POULSBO — It’s a scary moment for anyone not trained to save a life.

But when Summer Askew’s teammates saw the North Kitsap swimmer start to struggle in the pool, and lapse into a grand mal seizure, Natalia Stenerson, Caralyn Cleaver and Kylie Gough didn’t think — they jumped into action and helped save Askew’s life.

Askew, a senior, is an epileptic. She hadn’t had a seizure since May, and none during last year’s swim season. With a change in medication, the disease seemed to be taking a backseat in her life.

“It came as a surprise to me that I had that incident in the pool this year,” Askew said.

Askew, 17, doesn’t like being fussed over and didn’t make it public that she is an epileptic. For her it’s part of her life.

She told her coaches, athletic trainers and close friends. Askew swam when she was younger and tried volleyball and track and filed, but when a friend suggested she join the swim team last year, it all seemed to click. She immediately felt at home.

“It’s always very refreshing,” Askew said of working out in the pool. “I always felt happy that this was the only sport I liked to do. When gliding through the water I’m at peace and happy.”

North Kitsap’s practice on Sept. 28 started like any other.

“I remember having a really good time with my friends,” Askew said. “They weren’t all my friends in the beginning of the season, but I feel like (they are now). I’m with people that I like and they’re very supportive.”

Cleaver, a sophomore, and Stenerson, a senior, were swimming near Askew as they did their laps in the NK Community pool. Cleaver, who knew Askew had epilepsy, said she noticed that Askew had stopped moving after a flip turn. As she swam closer, Askew started to seize and went underwater, Stenerson said.

Cleaver said Askew’s face was in the water and she grabbed her, with Stenerson right behind as they held her out of the water.

“I grabbed her under the arms and dragged her up to the wall,” Cleaver said. “Two seconds later, Natalia came and Kylie came and they just helped me hold her up. I just started to yell for a lifeguard because they know what to do.”

They kept Askew floating, holding her and protecting her head from the side of the pool as best they could as lifeguards put Askew on a backboard as medics arrived. Askew was conscious after the seizure and realized what had happened.

“I’m so glad I didn’t panic or anything,” Cleaver said, adding when the incident was over and the adrenalin wore off, she cried in the locker room, mostly out of relief. “It just all dawned on me. After that, it was like, ‘What just happened?”

“I’d say I’m more of a protective person, and I didn’t want to go to the locker room when they told us, I wanted to stay and make sure she was OK,” Stenerson said, adding her adrenalin had her pumped for a while afterward. “I did cry too, though.”

Askew’s beyond grateful her teammates were there to help her.

“I’m appreciative,” she said. “I feel like if that was in any other pool, like a public pool, I’m terrified no one would have noticed. They noticed right away. It’s a traumatic experience for people to see, so for them to help me no matter what made me feel really good inside.”

North Kitsap coach Greg Braun said he didn’t see what happened initially, but wasn’t surprised Cleaver, Gough and Stenerson reacted well during the emergency.

“Everybody was doing the right thing,” he said. “(Summer) was in trouble and they helped her out.”

Askew won’t be swimming the rest of the season, but will remain a member of the team.

“It’s clearly a bummer that I won’t be in the water with (my friends anymore),” she said.

Askew said she was having about four seizures a month when she first entered high school, but between her sophomore year and last March she was seizure free. She and her family felt the epilepsy was more in control.

“But that wasn’t so,” she said.

Stenerson, Cleaver and Gough said they have such a feeling of family within their team — and the entire swim community — they wouldn’t hesitate to help any of their teammates, and Askew is no different in their eyes.

“I think of her as kind of quiet but very funny,” Stenerson said.

“When she feels like she can warm up to you, she’s really nice,” Gough said.

“She’s super sweet,” added Cleaver.

It’s that family atmosphere that Braun takes special pride in, and has for the 26 years he’s coached swimming.

“You belong to something bigger than yourself here,” he said.