Hero of the day from USA: Elderly woman gets second chance at life after police finds her 'unresponsive' in ocean

Every year, emergency responders across the United States stress the importance of acting quickly when someone appears to be in trouble in the water. In many cases, a fast response from people nearby can mean the difference between life and death. That reality was on display at a Florida beach this weekend, where a 68-year-old woman survived a near-fatal incident after our heroes of the day, including the beachgoers, sheriff's deputies and rescue personnel, worked together to bring her back from the brink.

According to People magazine, the rescue took place Saturday morning at New Smyrna Beach, Florida. According to the Volusia Sheriff's Office (VSO), the woman was found floating face down in the ocean and was later discovered to be unresponsive and without a pulse. Thanks to immediate intervention, however, she was revived and transported to a hospital in stable condition.

Beachgoers Played a Critical Role

Before deputies reached the water, it was alert members of the public who first noticed something was wrong. Witnesses spotted the swimmer in distress and quickly flagged down authorities, setting the rescue effort in motion.


Officials later emphasized that those early moments mattered. “This serves as a powerful reminder that alert beachgoers, like those who spotted the woman and quickly alerted deputies, can make all the difference,” the sheriff's office said in a statement.

The agency noted that the quick actions of those nearby helped emergency responders reach the woman before it was too late.

Deputies Rushed Into Action

The incident was reported around 10:15 a.m., according to the Volusia Sheriff's Office's press release. Deputy Gourley responded to the scene and located the woman floating face down in the ocean. With assistance from another deputy and a beachgoer, he brought her back to shore.

“Deputy Gourley quickly located the victim in the water, floating face down and pulled her to shore,” said the VSO. “The woman was unresponsive and without a pulse. Deputy Gourley and Deputy Manhart immediately began CPR and were able to revive the 68-year-old woman.”

As CPR continued on the beach, bystanders watched anxiously while deputies worked to restore the woman's breathing and heartbeat.

Dramatic Moments Captured on Body Camera

Body-camera footage released by authorities showed the intensity of the rescue effort. At one point, a deputy asked the crowd gathered nearby, “Does anybody know her?” A bystander responded, “No, nobody, no.”

Moments later, there was a sign of hope. “She's breathing,” one deputy can be heard saying after the life-saving efforts began to show results. An officer continued speaking to the woman, encouraging her to stay responsive. “Keep breathing … big deep breaths if you can hear me, girl. Squeeze my hand if you can feel it.”

Shortly afterward, the woman regained consciousness while emergency sirens approached the scene.

Woman Taken to Hospital in Stable Condition

After deputies revived the woman, Volusia County Beach Safety personnel arrived and continued treatment before she was transported to a local hospital. Authorities said she was in stable condition.

According to the Volusia Sheriff's Office, life-saving awards are expected to be presented to the deputies involved in the rescue.