The short film Don't Hold Your Breath takes viewers and audiences on a personal and emotional experience that recreates the unexpected horror and resulting trauma that one family experiences when their son, husband and brother experiences a shallow water blackout event, and survives it. We are aware that there have been many unexplained incidents in the past that people attribute to just being “accidental.” We now understand how this happens and how to prevent it. That is the purpose of the film. Michael Phelps participation in the film and PSA’s brings the visibility of Shallow Water Blackout Prevention to the next level.
The film will screen at festivals and will ultimately be available to organizations around the country who deal water safety as well as so many individuals and families that need to be informed of the dangers of prolonged breath holding, hyperventilating and swimming alone. Understanding that this is 100% preventable and 94% lethal is a wake-up call for parents, coaches, teachers, and others involved with anyone in water related activities.
If you or someone you know would like to screen this short film contact us at:filmsters@filmsters.com
Chandler Watson lives in Annapolis, Maryland with his wife, Erin, golden retriever, Wilson, and has a new baby boy, James Thomas Watson. Chandler is a medical device rep. He graduated from Indiana University in 2015 where he was a Division 1 football player. Chandler attends church regularly. In his free time, he enjoys working out, golfing, and being outdoors. He is very close with his family. They spend quality time together in the Annapolis area and on family vacations. The entire family was all together at Bald Head Island, North Carolina when Chandler's Shallow Water Blackout occurred.
He and his family are now dedicated to spreading the word to others about how easily an incident like the one Chandler experienced can happen to anyone and most importantly, how to prevent it. Chandler is available to make special appearances and speak to groups about this and to provide special screenings of the film "Don't Hold Your Breath," a 23-minute short film that chronicles his personal story can be arranged and booked in the future.
It was a beautiful day on Bald Head Island, North Carolina, and it was the Fourth of July weekend at the height of COVID in 2020. The Watson family was vacationing together at a pool challenging one another to swim the length of the pool without taking a breath. With family watching poolside they were playing these familiar games without a care in the world. Chandler Watson, a 26 year-old newlywed grabbed his goggles and was off underwater, he completed two lengths of the pool but never surfaced…a Division one athlete they believed that he was showing them how long he could hold his breath. His mother was visibly worried and upset (thank God for “mother’s intuition”); and started saying, “Someone needs to get him up now!” His Dad went to pull Chandler up and instantly knew something was wrong. He was limp and lifeless and blue ... for all intents and purposes he appeared to be dead. And then…
