Photo: CTV

A Vancouver Island woman who tried to take her own life in October by jumping off a ferry now savours her second chance.

Mya DeRyan was diagnosed with a terminal illness in the spring of 2016.

After spending the summer with her family DeRyan set a plan in motion to end her life. She is a water enthusiast and she decided the perfect way to go would be to jump from a ferry.

Her plan might have worked but she was spotted disrobing and jumping in the Salish Sea. Despite the fact she left a note for her son and the ferry crew a full on search ensued.

DeRyan swam away from the ferry hoping not to be seen and the search continued for roughly four hours. She floated on her back to preserve energy and waited for the right time to slip under the water.

"It was freedom, it was liberation, it was wonderful," said DeRyan. "My first thought was 'oh my gosh, this feels like I'm swimming in champagne.'"

But she began to feel guilty as she watched the searchers looking for her and hypothermia began to set in.

"This physical pain, it was just so unbearable," she said.

Almost by miracle, hours after she decided to claim her life a life ring floated right into her path.

It wasn't long after that she was pulled from the freezing water.

DeRyan spent about a week in hospital being treated for hypothermia.

After a series of checks, she was shocked to learn her initial diagnoses had been wrong, she wasn't dying at all.

"I think it was that moment, I was still in the hospital realizing there's got to be a plan, and there's got to be an intention," she said. "I feel like it's a new body. Any little malady I had is absolutely gone."

With a new lease on life, DeRyan now says she may write a book about her miraculous survival story.

-With files from CTV Vancouver Island