Eleanor Dye
Jamie Lynn Spears emotionally opened up about her eldest daughter Maddie’s near-death experience on Monday night’s installment of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
The younger sister of Britney, 32, spoke to her fellow campmates about the traumatic ordeal which took place in February 2017 when Maddie was just eight years old.
In the incident, Maddie was riding an ATV near a pond on the family’s Louisiana property when she tried to steer away from a drainage ditch.
According to a police report, she ‘overcorrected’ and ended up in the pond – still secured by her seatbelt and trapped to the ATV.
She spent two minutes submerged under the water while Jamie was just 100 yards away – before being airlifted to hospital, where her mother asked a priest to read her last rites.
As the campmates sat around the fireplace, Jamie Lynn recounted the horrific ordeal as she struggled to hold back tears.
She said: ‘I almost lost my oldest daughter… she drowned and we couldn’t save her.
‘We tried really hard. She was trapped under a little side-by-side that we ride around our pond.
‘This is in 2017. She was 8 or 9 or something like that. My father-in-law, my mother-in-law, me and my husband, we run to jump in to save her.
‘In that moment you think: “This is not real, she’s going to pop up, this isn’t real.”‘
Maddie was ultimately freed by EMTs and brought to the hospital in stable but critical condition – after Jamie and her husband Jamie Watson desperately tried to save her but couldn’t get her out of the safety belt.
Jamie continued: ‘I could feel her arm, and I’m jerking it, I couldn’t get her up because it’s a pretty heavy machine.
‘In that moment you think, you know logically she’s been under water too long… nobody can live if they’ve been under water this long. You logically are thinking these things.
‘Then you hear the sirens coming. Thank god my mother-in-law, first thing she did was call 911… she was caught in the safety netting. So when they got there, she was not alive. They took her from me and they incubated her.’
Describing her own experience, she said: ‘I was sitting on the rocks, I’d thrown up on myself, the adrenalin, then I heard her [my mother-in-law] call my mum and say, “Lynn, we’ve lost Maddie”.
‘Then the fire fighter came over three seconds later and was like, “We’ve got a pulse, we’ve got a pulse..”‘
‘They airlifted her… she’s hooked up on life support, breathing machines and all that… they come in, a priest to read her her last rites, and when they did, her body physically sat up, her spirit responded to it for whatever reason… ‘
Maddie finally regained consciousness and was surrounded by family who stayed by her hospital bed following the accident.
She was able to leave the hospital six days after the first fell into the pond – and the now 15-year-old has since been able to enjoy a perfectly normal life with no repercussions.
Jamie added: ‘She got better and better every day and walked out of the hospital. This has no repercussions.
‘So that’s when I became Catholic. For about five minutes I thought I’d lost my daughter and then I was given the miracle of having her back.’
Jamie Lynn admitted: ‘My biggest fear was she was going to die thinking her momma wasn’t trying to save her.’
The ATV is thought to have been given to Britney Spears niece for her 7th birthday – despite the website saying it was only suitable for those aged 10 and over.
Jamie has been married to business Jamie Watson since 2014, and the couple also share daughter Ivey, born in 2018.
Jamie was only 16 when she became pregnant with Maddie by her former boyfriend Casey Aldridge.
In 2020, Jamie Lynn commemorated the three-year anniversary of Maddie’s accident with an emotional Instagram post.
‘[The day] started like most Sunday’s, going to church, visiting family, to suddenly trying to save my daughters life, to them taking her away, to us believing we had lost her forever, and it literally felt like the world stood still around me,’ she wrote.
The former All That actress went on to describe Maddie’s full recovery as a ‘miracle.’
Britney herself posted a plea for ‘wishes and prayers’ on Twitter after the accident and confirmed her niece was improving in a follow up tweet.
‘We are so grateful to share that Maddie is making progress. Thank you all for sending thoughts and prayers out way. Let’s all keep praying,’ she wrote.
I’m A Celebrity 2023: Meet the campmates
Claim to fame: Former leader of the UK Independence Party and leader of the Brexit Party.
Phobias: Nobody likes rats, snakes and I am dreading anything to do with heights.
Biggest misconception you want to dispel?: I have been demonised over the years and so it will be nice to show people I am not nasty.
Role in camp: Lead on starting up plenty of campfire discussions.
Aside from your family, what will you miss the most whilst in camp?: A pint in the pub and the news.
Best & worst attributes: I hope to cheer people up when they are down. Worst? I am impatient and I do snore.
Dream camper: As a controversial political media figure, I never name names… But I am looking forward to meeting interesting people from all different fields
Claim to fame: EastEnders actress.
Phobias: Rats. I hate them!
Biggest misconception you want to dispel in the jungle?: I can be a little ditzy at times but I am definitely not a ‘dumb blonde’. I want to show I can do the trials, challenges and get stuck in.
Role in camp: Shoulder to cry on, help others if they are feeling low in camp.
Aside from family, what will you miss most whilst in camp?: Snacking. I am a little muncher and I am going to miss my morning cup of tea, too!
Best & worst attributes: I’d like to think I will be good if people are really struggling. I am not, however, very good at being bored, nor am I a morning person either.
Dream camper: Ed Sheeran. If he brings his guitar into camp, he can sing for us.
Claim to fame: First Dates star.
Phobias: I am scared of everything. I am dying to find out how vile the food will be!
Biggest misconception you want to dispel in the jungle?: I don’t think there is anything but I am looking forward to learning more about myself during my time in the camp.
Role in camp: I will definitely muck in with all the jobs. I don’t mind cooking or cleaning the toilets.
Aside from your family, what will you miss the most whilst in camp? My bed. It’s super comfy. I will also miss a cup of coffee in the morning.
