The 7-year-old boy swims for an hour to help his father and sister

Photo: Background / WKXT

In Florida, a 7-year-old boy became a hero after swimming for an hour ashore in search of help after his sister and father washed up on the St. John’s River in Jacksonville.

Father Steven Bowst said CNN His two children Chase, 7, and Abigail, 4, were anchored in the river by his boat WKXT last Friday (28) to swim.

Suddenly, Abigail, who was swimming in the back of the boat, had to leave because the current was so strong, Chase said. He decided to let the 7-year-old boy go to avoid being dragged by the current and slip, but he stopped.

Paust then tried to help them and told Chase to swim ashore while trying to reach his daughter who was wearing a life jacket.

“I said I loved him because I didn’t know what was going to happen.”Poust said. “I tried to keep both of them. I was exhausted. She moved from me to the river.”

It took Chase an hour to get to the beach. He told WKXT that he was floating on his back across the river. When he landed, he ran to a nearby house for help.

Meanwhile, the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD) said his father and sister were about two miles from where the boat was located.

JFRT reached the ship but had to call other agencies to expand the search, spokesman Eric Proswimmer told a news conference. Proswimmer said the outcome would have been different if it had not been for the help of his colleagues.

“We had all the resources to come quickly, and we are glad that all three have been recovered and are performing better,” he said. “We could not have had a better result.”

(This text is a translation of the original, in Spanish, Click here)