A father lost his life saving his young children from a riptide at a beach in Florida, when a family vacation turned to tragedy.
Ryan Jennings died after rescuing his son and daughter when they got caught in a strong current at Juno Beach in Palm Beach County, his wife Emily told the Bangor Daily News.
In his final heroic act, Jennings managed to throw his 12-year-old son towards the shore and grab his nine-year-old daughter, raising her over his head to keep her above water.
“He made sure they made it out alive,” Emily Jennings told The Daily News. “He truly was our hero.”
The family was in Florida from Maine to visit Jennings’ parents, and had recently discovered Emily was pregnant with their fourth child, according to the Mail Online.
Family friend Geraldine Ollila started a GoFundMe to help the family, which has raised over $160,000 by Monday afternoon.
Writing on the fundraising page Ollila said: “Ryan was not only Emily’s soul mate, but also a loving father and friend to many. His heroic actions are a testament to the kind of person he was, and his loss leaves a tremendous void in the lives of everyone who knew him.”
Jennings was known in the community for coaching dozens of kids on youth football programs, including his son, as well as helping out with wresting, lacrosse, and other sports.
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue said Ocean Rescue (PBCFR) lifeguards conducted a water rescue near Juno Beach on the afternoon of April 1. An off-duty PBCFR responder also helped at the scene.
“This incident underscores the importance of swimming at guarded beaches, where trained lifeguards can identify hazardous conditions, including rough surf and rip current formation, helping to reduce the risk of incidents before they happen," PBCFR said in a statement.
The area of coastline where Jennings drowned, just north of Palm Beach, has reportedly seen a rise in rip currents according to a local newspaper.
A meteorologist from the National Weather Service in Miami, Ana Torres-Vazquez, described the area as “a bad setup geographically, overall.”
She explained strong winds from the east combine with a powerful south-to-north flow from the Gulf Stream – nearer the shore than farther south – to create shoreline rip currents and rough seas.
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