Beachgoers form human chain to save family from drowning
Quick-thinking citizens saved the lives of nine family members from what could have been a tragedy!
A family of nine almost never made it out of Panama City Beach in Florida alive after a strong current swept them and three other swimmers deeper into the ocean.
According to Mashable, Jessica Mae Simmons was the first person to witness that the Ursrey family were trapped in the riptide, but she assumed they had seen a shark. However, she quickly realised that someone was drowning.
Human chain in Panama City Beach to save 9 people drowning pic.twitter.com/n25KvoPhxr
— Susan Anne Manning (@sunbird605) July 10, 2017
USA Today caught up with Jessica Mae as she recalls the events of the day:
The human chain was formed by 80 brave beachgoers who managed to rescue the nine individuals who were caught in the current and pulled them all to safety.
"To see people from different races and genders come into action to help TOTAL strangers is absolutely amazing to see!! People who didn't even know each other went HAND IN HAND IN A LINE, into the water to try and reach them. Pause and just IMAGINE that," Simmons wrote in a Facebook post describing the incident.
This is a great example of how we can achieve much more when we work together.
Well done to those 80 brave individuals who risked their lives to save others!