Beachgoers in Panama City formed an 80 person human chain to save the lives of 9 family members who were pulled too far from shore in a riptide and could not get back. Panama City News Herald reports that Roberta Ursrey noticed her sons were missing and while looking for them she heard screaming from the water that they were stuck by the current.
Even though she was warned about going into the water with the dangerous riptide, Ursrey, her mother and 5 other family members swam out to render aid to her sons. All 9 family members were now trapped in about 15-feet deep waters.
Jessica Simmons, noticed people pointing at the water and realized that people were drowning, she jumped on her boogie board and began swimming toward Ursrey’s family. Simmon’s husband and a few other men started to form a human chain to help bring everyone back to shore. With about 80 people in the human chain they were able to get within a few feet of the family and were able to tow the family down the chain and to the shore.
Unfortunately, Ursrey’s mother suffered a major heart attack during the ordeal and remains hospitalized and a nephew of the family suffered broken hand.
Ursrey was very grateful to all of the beachgoers who helped save her and her family and said, “I owe my life and my family’s life to them. Without them we wouldn’t be here.”
Simmons was quoted saying, “With everything going on in the world, we still have humanity.”
