Here is a rescue that I was involved in a few days ago. I never did get the
girl's name. I would like to get in touch with her via email. If anyone
knows the girl in this story, please contact me by replying via email.
kjs1@cox.net

This took place on June 13, 2003 at the Dunes of Panama Condos in Panama
City Beach. I was bodyboarding with a life vest. Surf was high due to the
distant storm, Claudette.

There was a cry out. A female voice for sure. Loud enough for me to hear but
sounding of distress. A long two second low wail for "help". I turned my
board back out facing the open gulf. I could now see the face that went with
that chilling cry. She looked about 17 years old. Her face showed dispair.
She was thrashing, trying to swim against the rip current that she was
trapped in. The current was still quite strong even though we were about 150
meters from the beach. She was losing her struggle. Her head went under and
popped up. She coughed up water. I yelled at her, "don't panic, don't panic,
I'll get you, don't panic". She stopped thrashing. She was now treading
water.

I swam toward the rip. This rip was strong. I entered with my vest on and
the current quickly pulled me out toward the girl. The current suprised me.
It was so swift that I lost by boogie board, out side of the current. I was
about 20 feet from the girl and my board was about 10 feet away from me and
30 feet from her. Without this board, I don't think either one of us could
make it. I turned and had to swim back out of the rip to get the board. At
this point the girl started screaming "don't leave me, don't leave me!" I
yelled back, "I'm not going to leave you baby" I call my two children "baby"
and I guess at this point she was one of mine. I was not going to see this
girl drown.

It only took a few seconds to get my board. I was now in the rip and getting
close to her. I remember the water being somewhat cool. The bottom was at
least 15 feet down. I pushed my board to her out stretched hands. She
grabbed on. The current pulled me around to her back. I held on over her
back. I kicked out of the rip and started to head in.

Remembering that we were still behind the waves, I told her to be ready for
the waves to hit us. She said, "don't leave me" and coughed up some water. A
wave came in and gently lifted us up. I crashed about 10 meters inland. I
knew the next one would be bad. I was hoping that we could get in about
another 15 meters before the next wave. This would put us in the "wash" but
we would not get smashed with the full force of the wave. I could hear the
next wave break in back of us. I told her to get ready for some water. She
couldn't speak. The white water came and shook the board loose from my grip.
She began to screem for me not to leave her. I grabbed right back on. She
pleaded for me not to leave her. I again reassured her that I would not
leave.

I this point about 75 meters from shore I saw two other teen age girls in
neck deep water just staring into my face. They were scared. These girls, I
would later find out, were her friends she was swimming with when she got
caught in the current. I yelled at them to get to the beach. They turned and
went toward shore. Things were changing. I could now touch the bottom with
my feet.

I told her that I could touch the bottom. She assumed that this meant that I
was going to stand up and get her to stand. She screamed again, "don't leave
me". I again reassured her and began to kick in toward shore. We were about
40 meters out when I started walking on the sandy bottom pushing her in. She
finally stood up at about 10 meters from shore. She quickly collapsed face
down in the surf. Her friend ran out to us. I told her to help me. We got up
under her arms and dragged her in. She collapsed again. This time in the
sand of the beach......no more water. We turned her face up. She coughed up
some water. I looked in her eyes. She was ok. I yelled out that she was ok.
She struggled to a beach chair with her friend. She made it. This day, July
13th was surely the start of her "second chance at life". I left them alone.
I had other things to do.

I quickly stood up, life vest on, boogie board in my hand. I went down the
beach yelling at parents to get their kids out of the water. I said to more
than 20 families, "there is a red flag up, get your kids out of the water!"
I cleared the beach of young swimmers for 100 meters in each direction. I
walked back to the area and discovered that the girl and her friends had
went in. At this point I now realized I was being "pursued" by people that
wanted to know what happened. They they saw me drag the girl on shore and
then said "you ran down the beach!" It was at this point that I realized
that I did not see ANYONE execpt the "victim" and her friends. These are the
people that were directly in front of me. It was awhile later, when
explaining to a lifeguard what had happened, that I realized I had developed
"tunnel vision" during the rescue.
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If this story sounds familiar, please email me and let me know!

Thank you very much,

Kenny