thedrifter
06-30-06, 02:11 PM
BEACH STROLL TURNS INTO RESCUE MISSION
DLI Marine saves youths in surf
By KEVIN HOWE
Herald Staff Writer
When Marine Pfc. Justin Wallace heard screams coming from the water at Monastery Beach near Point Lobos, he didn't hesitate.
The 22-year-old from Fairfax County, Va., a student of Arabic at the Defense Language Institute at the Presidio of Monterey, swam out into the treacherous waters of Carmel Bay last week to rescue a teenage girl and her 4-year-old nephew as they struggled in the surf.
State Department of Parks lifeguard Kevin Brady said the boy was standing near the water about 7:30 p.m. June 21 when a sudden wave swept him in.
The boy was struggling in water over his head about 10 feet offshore, Brady said, and his 15-year-old aunt went in to try to rescue him.
She got into difficulty as well, he said, and Wallace, who was about 150 yards down the beach, heard screams and ran with a buddy, Marine Lance Cpl. Jeremy York, 20, of Orange County, to help.
"He jumped in the water, and just swam out," Brady said.
The girl and her nephew were close to shore, but "there's a deep, inshore hole there," he said, and very strong wave action.
Wallace said he and York had driven to Point Lobos, parked off the highway and went for a walk on the beach.
"We were sitting on the north end," he said, "and about 15 minutes later heard screaming down the beach quite a ways.
"We knew right away what was going on."
Wallace said he saw the small child immediately, and several adults, including the boy's parents, were watching helplessly from the shore.
"They were on the edge of the water," he said, "but they couldn't get in."
Then Wallace said he saw a young girl in the surf as well, fully dressed down to her shoes, who had apparently gone in to save the boy.
Wallace, who was barefoot and wearing only jean shorts, jumped in, got the boy and quickly brought him to shore.
"He was just fine," Wallace said. "He wasn't choking, just crying."
The girl was apparently unable to swim but was treading water in the trough between the breakers and shore, he said.
"She was almost passing out. I tried to get her to swim, but she only managed to paddle a little."
York, another Arabic student with the Marine Corps Detachment at DLI, waded in up to his waist and helped Wallace bring the girl ashore. "We both collapsed," Wallace said.
York said the girl's breath came in shallow gasps, and paramedics took her away by ambulance.
"It was so cold," Wallace said. "I could barely breathe."
Monastery Beach is notorious for its cliff-like drop-off from shore to bay, which makes it a favorite of scuba divers but a sometimes deadly trap for swimmers. A few steps seaward leaves even an adult unable to touch bottom.
Brady said he was called to the beach from his station at Point Lobos, along with Carmel Highlands Fire District rescue workers, but he arrived to find the situation in hand.
"The family wasn't planning on swimming," Brady said, adding that it's common at Monastery for walkers on the beach to be swept into the water by sudden waves. "It's really an extremely dangerous beach. People should use extreme caution."
The two rescued children were not identified by state authorities.
herald.com.
Kevin Howe can be reached at 646-4416 or khowe@monterey
Ellie
DLI Marine saves youths in surf
By KEVIN HOWE
Herald Staff Writer
When Marine Pfc. Justin Wallace heard screams coming from the water at Monastery Beach near Point Lobos, he didn't hesitate.
The 22-year-old from Fairfax County, Va., a student of Arabic at the Defense Language Institute at the Presidio of Monterey, swam out into the treacherous waters of Carmel Bay last week to rescue a teenage girl and her 4-year-old nephew as they struggled in the surf.
State Department of Parks lifeguard Kevin Brady said the boy was standing near the water about 7:30 p.m. June 21 when a sudden wave swept him in.
The boy was struggling in water over his head about 10 feet offshore, Brady said, and his 15-year-old aunt went in to try to rescue him.
She got into difficulty as well, he said, and Wallace, who was about 150 yards down the beach, heard screams and ran with a buddy, Marine Lance Cpl. Jeremy York, 20, of Orange County, to help.
"He jumped in the water, and just swam out," Brady said.
The girl and her nephew were close to shore, but "there's a deep, inshore hole there," he said, and very strong wave action.
Wallace said he and York had driven to Point Lobos, parked off the highway and went for a walk on the beach.
"We were sitting on the north end," he said, "and about 15 minutes later heard screaming down the beach quite a ways.
"We knew right away what was going on."
Wallace said he saw the small child immediately, and several adults, including the boy's parents, were watching helplessly from the shore.
"They were on the edge of the water," he said, "but they couldn't get in."
Then Wallace said he saw a young girl in the surf as well, fully dressed down to her shoes, who had apparently gone in to save the boy.
Wallace, who was barefoot and wearing only jean shorts, jumped in, got the boy and quickly brought him to shore.
"He was just fine," Wallace said. "He wasn't choking, just crying."
The girl was apparently unable to swim but was treading water in the trough between the breakers and shore, he said.
"She was almost passing out. I tried to get her to swim, but she only managed to paddle a little."
York, another Arabic student with the Marine Corps Detachment at DLI, waded in up to his waist and helped Wallace bring the girl ashore. "We both collapsed," Wallace said.
York said the girl's breath came in shallow gasps, and paramedics took her away by ambulance.
"It was so cold," Wallace said. "I could barely breathe."
Monastery Beach is notorious for its cliff-like drop-off from shore to bay, which makes it a favorite of scuba divers but a sometimes deadly trap for swimmers. A few steps seaward leaves even an adult unable to touch bottom.
Brady said he was called to the beach from his station at Point Lobos, along with Carmel Highlands Fire District rescue workers, but he arrived to find the situation in hand.
"The family wasn't planning on swimming," Brady said, adding that it's common at Monastery for walkers on the beach to be swept into the water by sudden waves. "It's really an extremely dangerous beach. People should use extreme caution."
The two rescued children were not identified by state authorities.
herald.com.
Kevin Howe can be reached at 646-4416 or khowe@monterey
Ellie