Yet the current was stronger than Steven had realized, and before long seven-year-old Chase noticed Abigail – who was wearing a life jacket – had been pulled away from the boat.
“The current was so strong that my sister — she usually hangs out at the back of the boat — and she let go. So, I let go of the boat and grabbed her, and then, I was stuck,” Chase said in an exclusive interview with news channel WJXT.
Chase wasn’t wearing a life jacket, but he let go of the boat to try and help his sister. Steven also jumped into the water in an attempt to grab his daughter, but she continued to drift away.
Steven explained to News4Jax: “I told them I loved him because I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. I tried to stick with both of them. I wore myself out. She drifted away from me.”
Chase, though terrified, was able to swim to shore, alternating between a doggie paddle and floating on his back to ensure he didn’t become too exhausted to keep his head above water.
All told the young boy swam against the current for an hour until he made it to dry land. From there, he ran for help.
Steven explained: “I screamed for help at the top of my lungs and waved my arms and sure enough someone heard us. Little man also made it to shore and got help and that’s what saved our lives.”
