He swam one mile to the shore to get help.
One boy's quick thinking saved his father and his little sister from a boating accident. According to People, Chase Poust, a 7-year-old boy was swimming along with his 4-year-old sister, Abigail, alongside their father's boat on the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida, on May 28, 2021.
A Florida family is grateful to be alive this Memorial Day weekend, and the dad says it’s all because of his 7-year-old son. https://t.co/Z3jQIQxIt7
— News 6 WKMG (@news6wkmg) May 30, 2021
Unfortunately, the events took an unexpected turn when they were faced with strong currents. Abigail lost her grip on the boat and Chase immediately knew he had to rescue her. So the young boy left his hold on the boat to save his sister.
"The current was so strong that my sister — she usually hangs out at the back of the boat — and she let go. So, I let go of the boat and grabbed her, and then, I was stuck," said Chase, according to WJXT. He added, "I felt really scared."
Meanwhile, the father of the children, Steven, jumped into the water to save his kids. He asked Chase to swim back to the shore while he tried to rescue his 4-year-old daughter. As a result, the young boy swam one mile and reached the shore. He stated that he doggie paddled and floated on his back to prevent himself him tiring.
Recounting his long swim that lasted an hour, the boy said, "The current was going the opposite way of going to the boat and the shore so it was very hard to swim that way.”
Soon after reaching the shore, the boy went to the nearest house and asked for help. "I screamed for help at the top of my lungs and waved my arms and sure enough someone heard us,” said the brave boy.
Luckily, Florida Fish and Wildlife along with Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office found Steven and Abigail after a search that lasted for an hour.
Recalling the nightmare, Steven stated, "I told them both I loved them because I wasn't sure what's going to happen. I tried to stick with her as long as I could. I wore myself out, and she drifted away from me." He went on to say that he feels lucky to have come back alive and healthy. Moreover, he praised his little boy for staying calm and doing things right.
"We're here. By the grace of God, we're here. Little man … made it to shore and got help, and that's what saved our lives," said the father. Chase, on the other hand, is also proud and thankful. However, he admitted that he had no "idea" how he became a skilled swimmer.
Meanwhile, Eric Prosswimmer with JFRD informed that neither the father nor Chase was required to wear a life vest. He stated that the law is applicable only to children of 6 years for a vessel that is under 26 feet.
References:
https://people.com/human-interest/7-year-old-boy-swims-for-an-hour-to-save-sister-dad/
Cover Image Source: (Representational): Getty Images | Photo by Mohamed Ibrahim / EyeEm