Best & worst attributes: I like to have fun but I do snore and I am impatient!
Dream camper: It’s going to be nice to meet everyone but I’d love to see Dolly Parton, The Rock or Snoop Dog in there.
Claim to fame: YouTuber and Catfish UK star.
Phobias: I am fearful of everything!
Biggest misconception you want to dispel in the jungle? I am a pretty open book.
Role in camp: Keep the morale and humour high.
Aside from your family, what will you miss the most whilst in camp? My phone… I am always on it!
Dream camper: Alison Hammond or Adele.
Claim to fame: Hollyoaks star.
Phobias: I am a bit scared of the dark. When you go to the House of Horrors at Halloween and things jump out at you, I am not very good when I can’t see!
Biggest misconception you want to dispel in the jungle: It will be nice to go in as me and not as my Hollyoaks character.
Role in camp: Grafter or chef, I am quite good at cooking. But I’ve never cooked on a fire before. Aside from family, what will you miss most whilst in camp: Football and my creature comforts.
Best & worst attributes: I’d like to think I am a nice person and a good team player. I am not lazy but I do have a few bad habits like picking my nose. My girlfriend has been trying to train me to stop!
Dream camper: Sir Alex Ferguson or Neil Warnock.
Claim to fame: Champion Jockey
Phobias: I am not sure as I don’t walk across rooftop planks in the middle of the day nor do I have any snakes or rats in the house!
Biggest misconception you want to dispel in the jungle: None. I’ve lived in the public domain for as long as I can remember so I’d hope everyone knows me well.
Role in camp: To have fun with everyone, I am a happy-go- lucky person.
Aside from your family, what will you miss the most whilst in camp? Travelling. I have spent my whole life at airports and I’ve got to like it!
Best & worst attributes: I am outgoing and I am a fighter. Worst? I can’t sit still and I am impatient.
Dream camper: Robbie Williams would be fun.
Claim to fame: Zoey 101 and Sweet Magnolias star.
Phobias: I am scared of everything.
Biggest misconception you want to dispel in the jungle?: I think this is a nice chance to show who I really am.
Role in camp: Hopefully I will be the one who can support everyone.
Aside from family, what will you miss the most whilst in camp? A normal bathroom, air conditioning and my bed.
Best & worst attributes: I think my best quality is it takes a lot to hurt my feelings; but I am impatient and my family would say I get in a bad mood a lot.
Dream camper: Nicole Kidman, she is my favourite actress in the whole wide world, or Reece Witherspoon.
Claim to fame: Made In Chelsea star and radio presenter.
Phobias: I am not a creepy crawly guy and I hate anyone or anything touching my neck.
Biggest misconception you want to dispel in the jungle?: Since the age of 21, I’ve spent my whole life on TV and so I feel whether people have a good or bad opinion of me, it’s probably warranted!
Role in camp: I’m a ‘yes’ man so cooking, cleaning I will do whatever they want me to do.
Aside from family, what will you miss most whilst in camp?: I know this sounds lame but gaming.
Best & worst attributes: I’d like to think I am the court jester and I don’t take things too seriously, so if anyone is having a bad day I would like to put a smile on their face. Worst? I am quite forgetful and I am bad at focusing on things.
Dream camper: Stephen Fry. I think I would self-combust if he was going in the jungle!
Claim to fame: This Morning presenter.
Phobias: Insects and I freeze every time I see a spider and I am not sure what I am going to do if I am in a trial with them!
Biggest misconception you want to dispel in the jungle?: I would like people to know I am very clever at knowing useless information!
Role in camp: Mum. I am very motherly and I also love chatting to people.
Aside from family, what will you miss most whilst in camp?: Getting up to blow dry my hair and putting a bit of make-up on!
Best & worst attributes: I am an optimist and I love meeting people from all walks of life. Worst? I can be quite nosey and I am worried about my temper if I am too hungry.
Dream camper: Dawn French, I love her.
Claim to fame: JLS star.
Phobias: Heights. I have pulled out of a skydive with JLS in the past because I was too scared!
Biggest misconception you want to dispel in the jungle: To show I am not just a member of a boy band. It will be nice for people to learn more about me.
Role in camp: I’d like to think I will be a shoulder to cry on and a mediator.
Aside from family, what will you miss most whilst in camp?: My fantasy football app! I am obsessed with it! Four weeks without music is a long time, too.
Best & worst attributes: I’ve got three children under the age of ten and you definitely need a lot of patience for that! Worst? Rochelle would probably say I get ‘hangry’ if I don’t have enough food.
Dream camper: Paddy McGuinness – I’ve done Soccer Aid with him before and I know he’s funny, he gets stuck in and he is hands on.
Claim to fame: MasterChef star and food critic.
Phobias: Horrible people.
Biggest misconception you want to dispel in the jungle: People think I am quite forthright and scary but I don’t think I am scary! Hopefully people will see this.
Role in camp: Shoulder to cry on and I am a practical cook so I can help out.
Aside from your family, what will you miss the most whilst in camp? My three cats and my make-up bag. I love a bit of glamour.
Best & worst attributes: I would like to think I am funny! My worst quality is lack of sleep. I like my sleep.
Dream camper: Queen Camilla. She would be very practical. And Madonna – she could perform tracks from her Greatest Hits tour!
Claim to fame: Former champion boxer
Phobias: Like most normal people, I am scared of almost everything.
Biggest misconception you want to dispel in the jungle: People will portray me as something I am not because of the profession I have had. I am just a normal person.
Role in camp: I’d like to think I am domesticated so hopefully I can help out.
Best & worst attributes: I do get hangry…who doesn’t! But I am easy going and I get on with everyone.
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