A Texas mom is paying back for an act of kindness from a stranger who rescued her 10-year-old daughter from a strong rip current over the summer. Samantha Whiting was enjoying a day at the beach in Monterey, California, when her little girl, Hayley, started to struggle as she was being pulled out further into the ocean.
Samantha tried to swim out to save her, but luckily for them, Kevin Cozzi, was nearby and rushed to help. He’s a competitive swimmer and ran out, rescuing Hayley and carrying her to shore before a lifeguard took over. In the chaos, the mom only got Cozzi’s first name and she spent months trying to track him down, ultimately reconnecting through a Facebook group, Merced Neighborhood Watch.
When he told her that he had to cancel his wedding due to coronavirus, Samantha decided to set up a for Kevin and his fiancée to raise money so they can eventually have their dream wedding and honeymoon. “If it wasn’t for him risking his life in such a selfless act, I would have lost not only my own life but my baby girl,” she writes on the fundraiser. “Lord knows he deserves so much more than this.”
Source:ABC 7
Photo Credit: Getty