The incident occurred during a trip honoring America’s 250th birthday at Pearl Harbor
Credit: WLOX News/YouTube
NEED TO KNOW
- Two high school band members saved a man from drowning after hearing his cries for help off Waikiki Beach in Hawaii
- One rescuer, a trained lifeguard, relied on instinct and adrenaline to swim 300 yards and bring the man to safety
- The rescued man, their travel agent, later offered them a return trip to Hawaii as a gesture of gratitude
Two high school band members are being praised after their quick thinking saved a man from drowning in Hawaii.
After a performance honoring America’s 250th birthday at Pearl Harbor with the Mississippi Lions All-State Band, Griffin Johnson and Mason Crawford went sightseeing off Waikiki Beach, WLOX News reported.
The pair instinctively rushed into the water when they heard a man screaming for help 300 yards offshore.
“It was kind of scary, but it was just in the heat of the moment,” Crawford, a junior at Picayune Memorial High School, told the outlet.
Credit: Mengshin Lin for The Washington Post via Getty
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The incident comes after Johnson, a Long Beach High School student, spent the last three years working as a lifeguard at the Pass Christian Yacht Club.
He recalled being fueled by “adrenaline” amid the man’s pleas for help.
“I kind of wasn’t thinking in the moment. We couldn’t see him, so I swam out there to see what was going on and then I saw him. So, we brought him back,” Johnson told WLOX News.
Crawford recalled following Johnson’s lead while internally questioning whether they would be able to save the man.
After the rescue, the pair learned the man, Pati’ Luna, was their travel agent for the trip.
Luna has since offered them a trip back to Hawaii anytime as a symbol of his gratitude.
“We were just talking about what happened. He was saying that we actually restored his faith in Christ, which I think was really great, whether you’re religious or not,” Crawford told WLOX News.
“At the end of the day, I don’t necessarily need the credit. I’m just glad that we were able to rescue Pati’ and rescue a life, but it does feel great,” he added.
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