‘My brother died cuz he fell through and couldn’t get out’: Alaska fisherman jumps through ice to demonstrate life-saving technique most people don’t know

An Alaska fisherman has gone viral for demonstrating a potentially life-saving skill: how to survive if you fall through the ice on a frozen lake. Ahead of the winter season, when ice fishing and outdoor activities become more common, he deliberately put himself in danger to show others exactly what to do in an emergency.

According to Bro Bible, the fisherman, who goes by The Reel Alaska on TikTok, filmed the dramatic demonstration at night on a frozen lake. In the video, which has racked up more than 3.9 million views, he forcefully jumps on a patch of thin ice until it gives way, plunging him into chest-deep, freezing water. The moment is shocking, but it quickly turns instructional.

Rather than panicking, he immediately stays calm and spreads his arms wide across the surface of the ice. He then slowly works his way backward toward thicker, more stable ice while keeping his body as flat as possible. By distributing his weight over a larger area, he reduces the risk of the ice breaking further, allowing him to safely pull himself out.

Staying flat on the ice makes all the difference

Once he got his upper body on solid ice, he flipped over onto his belly. He stayed flat and scooted forward until he was completely out of the water. Then he shared advice that surprises most people.

Instead of standing up right away, he rolled his body toward the shore. Rolling keeps his weight spread out so he won’t fall through the ice again. Standing up too quickly puts too much pressure on one spot and could break the ice.

A 2020 study from York University in Canada found that ice deaths are becoming more common as temperatures get warmer. In some countries, falling through ice causes 15 to 50% of all drowning deaths. Wild animal encounters can be just as dangerous, like when a hunter was followed by a bear in the woods.

Most people who fall through ice don’t die from the fall itself. They die because they can’t get out of the water. They either drown or get hypothermia from the freezing cold. That’s why knowing how to escape quickly is so important.

Many people in the comments shared sad stories about losing loved ones to ice accidents. “So many people are making jokes, but this is literally life-saving advice. My brother died cuz he fell though and couldn’t get out,” one wrote.

“This is actually so dangerous even as a tutorial. Thank you for informing because I truly had no idea,” another wrote. 

Others were surprised by the rolling technique and said they never would have thought to do that. People also make dangerous mistakes around wildlife, similar to when a man tried touching a moose in a parking lot.