Fargo Man Warns Others To Be Safe After Falling Through Ice - Valley News Live - KVLY/KXJB - Fargo/Grand Forks

Brad Neumann says he has escaped death three times in the past few years.

     He first fell through the ice a few years ago while ice fishing; the second time, just one year later, also while ice fishing; the third, while hunting.

"I fell through a slough," Brad recalls. "That feeling when that cold weather hits you takes your breath away."

He says the pain that came with each and every fall is something he won't be able to forget, describing it as "instant numbing, like 100 needles at once."

Despite his numerous brushes with excruciatingly cold waters, Brad's been unusually fortunate; he survived. Every year, close to 700 Americans die of hypothermia, and Brad hopes his experience might serve as a warning to others who might underestimate the danger, whether they're ice fishing or just touring the town.

Hypothermia can kill a healthy person within four hours, so that's why Neumann says it's so crucial to "always be prepared and have that proper gear."