Two brothers save young girl from drowning at Santa Cruz beach
UPDATE 03/27/19 6:46 p.m. Two brothers attending a birthday party at a beach in Santa Cruz this weekend are being hailed as heroes after parents say they saved a young girl from drowning.
The boys, Rhys and Bryce Watson, are just 7 and 10 years old.
They were playing in a Lagoon at Santa Maria beach off of 21st Avenue when Rhys saw a girl who looked like she was drowning. “Her head was going under the water, but her eyes, you could see them and the water was up to here. So then I told him (Bryce) that girl is drowning.”
Rhys alerted his older brother Bryce, who immediately swam over to the girl, carrying her to safety.
Bryce said, “I had the chance to save her and I decided I should, so I did. As I jumped out there I felt kind of scared, but it feels like my brain just calmed me down. Which it felt weird, because I thought it was going to be really scared.”
Rhys said that’s when the girl’s dad rushed over and she began to cough up water, “the dad lays her on her tummy pushing her, and then the water was spilling out of her mouth.”
Thier mom, Nicole, says she is proud beyond words. “I don’t think I could have ever imparted that on them even though I tried, this, this has to come from within. I’m proud that they thought of someone else, that they acted quickly, and just that I’m their mom.”
The girl’s family wanted to remain anonymous, but told Nicole she is doing well.
Both Rhys and Bryce say they are now looking into careers in search and rescue.
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Two brothers attending a birthday party at a beach in Santa Cruz this weekend are being hailed as heroes after parents say they saved a young girl from drowning.
The boys, Rhys and Bryce Watson, are just 7 and 10 years old.
They were playing in a Lagoon at Santa Maria beach off of 21st Avenue when Rhys saw a girl who looked like she was sinking. Rhys alerted his older brother Bryce, who immediately swam over to the girl, carrying her to safety.
The girl’s dad rushed over and she began to cough up water, but she is expected to make a full recovery.
KION’s Ashley Keehn will have the full story tonight at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.
