Afloat
A fisherman was rescued from the waters thanks to the courage and the swift reaction of three young college.
A pleasant afternoon last April, Mike McClure, a retired youth counselor for 67 years, went into Sarasota Bay to spend some time fishing as he had done many years at low tide in the Gulf Coast of Florida. At that time of day, the waters off the campus of New College of Florida were low enough to penetrate that McClure could walk about 100 meters into the sea and cast his line in any direction. Dressed in suit-overalls waders and boots, made his way south on a sandbar in search of the first dam in the afternoon.
"I was enjoying myself," he says. Shortly before sundown, still not catching anything, decided to return to shore, but instead of retracing the path he chose a more direct route to the beach, thinking that the water level would be the same. He was wrong: the bay had become impassable and depression was trapped in it. "When I turned around and saw the water nearly reached my waist, I felt very alone," he says. He tried to wade out in several directions, but did not reach shallow water. Finally, thought her less dangerous option was to walk straight toward earth and trust your luck.
"It had more than five steps when I began to take on water over the edge of the boots," he recalls.
He felt the weight of the boots was pushing him down, and thought that if they are not removed soon, he would drown. He dropped the rod and pulled his legs to try to take off his boots, but then the water covered him completely. In his desperation to stay afloat, swallowed water while the current caught him and was unable to walk.
On the beach, three college students Eliza Cameron, 19, Loren Niurka Petro Mora and Caitlin, both 20, took a while watching the fisherman while sitting relaxed in a strip of grass after a long week of classes . McClure saw sink and then heard him ask for help. His head above water, but the boots were still trapped and could hardly breathe.
He felt the weight of the boots was pushing him down, and thought that if they are not removed soon, he would drown. He dropped the rod and pulled his legs to try to take off his boots, but then the water covered him completely. In his desperation to stay afloat, swallowed water while the current caught him and was unable to walk.
On the beach, three college students Eliza Cameron, 19, Loren Niurka Petro Mora and Caitlin, both 20, took a while watching the fisherman while sitting relaxed in a strip of grass after a long week of classes . McClure saw sink and then heard him ask for help. His head above water, but the boots were still trapped and could hardly breathe.
"We looked around and there was nobody else on the beach," says Eliza. "We realized we had to run to save him."
The three friends took off their shoes and dove into the water. Over a stretch of at least 100 meters, had to swim against the current. When you got near McClure, could see only his cap on the waves. The girls were good swimmers, but were afraid to see that the man had become a sink and would have to dive out of the water, with the risk of sinking them while also trying to.
McClure floated on his back, his face barely above water when the youth finally reached him. He had managed to take off his boots, but shortness of breath and her eyes were almost white, sign she was about to faint. But when he saw around the students, despair began to lift. "Suddenly I realized that three angelic faces were staring at me," he recalls. "It was almost magical."
The three friends took off their shoes and dove into the water. Over a stretch of at least 100 meters, had to swim against the current. When you got near McClure, could see only his cap on the waves. The girls were good swimmers, but were afraid to see that the man had become a sink and would have to dive out of the water, with the risk of sinking them while also trying to.
McClure floated on his back, his face barely above water when the youth finally reached him. He had managed to take off his boots, but shortness of breath and her eyes were almost white, sign she was about to faint. But when he saw around the students, despair began to lift. "Suddenly I realized that three angelic faces were staring at me," he recalls. "It was almost magical."
However, it was having trouble breathing because his shirt, swollen by water pushed him down. The girls tore it to shreds and then, while Caitlin was holding him from behind and grabbed her hand, Eliza and Loren were placed on either side and slipped an arm under her shoulders. When they began to drag to the beach, they realized that the bailout was far from over. The current was very strong, and felt they swam without moving from one place.
"I need to give me encouragement," he said McClure, panting. I need to touch the bottom.
The girls continued to swim, and every few feet assured him they were moving.
They made away from the stream, and looking toward the beach saw a woman with a mobile phone in his hand: he was asking for help. When the young man came to earth, a university police already there. McClure dropped on the strip of grass, and as soon as he caught his breath and sat down.
But he had no time to thank his rescuers. A Loren had a fishbone stuck in his foot while helping McClure out of the bay, so once it was safe, he went with her two friends to the campus infirmary for the cure and bandage. That same night, McClure telephoned Loren. Exhausted and unable to speak much, he said he wanted to thank you in person.
At first, friends thought the rescue was nothing special. "We think that anyone would do the same," said Eliza. But to analyze what happened, they realized the reason for his effort. "I think to be all three together, we had the courage to act," says Loren.
"I need to give me encouragement," he said McClure, panting. I need to touch the bottom.
The girls continued to swim, and every few feet assured him they were moving.
They made away from the stream, and looking toward the beach saw a woman with a mobile phone in his hand: he was asking for help. When the young man came to earth, a university police already there. McClure dropped on the strip of grass, and as soon as he caught his breath and sat down.
But he had no time to thank his rescuers. A Loren had a fishbone stuck in his foot while helping McClure out of the bay, so once it was safe, he went with her two friends to the campus infirmary for the cure and bandage. That same night, McClure telephoned Loren. Exhausted and unable to speak much, he said he wanted to thank you in person.
At first, friends thought the rescue was nothing special. "We think that anyone would do the same," said Eliza. But to analyze what happened, they realized the reason for his effort. "I think to be all three together, we had the courage to act," says Loren.
Only when McClure met with several nights later, at the premises of the university, and he taught them pictures of his wife, his children and grandchildren, fully understood the significance of his action. "That's when I realized we had done something very valuable," says Caitlin
Author: Cosme Ojeda,JASON KERSTEN
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