A Martin County employee used her lifeguard skills and instincts to save a girl struggling in a rip current at Bob Graham Beach in Stuart.
STUART, Fla. —
A Martin County employee is being praised for her quick actions after rescuing a girl from drowning at Bob Graham Beach in Stuart on Thursday afternoon.
Amy Offenbach, who came to the beach to surf, said the day took an unexpected turn.
“It was just by chance that we were here and thank God that we were at the right time,” Offenbach said.
Offenbach, who has years of lifeguard training, said her instincts kicked in when she saw three girls struggling in the water.
“I took off my clothes, grabbed the board, and started paddling,” she said. “I immediately went into rescue mode.”
Authorities said one of the girls was choking on water, and the beach had no lifeguards on duty. Offenbach rushed in to help, using a surfboard to stabilize the girl.
“Once she was on the board, she was kind of limp. Her body wasn’t doing anything else,” Offenbach said.
Offenbach said the girl’s forehead felt cold, prompting her to rush the child to the nearest lifeguard stand down the road. The girl was then taken to the hospital with minor drowning injuries.
“I’m just really thankful that her parents have their child,” Offenbach said.
Offenbach, a Martin County employee, said she doesn’t feel the need for recognition.
While some are calling her a hero, Offenbach said she was simply acting on her instincts as a mother.
“I have a 14-year-old son myself, and I can’t imagine him not coming back from hanging out at the beach with his friends,” she said.
The incident serves as a reminder to exercise caution at the beach, especially in areas without lifeguards.
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