frame the situation in your mind - and how you control your response to use any situation to your advantage.
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I have been in countless other freak accidents besides my drowning.
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I once totaled my car going 80 mph on the highway - and came out of the accident with only a few minor scratches and burns.
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​Another time - I crashed into a barbed wire fence while skydiving - which easily could have put me in the hospital. I only suffered a few minor scratches and bruises from this accident (my family and I joke that I’m like a cat with 9 lives).
Car crash - another one of my 9 lives used
While all these accidents seem terrible on the surface - they have been instrumental in helping me learn and develop different aspects of who I am.
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I often ask God about my drowning and freak accidents - “why didn’t you take me? You left me here for a purpose, what is it?”
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Sadly - answers don’t come that easy - but those who never quit are hard to keep down.
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Growing up - I spent a lot of time at my parent’s pediatric clinic - something they found after my older brother was diagnosed with autism.
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It was inspiring to see the profound impact the clinic had on the lives of the children, their families, and everyone close to them.
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The time I spent at my parent’s clinic taught me how important and rewarding it is to help others and build a solid community.
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My obsession has always been trying to be the best version of myself in everything I do.
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Working out, eating healthier, achieving better grades, being a better friend - anything that helps me be a better person.
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My love for self-development and helping others has led me here to help you.
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Life is often confusing - and it can be difficult to know how to become the best possible you.
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I hope you can get some insight from my channels to start living your dream life.
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And hopefully - when it is your turn to leave this beautiful gift we call life - you can reflect and know that maximized the time you were given.
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You will truly mean these words when you say them - something that most never get the chance to experience.
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You will tell yourself, “I lived.”
ABOUT ME
I was born and raised in San Antonio, TX, before moving to Tucson, AZ, to attend the University of Arizona. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems (MIS) in 2021 and a Master of Science in MIS in 2022. I have always loved the mountains - so I moved to beautiful Colorado Springs, CO, after graduation.
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I love learning, exercising, and being outdoors. My hobbies include writing, reading, doing gymnastics, hiking, skydiving, riding motorcycles, and traveling.​
If you have any questions, comments, or advice - please fill out the contact form or reach out on social media. I’d love to hear from you!