The beaches of Waikīkī were crowded on a day celebrating Hawaiian Olympic swimmer and surf legend Duke Kahanamoku. Of the hundreds of swimmers in the water, no one noticed a little girl in distress, struggling to keep her head above water.
Thankfully lifeguard Brie Cantalupo was alert in her tower monitoring the water and saw the critical situation developing. Cantalupo snapped into action and sped through the oblivious bystanders and pulled the child to safety before tragedy struck.
The lifeguards of Hawaii are legendary for their abilities to keep swimmers, snorkelers and surfers safe in the picturesque waters of our 50th state but when it comes to children in the water, the first line of defense must be adult supervision.
Hawaii Drowning & Aquatic Injury Prevention Advisory Committee:
Always Swim With A Buddy
Swimming with a friend or family member helps ensure that someone can call for help in case of an emergency. Even experienced swimmers can get into trouble in the ocean. An adult should always supervise children at the beach, whether they are in the water or near the shoreline.