Planning a trip down to the beach is always a lot of fun — especially if you're a big fan of the ocean. However, it does have its risks. Oftentimes, many beach areas have a "swim at your own risk" warning, meaning that a lifeguard isn't on duty. And all it takes is one rip current for things to become disastrous.
The Whiting family was enjoying their last day of vacation in Monterey, California, when 10-year-old Haylee got stuck in one. Suddenly, she was pulled far away from shore and noticing herself losing control. Mom Samantha Whiting heard her cry out for help and did what every parent would do — she tried to rescue her.
While heroic, sometimes it can be counterproductive to try to save someone from drowning if you don't know what to do or aren't a strong swimmer yourself. Many times, the person doing the rescuing also gets pulled under and causes more distress.
"I will never forget her face when she said, 'Mom, help me!'" Samantha told ABC7.
Luckily, there was someone else on the beach that day who spotted the two of them. A man named Kevin Cozzi saw what was happening and knew he'd be able to help.
"I've been swimming since I was three years old competitively, so I felt like I could get to them," Kevin said. "I ran out there and as soon as I got to the mom, I knew she was struggling." Pretty soon, he was able to pull both of them out of the dangerous current and lead them back toward shore.
Kevin was then joined by a lifeguard who was able to make sure both mom and daughter were OK. Haylee didn't have any injuries from the event, which was likely due to Kevin taking such quick and immediate action. The family went on with their lives, but they couldn't stop thinking about what happened, and how lucky they were.
There was just one mystery surrounding the event — they never got Kevin's last name, so they couldn't thank him appropriately. So Samantha decided to try to use Facebook as a good way of reconnecting with him. She posted in the group Merced Neighborhood Watch on October 27.
"I'm looking for a guy named Kevin who lives in Merced and was in Monterey August 15th and helped me save my daughter who got pulled out in a riptide," she wrote. "You almost lost your life for us and I wanted to reach out to thank you more!!" The post was shared well over 100 times.
With that exposure, Kevin was quickly found and identified. In his profile picture, he's with his fiancée. "Thank you everyone for helping me find him!" Samantha wrote. "I created a go fund me for him and his fiancée to help with wedding costs, I know it's not much compared to what he did for us but it's something."
The GoFundMe page included Samantha's depiction of what happened that day and how thankful she was for Kevin's heroic action. "We yelled for help and Kevin Cozzi, without hesitation,swam out and grabbed her from me," she wrote. "If it wasn't for him risking his life in such a selfless act I would have lost not only my own life but my baby girl."
Nearly 2,000 people donated and raised over $50,000 for Kevin's wedding. "I hope this money will help not only with their wedding but for a down payment on a house," Samantha said. "Kevin and his fiancée are still so humble saying they don't deserve this. I feel like if I had the money to give them anything in life I would, because they saved my world, my child. My family will now have a bond with this man and his family forever, we ARE family now."
While Kevin is grateful for the fundraising that Samantha did, he didn't save her life for the recognition or possible cash reward. As he told ABC7, "That girl being saved was enough for me." It's a reminder that kindness is still so important in our world. Putting others first can literally save lives.
Even better, Kevin seemingly invited the family to his wedding, which should be taking place next fall. While not related, Samantha really seems to be making good on the thought that Kevin is an extended member of her family. Without Kevin, she may have lost her life along with her little girl.
It also shows the importance of being prepared. Disasters can happen at any minute — and what happened to Haylee could have happened to any child. According to Life Jacket Advisor, there are certain movements that can indicate that someone is drowning. Many people put their arms up to try to signal for help, and many people flail around trying to recover from the situation themselves.
Next, the site advises to think hard about the situation. Saving someone from a pool is different from the ocean. For the pool, it's good to look and see whether there are any flotation devices nearby that the victim could hold onto. Being able to know what pose to get into if you're close to the victim can also help.
"If you get close to the person, try to go from behind and grab underneath their arms and use your legs to kick," the site suggests. "This is best done if you're very confident in your swimming ability and you're sure that you can get them to shore. Don't put yourself in a position to let them grab onto you because they could drag both of you under."
Rescue breathing is also something important to know. If you feel like your swimming skills are above average, it may be worth it to check out a local class that focuses more on how to rescue someone in need. That said, it was very lucky for someone like Kevin to be there right when things went down.
His upcoming wedding will be unforgettable, especially due to the financial contributions from his new fan base all around the world. Kevin is a reminder that small acts of kindness can make a huge difference. Try helping someone today — even little contributions can change the course of someone's day.
