AMichigan woman claims her husband’s death could have been prevented by an awareness campaign about a little-known snorkeling danger, according to her lawsuit against the Hawaii Tourism Authority and the Hawaii Visitors Convention Bureau.
Officially, 64-year-old Ray Johnson’s cause of death in February 2022 was ruled drowning, the leading cause of death for tourists in Hawaii, by a coroner, according to Patti Johnson’s lawsuit.
But her attorney, Jay Stuemke, told Fox News Digital the experienced snorkeler’s last moments did not resemble a traditional drowning at all.
“He told a friend, ‘I’m having trouble breathing,’ and they tried to bring him in,” Stuemke said Wednesday. “A friend helped him to shore, but he died on the beach [in Maui.]”
Rather than aspirating water, Stuemke said Johnson likely died of Rapid Onset Pulmonary Edema, or ROPE, sometimes known as “drowning from the inside.”
When Rapid Onset Pulmonary Edema comes on, the swimmer’s lungs fill with bodily fluids, reducing the organs’ ability to deliver oxygen and leading to hypoxia.
