Young Child Cries As He Drifts Out To Sea On Giant Duck Float

Jul 27, 2019 by apost team

Stories about inflatable ducks, swans and unicorns have been in the news recently. These floats look like a lot of fun, but they can quickly turn a pleasant day at the beach into your worst nightmare.

In 2018, Florida mom Tara Myers put her son on an inflatable swan, and the current began to push them deeper and deeper into the Gulf of Mexico according to Inside Edition. They were rescued but she later described those moments as the most frightening experience she had ever lived through. "It was pretty much pure panic," Myers said to the news outlet. 

Now, a similar story just made headlines in Michigan. A mother took her son and another child out on a big yellow inflatable duck on Lake Michigan. While they were floating, the woman's son fell off the duck so she went into the water to grab him however when she turned around, the inflatable duck was being carried out to sea with the other child still on it according to CBS Chicago. 

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Fortunately, David Benjamin, a bystander on the beach, just happened to be there when the child started to float away. "I'm thinking 'Oh god, this looks really bad'" David told CBS Chicago. He said he told the lifeguard guard station about the situation and then he decided to grab his paddleboard to try and get closer to the toddler. As David got closer, things got even worse when the duck suddenly flipped over, dumping the boy into the water. He told NBC Chicago,

“He’s being very active, moving, crying and then he fell off and now I’m just like, you know, we’ve got seconds if those floaties don’t keep him up."

David was able to get the attention of a nearby boat because he saw the boy "in the drowning posture." The people on the boat saw the situation and sprinted into action with a woman from the boat jumping in the water to save the little boy. 

David Benjamin who also happens to be apart of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project told NBC Chicago that he cautions people to be aware of the winds on the lake and that bystanders who are trying to save people from drowning could put themselves at risk if they do not have a lifejacket. 

We think all parents need to see this story. If you know anyone who likes to take their kids to the beach, make sure to let them know about it. You may be saving a young life! Tell us your thoughts below.