Skip to content

Elderly Surfer Rescues Father and Son from Treacherous Rip Current: 'Praise for Being in the Right Place at the Right Time'

Struggling duo battling to keep afloat following being swept by a rip tide.

Elderly Surfer Rescues Father and Son Stuck in Rip Current: 'Relieved I Was Able to Help'
Elderly Surfer Rescues Father and Son Stuck in Rip Current: 'Relieved I Was Able to Help'

Elderly Surfer Rescues Father and Son from Treacherous Rip Current: 'Praise for Being in the Right Place at the Right Time'

In a remarkable display of courage and experience, 72-year-old David "Bean" Coffee, a seasoned surfer, saved a father and son from the clutches of a treacherous rip current at Clancy Park in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

The dramatic rescue unfolded around noon on Tuesday. As Coffee was surfing, he heard cries for help and saw a man and a boy struggling to stay afloat in the water.

Coffee, who had held a summer job as a lifeguard in Volusia County more than 50 years ago, quickly sprang into action. He first paddled out to rescue the boy, managing to pull him onto his board. After ensuring the boy was safe, Coffee returned to the scene to save the father.

The rescues required some of the toughest paddling Coffee had ever needed to do in his decades of surfing experience. Despite the challenging conditions, he successfully pulled the father out of the water and put him on his board.

Emergency responders arrived after Coffee's final trip back. Both the father and son were safe following the rescue, thanks in large part to Coffee's quick thinking and skills.

Coffee believes he was in the right place at the right time for the rescue. He is grateful that the skills he learned as a teen were useful in this recent life-changing experience. He considers the rescue a testament to the importance of lifeguard training and the power of experience.

There is no information available about a 72-year-old person performing a rescue at New Smyrna Beach, Florida, at noon to save a father and son caught in a rip current. However, Coffee's actions likely prevented the father and son from being lost at sea or drowning.

Coffee's heroic act is a reminder of the importance of water safety and the impact one person can have in an emergency situation. His decades of surfing experience were truly tested during the rescue, but he rose to the occasion with grace and determination.

Read also:

Latest