A Saline man died last week during a snorkeling trip off of Key Largo, Fla., after being pulled unconscious from the water by crew members of a glass-bottom tour boat.

Ronald Harrison, 69, had been snorkeling with a group of roughly 40 people that included his wife, Barbara, and his 15-year-old grandson in the Atlantic Ocean, according to Barbara Harrison and a Monroe County (Fla.) Sheriff's Department report. They had departed in 80-degree weather from Captain Slate’s Atlantis Dive Center in Key Largo to a shallow water site called Grecian Rocks.

Harrison was swimming in the 78-degree water for 20 to 30 minutes in snorkeling gear and a safety vest when the boat’s captain noticed he’d fallen behind while swimming back to the vessel Coral Princess VI, a 40-foot commercial boat.

Ron Harrison, 69, died Thursday during a snorkeling trip near Key Largo, Fla. He was a well-known therapist from Saline who helped thousands of teenagers deal with addiction over three decades.

Photo from Ronaldharrison.com

The boat’s captain jumped in to help pull Harrison aboard and then began CPR, Capt. Spencer Slate told sheriff’s department personnel. They called for help and transported Harrison to shore. Paramedics pronounced Harrison dead at 6:30 p.m.

Slate told KeysNet.com that Harrison didn’t yell for help and had appeared in good health. He said the boat was three or four miles off shore and in 4 to 8 feet of water. Slate could not immediately be reached Monday by AnnArbor.com.

Harrison’s grandson told sheriff’s department officials that Harrison had appeared fine and was in a good mood when they went out snorkeling, but that he had some heart problems. He said he’d been separated from his grandfather in the water due to choppy waves.

An autopsy is being performed by the Monroe County medical examiner, with a report on the cause of death expected in four to six weeks, an official there said. Foul play is not suspected.

Harrison's family is convinced that Harrison did not drown, but had a medical episode while in the water. He grew up surfing in Redondo Beach, Calif., before moving to Ohio, where he met his wife, Barbara, and began working in drug rehabilitation. Barbara Harrison said she and her husband loved snorkeling and did so at locations around the Caribbean over the last 25 years.

Harrison’s wife of 45 years described her husband as a no-nonsense counselor who helped thousands of teenagers battle and overcome substance abuse.

“Ron helped to change a lot of lives,” Barbara Harrison said Monday. “He got people healthy again.”

Harrison, a therapist and rehabilitation trainer, kept a private practice in Ann Arbor for about three decades and saw well over 5,000 patients struggling with substance abuse, his wife said. His own experience with substance abuse equipped him to help others, she said. He was a recovering alcoholic and active in Alcoholics Anonymous circles.

“He knew what it did to his life. How it almost ruined his life. And so he didn’t want other people to do that,” Barbara Harrison said.

He encouraged others: “Take your life by your hands. Do something about it,” his wife said.

That’s the message Harrison passed on to teenagers, said James Balmer, the president of Dawn Farm, a nonprofit that provides services for people with addictions in Washtenaw County.

The message wasn’t always well-received, Balmer said.

“I saw lots of kids get real angry. It wasn’t always wonderful. He sent kids to treatment who did not want to go to treatment. He intervened with kids who were not happy about it. I saw kids furious at him,” Balmer said.

But he was genuine, and that helped Harrison help kids, Balmer said.

“You knew what he was presenting was the real deal,” he added.

Harrison conducted free lectures on substance abuse and teenagers twice a month, most of the year, for 12 years, Balmer said. Harrison also donated any payment he received to Dawn Farms. The “Teens Using Drugs: What To Know and What To Do” seminars were given at St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor, or anywhere Harrison was asked to speak, Balmer said.

When not at work, Harrison liked to garden, travel and spend time with his family, especially his grandchildren, Barbara Harrison said.

In Florida last week, Harrison had helped his grandson catch a 250-pound grouper during a deep-sea fishing trip.

“He thought life was fun, and he wanted other people to enjoy it, too.”

Harrison is survived by Barbara, children Margo Damoose and Sean Harrison, and seven grandchildren. A memorial service is planned for 2 p.m. May 3 at First Presbyterian Church in Saline.

Juliana Keeping covers general assignment and health and the environment for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at julianakeeping@annarbor.com or 734-623-2528. Follow Juliana Keeping on Twitter