William G. Lort, Sr., attempted to help save Nicole L. Parent from drowning, Ormond Beach, Florida, October 15, 2000. Ms. Parent, 18, was swimming in the Atlantic Ocean when she was caught by a very strong current that took her farther out and precluded her from returning to shore. Walking on the beach, Lort, 62, retired manufacturing equipment technician, and his daughter were alerted to Ms. Parent’s predicament. They immediately ran into the water and swam to her. Lort and his daughter each grasped Ms. Parent by an arm and were struggling toward shore when a wave struck them. Lort maintained his hold of Ms. Parent, but his daughter was separated from them, and she swam to shore. Lort continued his attempt to swim with Ms. Parent but made little progress. In an advancing wave, he pushed Ms. Parent toward shore. Lort was then carried farther out by the current and over the course of the next several minutes attempted to swim out of the current and remain afloat. Rescue swimmers arrived and retrieved Ms. Parent and Lort, both of whom required hospital treatment. They recovered, Lort after being detained two days in the hospital’s intensive care unit.
74871 – 8513
74871-8513