General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums4 American brothers swim an hour to rescue 6 year old girl swept out to sea in Ireland
A 6-year-old was swept out to sea, and a group of brothers dove in after her
Marisa Iati
1 day ago
The girl on the pink flamingo-shaped raft was floating away quickly, screaming as her father yelled for a lifeguard who didnt appear.
Four brothers, who were visiting Ireland from the D.C. area, had just unpacked their towels after arriving at Portmarnock Beach near Dublin, where they had expected to spend a relaxing afternoon Monday. Before they could think about it, they were sprinting into the sea and swimming toward the girl as fast as they could during the almost hour-long rescue.
I knew we were getting deep, but I didnt care, Declan Butler, 18, said Wednesday in an interview. I just didnt want to give up on her.
Snip
Two days after they saved the 6-year-old, the brothers were still thinking about an unlikely twist of fate: They had traveled to Ireland to celebrate the life of their recently deceased grandfather, whose brother drowned on the same date decades before the rescue.
Its kind of like this godly, guardian angel kind of feeling, Walter said, that the same day he drowned 64 years ago is the day we actually saved the life of a 6-year-old girl.
See link for details of the rescue. So inspiring.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/good-news/a-6-year-old-was-swept-out-to-sea-and-a-group-of-brothers-dove-in-after-her/ar-AAEQGV3?OCID=ansmsnnews11#page=2
mcar
(42,307 posts)Amaryllis
(9,524 posts)I especially like stories with an international aspect like this that remind us that we (humanity) really have much more in common than we have differences.
busterbrown
(8,515 posts)mercuryblues
(14,531 posts)Three had swum competitively, and Thomson, 24, is an ultra-runner. Walter had been a rescue swimmer on a Coast Guard cutter.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/good-news/a-6-year-old-was-swept-out-to-sea-and-a-group-of-brothers-dove-in-after-her/ar-AAEQGV3?OCID=ansmsnnews11#page=2
Amaryllis
(9,524 posts)iluvtennis
(19,852 posts)Rural_Progressive
(1,105 posts)long, long time ago. I will tell you that going in the water in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea is an exhilarating experience and not for the faint of heart. Fortunately we never had a helo miss the landing pad or any crew members end up overboard but the old man did love his drills so I got to know what really, really cold water feels like on a regular basis.
Well done young men and Semper paratus to Walter!!
sheshe2
(83,751 posts)Those beautiful boys.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)If they hadn't been there at that time and place this could have ended up a terrible tragedy. I commend these young men for their bravery. The story about their grandfather's brother is an interesting twist.
I am glad we have people like this to help repair the damage that Trump is doing to our reputation in the world.
Well done, lads!
Aristus
(66,328 posts)brer cat
(24,562 posts)We need to share these accounts of bravery and humanity to counter the evil and inhumanity of the trump administration.
Amaryllis
(9,524 posts)from now on. I just took a two-day mental health break from the internet... and it was wonderful. It could be argued that this thread is off-topic, but we need to be inspired so we can keep up our morale, and I think that anything that shows, as you say, bravery and humanity is on-topic here.
SMC22307
(8,090 posts)That was an amazing story... thanks for posting.
RVN VET71
(2,690 posts)--- I know I'm being the picker of nits here, but how could their grandfather be considered "recently deceased" if he, indeed, drowned 64 years ago?
Regardless, these young men are awesome, heroes of the sort that in old Ireland would have spawned paeans and odes of commemoration. And, who knows, maybe they will still.
SMC22307
(8,090 posts)thesquanderer
(11,986 posts)RVN VET71
(2,690 posts)Thanks for the correction.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)backtoblue
(11,343 posts)I sometimes forget just how good humans can be. Thanks for the reminder
Edit: this response was meant for the thread about the ark woman buying shoes for kids. I'm gonna leave this one here anyway because it really is a cool story!
Amaryllis
(9,524 posts)GETPLANING
(846 posts)That water is freezing cold, even in the summer. Those kids took a bigger risk than most people realize. Most people wouldn't last an hour out there.
And while we're at it, ya know what makes America great? Americans.
Duppers
(28,120 posts)LisaL
(44,973 posts)Most people would have drowned if attempted same rescue.
betsuni
(25,475 posts)Liberal In Texas
(13,548 posts)GeoWilliam750
(2,522 posts)tblue37
(65,340 posts)in trouble himseof:
The girls brother approached the four rescuers for more help, and two of them swam back in to get the father.
Eoghan and Declan actually brought the dad into shore, as well, Walter said.
Iliyah
(25,111 posts)Nice to read positive stories. Thank you.
Eyeball_Kid
(7,431 posts)elleng
(130,894 posts)'Declan and Eoghan, who live in Arlington, Va., and Thomson, who lives in Rockville, Md., said they werent sure how long shed be able to hold on to the raft.'
There should be celebrations when they return home!
NCjack
(10,279 posts)elleng
(130,894 posts)elocs
(22,569 posts)To celebrate 4 young men with compassion and empathy and putting those into action.
Ferrets are Cool
(21,106 posts)but all too often these actions have tragic ends. Just this summer, a man near my home swam after a teen who got caught in a riptide and both died.
This could have ended tragically.
I am very happy it had a happy ending.