On March 4, 2018, Kote Mhitari, 54, of Sandy, Utah, attempted to rescue his adult son, Georgi Davidov, 28, from drowning in the Pacific Ocean, while the family was vacationing in Lahaina, Hawaii.
Mhitari and Davidov, along with their partners, were visiting a cliff about 15 feet above the ocean, when Davidov fell into the ocean.
Despite being a poor swimmer, Mhitari, a truck driver, jumped into the water and swam to his son. They grasped each other until rough surf separated them. Davidov trod water near rocks at the base of the cliff, and Mhitari was carried to a point about 80 feet away.
A responding lifeguard on a personal watercraft rescued both men. He took them to a nearby beach. Mhitari was unconscious and in cardiac arrest. Both men were taken to the hospital, where Davidov, nearly exhausted, was treated for bruising and scrapes. Mhitari, who was revived, required extensive hospitalization and therapy.
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