Douglas, as a young boy, was terrified of water due to a traumatic incident in a swimming pool. One day, when he was about 4 or 5 years old, he decided to go swimming in a pool. An instructor was teaching the class, but Douglas was pushed into the deep end. He began to drown as he was unable to swim and struggled to breathe. He felt like he was sinking and lost control, leading to a complete sense of fear towards water. This event left him with a lifelong fear of water. This fear was only overcome years later, when he took swimming lessons with a determined effort to conquer his fear.
Final Answer:
Douglas was terrified of water due to a childhood incident where he nearly drowned in a swimming pool, leaving him with a deep-seated fear of water for many years.