Fox– An Alabama woman and her husband started a human chain and helped rescued an entire family of nine caught in a riptide off the coast of Florida.
Jessica Simmons and her husband, Derek, were standing on a pier off the coast of Panama City Beach Saturday afternoon, WSFA reports. That’s when they heard a commotion and saw people pointing at two boys who had become caught in a riptide.
Noticing what was happening, the boys’ mother, Roberta Ursrey, and her husband, nephews, mother and two daughters tried to swim out and rescue them.
“At first, you’d think it was a shark. You know, everyone’s pointing,” Derek said. “So we kept walking, and when we got over there, there was a guy in the water, saying, ‘man, they’re all stuck out there, the riptide’s pulled them out, I tried to go out there; if I go any farther, I’m going to get stuck.’”
That’s when the couple started a human chain in an attempt to reach the family and pull them to safety.
Jessica said the chain grew from five to 15 people and continued to expand until it reached the family and was able to pull them all to safety.
“Without them, we wouldn’t be here, because emergency personnel stood on the beach,” Ursrey said. “They wouldn’t even link up and help. It was the human chain that pulled us out of that water. God’s good grace and them is the reason we’re here today.”
Typical government workers……
I left PCB the day before. I saw some of those “Emergency Personnel”. Let’s just say it ain’t “Baywatch” down there.
Good for them. Americans come together in emergencies.
I’ve been caught in a riptide. Much more powerful than people think. Not as easy to swim out of as people imagine, and impossible to swim against.
Sid you know the Spanish word for “riptide” is “resaca”? I learned that from the warning signs posted everywhere.
Faith in humanity restored! Thanks BFH!
OT, has anyone ever heard of a hotel free breakfast buffet with to-go boxes? Me neither. The results were about what you’d expect.
That will play hell with your business model, especially in PCB.
You never swim against a riptide. It’s only a few yards wide, as it is caused by water flowing back to sea via a break in a sandbar. So just swim parallel to shore, 20 yards and you are fine. The key is to remain calm and not fight the rip. But people who don’t go to the beach often are usually unaware. And usually poorer swimmers.
UPDATE: a bunch of gay men in rainbow thongs jumped into the water shouting, “what about us? We are the center of attention now, why don’t you form a train on us?”
As of nightfall, no one has been able to recall if they ever got out or not.
Being caught in a runout is panic inducing. These people were very lucky some cool heads responded. No thanks to the useless paid lifeguards. I’m amazed nobody was lost. Thanks to the everyday american hero’s.
Roll Tide!
The good Samaritans will now be charged with performing a rescue without proper training and certification and may all spend six months in jail.
It would have been fun to go to the lifeguards and ask for your money back–I’m sure they are paid with taxpayer dollars.
Had that been on the West Coast….We’d have seen hundreds of “Selfies”
with the Victims in the background….
Smart mama. She gave credit where credit is due.
Every good gift (including quick problem solving), is from above. James 1:17
Have to agree with West Coast Dan. Ignorant people endangered others. Just ride the rip till the water gets a little deeper and swim parallel to the shoreline…easy and fun