Walk in the Woods: Submerged in Icy Water

June 24, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Walk in the Woods: Submerged in Icy Water

On February 13, 2011, in the woods of Hooksett, New Hampshire, David Dwyer followed an animalistic groaning sound across a frozen pond. His flashlight beam landed on a six-foot hole in the ice. Staring out from the black water was his wife Kelly, her face ghostly pale, her eyes like "an animal caught in a trap." She had been submerged for roughly two hours. By the time she reached the hospital, she had no heartbeat, no brainwave, and a body temperature of 27 degrees Celsius—about ten degrees below normal. The medical staff would perform CPR for over three hours before attempting a last-resort bypass procedure. Against every expectation, Kelly survived.

A Walk That Turned Deadly

Kelly Dwyer had been battling chronic Lyme disease for three years before that winter afternoon. Once extremely energetic and strong, she had deteriorated into a state where simple walks required careful pacing and frequent rests. When she told David she felt well enough to snowshoe to the beaver pond—one of her favorite spots—it felt like a victory.

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What you'll learn

1 (01:03) **The Disappearance** - David Dwyer searches the dark New Hampshire woods for his wife, Kelly, who hasn't returned from a walk.
2 (04:47) **Episode Introduction** - The narrator sets up the stakes: Kelly is unconscious and barely clinging to life, and David must perform heroics to reach her.
3 (06:43) **Kelly's Afternoon Walk** - Kelly, battling chronic Lyme disease, decides to take a therapeutic snowshoe hike to the beaver pond.
4 (10:20) **David and Kelly's Love Story** - The couple's backstory is told, from their instant connection at a work conference to their marriage and family life.
5 (13:38) **The Moment of Crisis** - Kelly steps off the safe, trampled path on the frozen pond and falls through the ice.
6 (17:02) **David Notices She's Missing** - At home, David's daughter Catherine asks where her mother is, realizing it's now dark and Kelly should have returned.
7 (20:27) **The Search and the Sound** - David reaches the pond and hears a strange, rhythmic noise that seems to answer his calls.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Winter 2011 in New Hampshire. David Dwyer is at home in his study when he notices that his wife Kelly hasn’t come back from her walk in the woods. Strapping on his snowshoes, he heads out to look for her. The situation will prove far worse than David’s fears. Kelly isn’t merely lost or injured; she’s unconscious, clinging to life, submerged up to her neck in freezing water. Can she, quite literally, come back from the dead?

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