James Mack recounts his rescue efforts at Huguenot Memorial Park, where he saved two swimmers but tragically couldn’t reach Donte Wanton.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville man who rushed into the water to help three swimmers caught in a strong undertow at Huguenot Memorial Park is sharing what he saw during the rescue effort that left one man missing.
James Mack says he did not hesitate when he heard people screaming for help Saturday afternoon.
“I had no concern for myself in the moment,” said Mack. “You hear someone scream like that, it chills you to your bones,” Mack said.
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Mack says he has spent his entire life swimming at Huguenot Memorial Park and knows the water well. But he says nothing prepared him for what happened that day.
He says he was able to rescue 29-year-old Donte Wanton’s best friend, Nick, and Nick’s girlfriend, but Donte was pulled away by the current and never resurfaced.
According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, three adults were struggling in the water Saturday afternoon near the park when they were caught in an undertow.
Mack says his background helped him respond quickly.
“I was in the Young Marines as a kid, and we were CPR-certified since I was 12 years old,” Mack said.
When he reached Nick, he was in serious condition.
“Nick, he was in pretty bad shape. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t move.”
Mack says he brought Nick back to shore and immediately started performing CPR before returning to the water to search for Donte.
“And that’s when I saw Donte. He was laying face down in the water, and I got 20 yards from him, about 60 feet. He sank and when he sank, I went down. I tried to stay down in the water as long as I could with him,” Mack said.
Mack says he tried everything he could to reach Donte, but was unable to find him.
He says the rescue also took a physical toll on him.
“I did have to go to the hospital the next day cause I swallowed so much water and just something happened to my chest. They had to give me some steroids.”
He says he wants Donte’s loved ones to know how sorry he is that he could not save him.
“I can’t believe how sorry I am for their loss. There are no words that can describe how sorry I am that I couldn’t save him,” said Mack.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office says its Marine Unit is continuing to patrol for signs of 29-year-old Donte Wanton.
A GoFundMe has been created to help bring Donte back to his family in Georgia once his body is recovered and to hold a funeral service.