In 1933, Jacques Cousteau attended the French Naval Academy and graduated in 1933. He then started training to be a pilot, but a near-fatal car accident in 1936 caused this dream of his to be shattered. While he escaped death, his right-side was left paralyzed and he suffered dozens of broken bones and fractures in his arms.
Surgeons thought it was best to amputate his paralyzed right arm, which had become infected. Although the infection was life-threatening, Cousteau insisted his arm should not be amputated. A fellow naval officer encouraged him to try swimming and diving to regain strength and endurance.
He spent months swimming daily and even improvised a pair of swimming goggles to explore the sea floor. The beauty of the seafloor and its flora and fauna made such a deep impression on him that he decided he wanted to make diving his life’s work.
Hence, another dream began to blossom shortly after his old one was crushed. Despite it being an unfortunate incident, it increased his affinity with the water and marked a turning point in his life.