Tragedy at Lake Michigan was averted as the summer months get underway – a potentially fatal calamity stopped by what some might consider the most unlikely of heroes, a pregnant woman. Five months pregnant, Alyssa DeWitt took her own children to the First Street Beach Pier in Manistee, Michigan. While enjoying time with her children on the beach, she noticed a pair of arms waving out from the shore in what were rough waters.
In a beat, DeWitt realized that three children were stock in the currents and were being pulled outward all the whole being slammed against the wall of the pier. They clearly were in high distress and in mortal danger.
DeWitt succinctly summed up on the situation, writing on social media:
“They were literally drowning in front of my eyes and there was not one person on that side of the beach I could scream to for help. It was empty.” Simply, saving the lives of the three children was all up to her.
DeWitt did telephone 911, but the operator was having a difficult time hearing her. Moreover, DeWitt knew that time was of the essence.
DeWitt ran down the pier to the point where the children were being pummeled against the structure. Despite being more than halfway through her pregnancy, she managed to lie on the pier, face down. She reached over the edge and repeatedly grabbed the arms of one or another of the three children, with the intent to pull them up to safety on top of the pier itself.
Each time DeWitt managed to get a grip on one of the children’s arms and pulled them part way to safety, a crashing wave smashed that child back down into the churning water. At one point, one of the children looked up to DeWitt and said: “I’m going to die.” DeWitt assuredly responded: “I promise you. I am not going to let you die out there. I will get you out of this water.”
And she did.
DeWitt explains that her adrenaline “kicked in.” She was able to pull each of the three children to safety – despite nearly falling into the deadly waters herself several times.
The names and specific ages of the children have not been released by officials. They evidently had come to the pier to swim without any adult supervision. This underscores a basic safety rule of swimming: children must never be permitted to swim in a pool, at a beach, or anywhere else without appropriate adult supervision.
The children were taken to an area hospital for examination after their rescue. DeWitt stopped by the emergency room herself to double check that she and her unborn baby were in good condition following the rescue. All is well with DeWitt and her unborn baby. Additionally, the three children reportedly are also in good condition and were released upon examination at the hospital as well.
If you or a family member is injured in a drowning accident, or if you lose a family member as the result of a drowning death, a consideration needs to be made as to whether the situation occurred as the result of someone else’s negligence. The first step in determining potential negligence and understanding your vital legal rights is to schedule an initial consultation with a Doan Law Firm drowning accident lawyer.
You can reach The Doan Law Firm any time of the day or night, 365 days a year – including all major holidays – by calling out drowning accident hotline at (800) 349-0000. A nationwide law firm, we can schedule an initial consultation at any one of our 40 offices located from coast to coast across the United States. We can also arrange a consultation with a drowning accident lawyer at your home or any other location convenient for you. A virtual case evaluation can be arranged online as well. There is never a charge for an initial consultation and case evaluation with a Doan Law Firm drowning accident attorney.
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