ALEX STONE, ABC NEWS, LOS ANGELES. AND NOW TO A TRAGEDY IN JUNO BEACH, WHERE A FATHER OF THREE VISITING FROM MAINE DROWNED WHILE SAVING HIS YOUNG CHILDREN. HIS FAMILY CALLS RYAN JENNINGS A HERO WHO GOT HIS KIDS OUT OF POWERFUL RIP CURRENTS THAT WERE TAKING THEM UNDER. ARI HAIT HAS THE STORY. I SPOKE TO A FAMILY FRIEND WHO TELLS ME RYAN JENNINGS IS JUST THE GUY EVERYBODY LOVES. THE COACH OF ALL OF HIS KIDS SPORTS TEAMS. NOW SHE’S ASKING FOR YOUR HELP TO SUPPORT THIS FAMILY AS THEY STRUGGLE WITH THEIR LOSS. TRULY, IF THERE IS A LOVE STORY TO BE TOLD IN AN IDEAL FAMILY THAT WE ALL LOOK UP TO, TO BE LIKE, TO EMULATE, IT IS THE JENNINGS FAMILY. THE JENNINGS FAMILY. RYAN, EMILY AND THEIR THREE YOUNG CHILDREN. WITHOUT QUESTION, RYAN WAS THE MOST EXCEPTIONAL FATHER AND SUCH AN AMAZING, ADORING HUSBAND. GERALDINE OLALLA IS A CLOSE FRIEND OF THE FAMILY. THE JENNINGS LIVE IN MAINE, WERE VACATIONING IN SOUTH FLORIDA THIS WEEK, VISITING RYAN’S PARENTS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. THEY WERE ON JUNO BEACH. TWO OF THE CHILDREN WERE SWIMMING IN THE OCEAN WHEN THEY WERE CAUGHT IN THE RIP CURRENTS. WITNESSES SAY RYAN DIDN’T HESITATE IMMEDIATELY SWIMMING AFTER THEM. HE SAVED THE CHILDREN BUT COULD NOT SAVE HIMSELF. HE WAS A HERO. HE SAVED THE KIDS. IT WAS. IT WAS EXACTLY WHO RYAN JENNINGS IS. AN AMAZING, AMAZING HUMAN BEING. NOW, NOT ONLY ARE EMILY AND THE CHILDREN FACED WITH A FUTURE WITHOUT RYAN, BUT EMILY JUST LEARNED SHE’S PREGNANT WITH THEIR FOURTH CHILD. FOR NOW, THE FAMILY REMAINS IN FLORIDA, BUT WHEN THEY RETURN HOME TO MAINE, SAYS NEIGHBORS ARE READY TO EMBRACE THEM. THEY’RE IN SO MUCH PAIN AND DEEP INTO GRIEF, BUT THEY WILL OVERCOME IT TOGETHER, AND THEY WILL BE SURROUNDED BY A COMMUNITY THAT LOVES THEM. OH LA LA SAYS EMILY, IS GOING TO NEED A LOT OF HELP RAISING THE CHILDREN. THAT’S WHY OLALLA HAS STARTED A GOFUNDME ACCOUNT FOR THE FAMILY. WE’VE PUT A LINK TO THAT ACCOUNT
Maine man drowns saving his children from rip current in Juno Beach
Ryan Jennings had three children.
Updated: 9:49 AM EDT Apr 4, 2026
Ryan Jennings, a beloved coach and father from Maine, died while rescuing his children from rip currents during a family vacation in South Florida.Geraldine Ollila, a family friend, described the Jennings family as an ideal family. “Truly, if there is a love story to be told, an ideal family that we all look up to, to emulate, to be like, it is the Jennings family,” Ollila said.Ryan Jennings, his wife Emily, and their three young children were visiting Ryan’s parents in South Florida this week. Wednesday afternoon, the family was on Juno Beach.Two of the children were caught in rip currents while swimming in the ocean. Witnesses said Ryan immediately swam after them, saving the children but losing his own life in the process.”He was a hero. He saved the kids. It was exactly who Ryan Jennings is: an amazing, amazing human being,” Ollila said.Emily Jennings recently learned she is pregnant with their fourth child. The family remains in Florida for now, but Ollila said neighbors in Maine are ready to support them when they return home.”They’re in so much pain and deep into grief, but they will overcome it together, and they will be surrounded by a community that loves them,” Ollila said.Ollila has set up a GoFundMe account to raise money to help Emily raise the children.Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
JUNO BEACH, Fla. —
Ryan Jennings, a beloved coach and father from Maine, died while rescuing his children from rip currents during a family vacation in South Florida.
Geraldine Ollila, a family friend, described the Jennings family as an ideal family.
“Truly, if there is a love story to be told, an ideal family that we all look up to, to emulate, to be like, it is the Jennings family,” Ollila said.
Ryan Jennings, his wife Emily, and their three young children were visiting Ryan’s parents in South Florida this week.
Wednesday afternoon, the family was on Juno Beach.
Two of the children were caught in rip currents while swimming in the ocean.
Witnesses said Ryan immediately swam after them, saving the children but losing his own life in the process.
“He was a hero. He saved the kids. It was exactly who Ryan Jennings is: an amazing, amazing human being,” Ollila said.
Emily Jennings recently learned she is pregnant with their fourth child.
The family remains in Florida for now, but Ollila said neighbors in Maine are ready to support them when they return home.
“They’re in so much pain and deep into grief, but they will overcome it together, and they will be surrounded by a community that loves them,” Ollila said.
Ollila has set up a GoFundMe account to raise money to help Emily raise the children.
Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.