Observant Daytona Beach hotel guest helps guide rescuers to struggling swimmers

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - An Orlando man's quick thinking may have saved the lives of two young swimmers in Daytona Beach earlier this week.

"It's wrong time, wrong place, but it's also the right place at the right time for me because I'm able to help out in that situation," said Henry, who asked that his last name not be used, and worked as an instructor for the American Red Cross.

He was in a fifth-floor room at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort Monday night when he heard cries for help coming from the beach through an open window.

"After about the second time, I realized it wasn't just someone playing on the beach. It was something that I needed to pay attention to," he said.

He looked out his window and saw two swimmers struggling in the water about 100 feet from shore. 

"They were getting pulled out to sea pretty quickly," Henry said.

Immediately, he called 911 and guided first responders to their exact location.

One of the swimmers, a 17-year-old boy, was out of the water by the time rescuers arrived. His 22-year-old brother had to be pulled out.

 According to the Volusia Sheriff's Office, the younger brother is expected to recover fully, but the other brother remains in critical condition. A GoFundMe has been set up to help with their medical expenses.

"They went in the water after hours. The guards were already gone home for the day, so they went in the water in an unguarded area," Tammy Malphurs, deputy chief at Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue, said.

It was almost déjà vu for lifeguards Friday morning after three swimmers from Lakeland got caught in a rip current a mile south of lifeguard headquarters.

In that case, two were able to make it back to short on their own, but a third person became unresponsive and had to be rescued.

All three were taken to the hospital, where one died. 

Very dangerous rip currents are expected to plague Florida's beaches this weekend, which is why beach safety officials are reminding everyone to be aware of rip currents, know the risk, and to swim in front of a staffed lifeguard tower.

"The response time is fairly quick. But when you're struggling in the water and you can't breathe, it's every second counts, so it's so important for people to swim in front of those staffed lifeguard tower."