Michael Packard is an experienced commercial lobster diver who has been on the job for 25 years. He was searching for lobsters off the coast of Massachusetts when he encountered something that’s not usually seen in a storybook: A whale. While most people would run away from this terrifying creature, Michael stayed put and ended up in one of the most harrowing situations imaginable—being swallowed by a whale.

Packard knew something was wrong the moment he felt that huge bump, and everything went dark. He wasn't sure what had happened to him at first, but when he found himself in a whale's mouth without any teeth around his limbs-he understood just how bad it could have been. He was certain that he had just experienced his final moments, but to Packard’s relief and amazement the whale surfaced after 30-40 seconds. The dark space inside its mouth full of water became visible as it spit him out with such force that he flew into some nearby rocks on shore.

Veteran Cape Cod lobster diver Michael Packard was swallowed whole by a humpback whale and lives to tell the story… https://t.co/CQcCP2fdVs
— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) June 12, 2021

Once ejected from the mouth and launched into the air, he landed in water with only bruises to show for it! After being treated at hospital that same day of his accident, Packard was recovering while back home within hours.

black and white whale under water — Photo by Fábio Hanashiro

Social media was abuzz with Packard's whale story. The Bible also features the tale of Jonah, who went fishing but ended up in the belly of a huge fish instead for three days before he emerged from it alive! In particular, both stories show a man swallowed by their respective monster but rescued from within by God's presence and intervention – one inside for about a minute, while Jonah was inside for three days before he finally goes out to preach against what he has seen through self-reflective tears. According to the Bible's Old Testament book of Jonah, The biblical prophet was instructed by God to go and preach the word. Instead of expediting his journey, he fled from what had been entrusted him.

Anyone who has doubts about the Jonah & the whale story in the Bible needs to read this article published in the Huffington Post: https://t.co/f9PYEfbwht Note the comment about the altruistic behavior of whales toward humans and the whale surfacing before spitting out the diver
— Hugh Ross (@RTB_HRoss) June 12, 2021

Packard has been a long-time diver who seems to have no intention of giving up his passion for diving anytime soon. His son even had the following words in response to an AMA on Reddit about Packard's near-death experience: “I have no doubt in my mind he will do everything he can, it’s his life and passion."

Via CBSLocal

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