In a split second, Tanya, 19, knew she had to try to save a young girl’s life, but she never realized how much it would change her own.
As told to: Kierna Mayo
It was a gorgeous August day at the beach and my mom and I were having a blast, lying out in the sun and laughing, when suddenly I saw a woman frantically approaching sunbathers to ask if she could borrow a phone. “I need to call 911!” she yelled. “What’s going on?” I shouted while rushing to her. In a panicked voice she said that a little girl and her dad were swept out to sea by the current! The beach was known for rough waters—even as an off-duty lifeguard, I didn’t go in that day because the current was so strong. But when I heard what was going on, I clicked into rescue mode: I didn’t say anything—I just sprinted into the water.
CALL TO RESCUE
Ever since I can remember, I’d wanted to be a lifeguard. But when I was growing up, my dad didn’t think it was a great idea. Before I was born, a family member drowned trying to rescue someone. My family doesn’t talk about the tragedy much, but I was determined to get my lifeguarding certificate as soon as I could.
And once I got my first job at a local pool, I loved it—from then on, I spent my summer days doing first-aid and warning people not to go out too far at beaches. Thankfully, I never had to rescue anyone from drowning.
But all that changed that August day. I had been working two lifeguarding jobs all summer in and near my town in Cape Cod: one where I’d patrol beaches and ponds; and another for a resort, where I guarded a pool that was usually full of families. It was great, and I loved hanging out with my friends from work. Yet as the summer was ending, I decided to take a day off from work so my mom and I could spend time together. I never could have imagined the life-or-death situation I would be in just minutes later.
Then I saw them: a man in his forties and a little girl who looked about 10. They were separated and screaming for each other. I could hear my father’s warning in my head: when people are fighting to survive in the water, it’s dangerous to go near them because they will pull you under without meaning to—their natural reaction is to grab anything to stay afloat.
So I made a heartbreaking decision and didn’t go near the dad—he was bigger, and he was trying so hard to rescue his daughter that his panic made him more dangerous to me. Not being able to help him was the hardest part for me—but I wasn’t as afraid the girl could unintentionally hurt me. I started swimming to rescue the girl and her dad when I passed another woman who’d attempted to get them. She was struggling, so I yelled at her to float on her back until help came. I got to the girl, who clung to me for dear life. But for what felt like the longest time, there was nothing and no one nearby to help, so we just waited and kept treading water.
BASIC INSTINCT
Then out of nowhere, a rescue boat appeared! It went to the father, so I swam over to the boat to help hoist his body on board. By that point, he’d become unconscious; luckily his daughter couldn’t see him from where she was on the other side of the boat. I yelled at the Harbor Master to throw me a life vest, but when he did, I was shaking so much from nerves that I couldn’t put it on. So I held it under me and swam back to the little girl. “Get on my back!” I screamed. But then the boat took off—we had no idea why it left us or if another boat would come back. So we just kept trying to get back to shore, screaming for help together on the count of three and kicking as hard as we could, but nothing worked. The current was just too strong. I was terrified we wouldn’t make it.
BITTERSWEET ENDING
By the time a second boat got to us, all we could say was “Thank god!” At the shore, the girl was rushed into an ambulance. It was the last time I ever saw her, and I later learned that, sadly, her dad didn’t survive.
Even though people have called me a hero, I have a hard time accepting that title when I know a life was lost. But that day, the fire chief who arrived on the scene said something meaningful to me: “Life puts people in certain places at certain times.” Since then, I’ve changed my whole outlook on life. I took an emergency medical technician (EMT) class and joined a volunteer ambulance corps. My boyfriend is an ambulance driver and I’m the EMT, so we’re a crew together! The rescue at the beach reminded me that I love helping people. And my new life makes me a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.
Beach Basics
Don’t hit the water without these tips.