During Hogan’s second dive of the day, his doctors believe, too much pressure built up in his lungs, causing gas bubbles in his arteries. Called an arterial gas embolism, the condition damaged his spinal cord and led to paralysis.
Many have died as a result of the diving condition, but some have lessened the damage after undergoing intensive hospital treatments where they breathed 100 percent oxygen.
Hogan believes he also could have reduced the harm to his system had he reached a hospital sooner. He is now paralyzed from the waist down.