Drowning wasn’t peaceful or painless. First, the water poured into Riley’s lungs, causing him to cough and retch. His body reacted by forcing his vocal cords to spasm and seal off his airway. So, the water filled his stomach instead. He felt a painful knot in his abdomen while his lungs were deprived of oxygen. The excruciating pain and the slow suffocation sent his mind into a panic.
