India, June 26 -- A 10-year-old girl managed to save her father's life after a freak diving accident in the treacherous Louisiana river, NY Post reported. Michael Painter, 46, was with his daughter, Carson, at the Bogue Chitto River, near the town of Bogalusa, on the afternoon of June 18. Their plans to kayak and look at softshell turtle eggs took an unexpected turn when Painter decided to do a front flip down the hill.

At the last second, Painter lost his footing and went headfirst into a pile of jagged rocks lying at the bottom of the river. He initially thought he was swimming to the surface. Later, he realized, to his horror, that he was paralyzed. He had broken a vertebra and sustained bruising on his spine as well.

"I was helpless...