The husband of the mom of two who sadly passed away after drinking too much water desperately tried to save his wife's life.
As previously reported, Ashley Summers, 35, her husband Cody Summers, and her two daughters, Brooklyn and Brynlee, had been enjoying a lakeside vacation at Indiana’s Lake Freeman during the Fourth of July weekend.
Amid the celebrations, Summers began complaining that she was feeling extremely dehydrated and severely light-headed, so she decided to drink water, but that did not quench her thirst nor relieve her symptoms.
"It was really hot, and they were out on the water. She had a headache and felt really thirsty," her uncle Deon Miller told The Messenger. "She thought she must have been dehydrated, so she drank like four bottled waters in half an hour."
Summers consumed the equivalent of four 16oz bottles within the space of just twenty minutes, per WRTV. She then returned home with her family and ended up collapsing out in the garage.
Her husband desperately performed CPR on the stricken woman after finding her passed out on the floor, and then rushed her to Indiana University Health Arnett Hospital.
"Cody gave her CPR and got her going a little bit, but by the time they got to the hospital and ran tests and everything, they had to put her on the ventilator," Deon said. "By that time, her brain had swelled enough that it shut all circulation off to her brain, and she was brain dead."
Unfortunately, Summers never regained consciousness and doctors had to break the heartbreaking news to her family that she had tragically died from water toxicity.
The late mom's death was a "real shock" for everyone, including her brother who was in disbelief when he heard about his sister’s condition, saying: "It was a shock to all of us. When they first started talking about water toxicity. It was like this is a thing?"
Water toxicity - also known as water poisoning - happens when too much water is ingested quickly, or if the kidneys retain too much water due to underlying health conditions. The symptoms include feeling unwell as well as having headaches, soreness, nausea, and muscle cramps.
The condition also can lead to insufficient salt in the blood, causing an electrolyte abnormality called hyponatremia in severe instances, per the National Library of Medicine.
The reduced sodium levels result in exterior cell fluid transiting into cells and causing swelling. In brain cells, this could turn fatal, as cited by The New York Post.
Alex Ebner, Owner of ACE Medical Company explained to The Mirror how drinking too much water can be deadly.
He said: "According to scientists, a person will only live three days without water," adding: "By staying hydrated, a person can enjoy several important benefits in quality of life: more efficient brain function, higher energy, a healthier cardiovascular system, and fewer aches and pains."
Dr. Alok Harwani, a physician at the hospital, echoed this sentiment as he told WLFI that when you are spending time outside in hot weather, you need to eat or drink things with electrolytes, like fruit, as well as plain water - as this allows your body to maintain the balance of water and sodium in the blood.
Summers' heartbroken family revealed to WRTV that she was an organ donor, and was able to donate her heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, and some of her long bone tissue - ultimately saving five other lives.
There is also a Venmo account set up for her children and medical bills. If you would like to donate, the username is @Cody-Summers-16.
Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this time.
