Courtesy: Eney Jones
Dr. Mary Neal is an orthopedic surgeon featured in the 2021 Netflix series Surviving Death. 25 years ago, Dr. Neal drowned in a kayaking accident while traveling in Chile. Dr. Neal was revived after 30 minutes and later wrote a book on her experience called “To Heaven and Back” which described her experience. The book was a New York Times bestseller. After meeting Dr. Neal at an open water race this past summer, Eney Jones spoke with Dr. Neal about her experience, why she chose to try open water swimming, and how her experience with death reshaped her mindset.
Life is this incredible opportunity and incredible adventure, and we are not to be here to waste it away” –Dr. Mary Neal
#1 I met you this past summer at the Race for the Conch Eco swim in the Turks and Caicos. You seemed a bit nervous before the race, your first open-water race. I saw a long scar on your leg and assumed maybe it was from a ski accident and/or surgery because of your residence and practice in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. (Dr Mary Neal is an Orthopedic surgeon and is the former director of spine surgery at the University of Southern California.) I ordered “To Heaven and Back” (A New York Times bestseller, her book) and read it on my flight home. I was astounded. You had died in South America ( drowned) for 30 minutes. How could you possibly be afraid of anything, much less an open water swim?
I wasn’t at all nervous about swimming the race, but I had no way of knowing how aggressive the swimmers in this race would be, so I was somewhat apprehensive about the many stories I had read about being kicked or injured during open water races. As you allude to, I have suffered many orthopedic injuries in the past, and I didn’t relish the idea of further injury. I also had no idea how the waves might impact my breathing, and to be honest, I am also competitive, so I did not want to finish last!
#2 Tell us a little bit about the 1999 kayaking accident, your mindset, your perspective, and your faith. What changes have taken place within you? You write so much about love and joy.
It reminded me of what Joseph Campbell once wrote:
Nietzsche was the one who did the job for me. At a certain moment in his life, the idea came to him of what he called ‘the love of your fate.’ Whatever your fate is, whatever the hell happens, you say, ‘This is what I need.’ It may look like a wreck, but go at it as though it were an opportunity, a challenge. If you bring love to that moment–not discouragement–you will find the strength is there. Any disaster you can survive is an improvement in your character, your stature, and your life. What a privilege! This is when the spontaneity of your nature will have a chance to flow.
Then, when looking back at your life, you will see that the moments that seemed to be great failures followed by wreckage were the incidents that shaped the life you have now. You’ll see that this is really true. Nothing can happen to you that is not positive. Even though it looks and feels at the moment like a negative crisis, it is not. The crisis throws you back, and when you are required to exhibit strength, it comes.
~Joseph Campbell, Reflections on the Art of Living.
Do you move through life now, focusing on love and joy? You wrote love is the only thing that matters and that joy will help you transcend circumstances. Do you still hold this to be true?
In 1999, I was really quite typical of many people in the USA. I had a great life – I was happily married, had four young children, and had a challenging and enjoyable full-time job. I tried to be a “good” person, honest & ethical, but I really didn’t have much time to think about spiritual things. I hadn’t suffered any significant setbacks and also had not personally known anyone who had died, so I had not been forced to think about mortality or any of the “big” questions of life. That changed dramatically after I drowned and discovered spiritual truth. There really is life after death, God is real, and all that God promises to us is true – we are fully known, purely loved, and always forgiven because of understanding, all things do work together for good, and if we choose to follow it, God has a plan for us that is one of beauty and hope.
Yes, I talk a lot about love because God is love, and everything grows out of love. I talk about joy because not only are we loved beyond measure, but I believe God intends for each of us to live joy-filled lives. Part of discovering this joy-filled life is learning to trust the promises that allow us to be released from our past, free from anxiety about the future, and confident about the beauty of our present circumstances. There is no doubt that living in a state of joy transcends one’s circumstances and turns the journey of life into a grand adventure to be experienced rather than endured.
Many people are held back from fully embracing life as an adventure because of fear. But fear is just one of the many destructive emotions that fade as one’s trust in God’s promises matures.
#3 You are 62 years old. As I age, I am constantly searching for OFGs (Opportunities for Greatness). When you are young, you have a French test on Friday and a track meet on Tuesday. As an older woman, I tend to seek out new challenges because they are not as prevalent and given to you as when you were young. Do you seek out new adventures and challenges, or because of your experience, has your fear grown?
I think new challenges are presented to each of us every day regardless of age, be they physical, emotional, or spiritual challenges. It could be an opportunity for greatness, or it could be as simple as radiating God’s love to someone in the grocery store. The difficulty is not having opportunities available; it is more likely the obstacle of saying “yes” to a given opportunity because great growth opportunities usually require us to step outside of our comfort zones.
#4 Why did you choose the Race for the Conch, Eco Swim? How was your mindset in the swim? What were your feelings after completing the swim?
I chose to swim the Race for the Conch Eco swim because I was going to be on the island that day, and it was something I had never done. I felt great during the race – I feel great any time I am doing something in or on the water! After completing the race, I knew I could have gone faster, but I was pleased with finishing in the middle of the pack.
#5 You are a spine surgeon, a scientist, a realist, a cynic, yet your life was profoundly changed by “the near death,” really “the actual death” experience. The four bullet points you gave in the book that stuck with me are:
- Share God’s grace and love in our country and the world
- Encourage individuals to make each day and each choice matter, to make the world a better place for all.
- Promote responsible stewardship of the world that has been given to us.
- Help bring people into a loving relationship with God
It’s been 25 since the accident and 13 years since the writing of “To Heaven and Back. “Do you still operate by these principles?
I do still operate by these principles. While I am still all of the others you mention, my most important identity is that of a beloved child of God. I do deeply believe that how we choose to spend each day matters. What we say, what we do, who we are, and how we interact with others and our environment matters. It all matters. And what matters most is both embracing and reflecting God’s love.
For more information, please visit: www.DrMaryNeal.com
If you are planning your race travels for next year, look no further than https://www.ecoseaswim.com/. Here is a photo of Ben Stubenberg, Race Director for the Eco Sea Swim, Race for the Conch, supervising the course set up.
I’ll leave you with this quote that reminds me of open water swimming from Dr. Seuss,
“Oh, the places you’ll go, you won’t lag behind because you’ll have the speed, you’ll pass the whole gang, and you’ll soon take the lead,” and “Oh, the people you will meet”
I am looking forward to seeing all of you somewhere in the open sea in 2025!
About Eney Jones
Eney Jones has achieved remarkably diverse success as a leading pool, open water, and Ironman triathlon swimmer.
- Masters National Champion 100-200-400-500-1500-1650 5k freestyle 2009
- Open Water 5k Champion Perth Australia, May 2008.
- National Masters Champion 200-400-1500 freestyle Champion, Portland, Oregon, August, 2008.
- Overall Champion Aumakua 2.4k Maui Hawaii, September 2008
- Waikiki Rough Water Swim 3rd place 2006, second place Overall 2009, 3rd place 2012
- European Record Holder and Masters Swimming Champion, 2005. Records included 200, 400, 800, 1500 m freestyle
- Over twenty-time finalist in U.S. Swimming Nationals, including Olympic Trials 1980
- Gold medal NCAA 800 yd freestyle relay 1979, silver Medalist 200 yd freestyle 1979. United States National Team 1979-1980.
- Professional Triathlete 1983-1991. The first woman out of the water in every Hawaiian Ironman participated (6).
