Taking the entire family on a beach vacation is an exciting experience. It encourages everyone to take a break from their gadgets and start moving. It’s also an awesome way to spend more time outdoors.

When Samantha Whiting took her family for a beach day, she was expecting everyone to have fun.

Together with her mom and Hayley, her 10-year-old daughter, Samantha spent their last vacation day in Monterey, California. They hoped for a fun-filled day at the beach.

Unfortunately, their trip turned out differently.

As Samantha was sitting on the shore, she asked Hayley to come closer to her. The little girl was playing in the waves at that time.

Suddenly, a strong rip current pulled Hayley out to the sea as she attempted to swim towards her mother.

The little girl cried out for help. She was terrified that she might not be able to get out of the water alive.

Samantha quickly swam to where her daughter was. Although she managed to get the girl on her back, the strong waves prevented them from getting back to the shore.

Hayley shared:

“I was thinking, ‘This is not happening, there’s no way I’m being pulled out’. I was really terrified.”

Thankfully, Kevin Cozzi was nearby.

The vacationer was with his fiancée when he heard the shouts coming from the beach. Since he was a competitive swimmer, he didn’t think twice about using his skills to save the two. He knew he had to do something to save the girl.

Kevin recalled:

“I’ve been swimming since I was 3 years old competitively, so I felt like I could get to them. I ran out there and as soon as I got to the mom, I just told her to give me her daughter because I knew she was struggling.”

The brave man was able to hold the little girl and carry her to safety.

Once they reached the shore, the lifeguard took over. Hayley was reunited with her mom and the two felt a sense of relief knowing that they were safe.

Samantha shared:

“He saved us. If it wasn’t for him coming to grab her off of me, there’s no way that we both would’ve made it.”

Amid the chaos, the mom was only able to get the man’s first name.

With only that detail, Samantha worked hard to find Kevin. Fortunately, after posting in a Facebook group, they managed to get reconnected. That’s when she learned that Kevin’s wedding was canceled due to the pandemic.

As a way to show her gratitude for what the man did for her and her daughter, Samantha started a GoFundMe page.

Her aim was to raise enough money so that Kevin and his partner can eventually have their dream wedding. For her, it was the only way she could show how thankful she was for Kevin’s action that day.

The fundraiser was a success.

Samantha was able to raise $64,000 for Kevin. However, for him, being able to save Hayley was more than enough. The mother and daughter plan to see Kevin next fall. Hopefully, they’ll be able to attend the wedding, too.

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Source: My Positive Outlooks, GoFundMe