And tragedy in Atlantic County, New Jersey, where a man
is fighting for his life after he helped rescue two
kids from drowning.
This happened at a dangerous spot where swimming is certainly
forbidden.
There are signs everywhere stating do not swim Here.
Our Steve Keely spoke with a father and son who
found the victim in the water.
Seems like the older gentleman was heroically going in to
save the two boys.
Yeah, I, I spoke to some other people there and
they, they said he actually pushed the kids to where
they could reach them.
So, yeah, he, you know, he, he saved them and
then he went under and then he went under.
He probably couldn't get back to, to the shallower water.
There's a line where it just drops from four and
a half five feet to 12 feet.
And that's where this likely happened.
The spot right under the Weymouth Road bridge over the
Great Egg Harbor River right below, right next to so
many no swimming signs in both Spanish and English.
And where even more signs were installed after the last
drowning at this same spot in 2021, where father and
son Paul and Hunter Horsey rushed into search for a
man who went under after the victim went and 1st
to save two boys who were being pulled in and
under the water themselves.
It's hot.
You know, they want to cool off there.
It looks shallow and it is shallow.
So they think they're wading in and it just drops
off at the end and gets a little deep and
they they get themselves in trouble.
Kind of hold you in that, that deep water.
Paul, you're, you're first on the scene.
What were you doing there?
I was just dropping off some tubers and I seen
the police officer come in and I could tell he
was excited.
So I just asked him, is everything all right?
And he said no.
So I filed him over and we both jumped in
the water and started searching right away.
Hunter found the man underwater and unconscious and got into
the EM TS on shore, who immediately started CPR.
They come under the bridge.
It's rough, it's fast moving waters.
It's been a common occurrence right in that spot.
The father and son from their fifty year long family
owned Winding River Campground among many here wondering what can
be done to keep this from happening over and over.
It happens every couple years, but there was a great
turn out of police response time dive team right at
the historic Weymouth Furnace, where Atlanta County Executive Dennis Levinson
told me that officials do not want to have to
close such a gorgeous parking setting.
But feel horrible again that this beautiful scene turned into
a tragic scene and wonder what they can do to
keep this spot both open and safe in May's landing.
Steve Keely, FOX 29 News.