What do you enjoy the most about being at the beach? Each of us probably has something different that we enjoy, regardless of whether it is looking out across the water, getting some sun on our skin or perhaps, even playing in the sand. It really doesn’t matter how old we are, the sand is a lot of fun to play in but for a child, it is almost impossible to ignore. Perhaps our youth is filled with memories of us playing in the sand and having a lot of fun but for some, the memories are not quite as nice.
This story may be from a few years ago but it is still inspiring. In July 2013, five-year-old Alyssa Bostic was having fun playing in the sand at the Marina Dunes. Like many of us have probably done in the past, she was digging a hole in the sand but, unfortunately, this hole collapsed and she was buried alive. She wasn’t able to breathe and passed out but, as fate would have it, an 11-year-old boy named Connor Fitzgerald was in the area. He sprung into action quickly, pulled the girl from the sand, and perform CPR on her. He knew that there was no way that adults could get to her quickly enough so he took matters into his own hands.
Fitzgerald said that what he saw was terrifying and when he saw the young girl’s bag on the ground, he knew that something was wrong. He could tell where the young girl’s head was so he started digging and when he pulled her to safety, he saw that she couldn’t breathe and there was sand in her mouth and eyes. When the paramedics arrived on the scene, they said she was fortunate to be living.
It’s always interesting when we hear about a young child who does something heroic. He was able to win a golden medallion for his efforts, and it had ‘Bravery, Courage, Fortitude’ engraved on it. I couldn’t imagine a more suitable award for such a brave young man.
