Otteson family visits Gunnison Valley Hospital

2010 near-drowning experience being developed into book

Gore Otteson, the little boy who made headlines in 2010 for his miraculous recovery after nearly drowning in an irrigation ditch near his family’s cabin in Gunnison, came by the Gunnison Valley Hospital on Thursday, August 2 with his parents and met with several of the caregivers who helped to save his life.

This was the first time the family had re-connected with Dr. Roger Sherman, the attending physician who treated Gore that fateful day.
The family brought with them Ashley Roy, a writer for Tate Publishing, who is currently working with the Ottesons to develop their experience into a book. Though Children’s Hospital in Denver treated Gore for the longer haul and will be featured prominently in the book, the family feels it is important to include their experience at Gunnison Valley Hospital that first hour after Gore’s accident.
“The nurses, physicians and first responders at GVH jumped into action and helped save our son’s life,” relates the boy’s mother, Amy Otteson, “Gore had been under water for almost 25 minutes when we found him and his heart stopped for nearly an hour; for that hour we thought we had lost him.  Thank you will never be enough for all they did.”
Healthcare workers restarted Gore’s heart and used an experimental hypothermic treatment to lower the young boy’s core body temperature. Gore recovered from his accident with no brain damage or abnormalities—the primary medical concern after a person is without the flow of oxygen to their brain for a period of time.
Gore will turn four years old next month and is just as happy, healthy and rambunctious as ever.
Please stay tuned as more information on this miraculous story and its book development is released in the future.