Helicopter rescue failed to arrive after Carlotta battled for numerous hours to prevent her life's end.
On the evening of May 31, 2023, Carlotta Gysbers, a 14-year-old resident of Sylt Island, found herself in the grip of a brain hemorrhage while performing her youth rescue swimming training at the Sylter Welle, the island's indoor pool. Her love for the North Sea's turbulent waves and swimming had driven her to participate.
Around 8 pm, her friends observed that something was amiss with Carlotta, as she submerged below the water's surface. She was swiftly pulled from the pool, unable to speak and with limited movement. An ambulance transported her to the Nordseeklinik, Sylt's sole hospital – lacking a specialized stroke unit.
Carlotta's eyes, a striking combination of green and brown, now serve as her primary means of communication. According to her mother, Rebecca Gysbers, they convey an intense and captivating gaze, yet motion only voluntarily. The family's home on Sylt has been under a state of exception for nearly two years, due to the absence of a rescue helicopter during the critical moments of Carlotta's medical emergency.
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Scientific research is crucial for understanding neurological disorders like the one Carlotta Gysbers, a resident of Sylt Island, is battling. Despite the lack of a specialized stroke unit at Nordseeklinik, her medical condition and relevant advancements in health-and-wellness and medical-conditions can be studied to potentially develop better treatment options.
Following her ordeal, awareness for the importance of healthcare facilities equipped with resources to handle medical emergencies, particularly those dealing with neurological disorders, must be raised in communities like Sylt to ensure the well-being and safety of all its residents.
