Florida is known for the wild antics of its residents.
But a woman confirmed that there are everyday heroes in the Sunshine State.
A Florida woman went to hell and back to make this daring rescue.
A Florida woman and man help save a man from a sinking truck
Ariana Ebert was making her daily commute to work when she saw something shocking in the Indian River Lagoon near Melbourne, Florida.
A truck had run through the guardrail and was sinking in the water below.
Ebert stopped what she was doing and sprung into action.
The trucker’s driver, a man named Gerad, was trying to escape through the small back window.
She jumped into the water to try and help him.
“Pretty much in my mid-jump, I saw Gerald come out of the small back window of his truck… just his arms and his head, and the truck went down and sunk with him in it,” Ebert told Fox 35 Orlando.
Don Cobb jumped into the water to help her get Gerald out of the truck.
Together with Ebert, they worked to hold his head above water.
“He was blue and purple. At that point, we had him about halfway out. But he was caught on his belt,” Ebert recalled. “At one point, Don was like pray. We looked at each other and just thought this outcome was not going to be the best.”
Help arrives on the scene
A flurry of 911 calls came in after the truck landed in the lagoon.
First on the scene, Brevard County Sheriff’s Deputy Bradley McLaughlin dove into the water to help them.
“When the deputy got there, he was able to grab Gerald’s head and hold it above water somewhat, and I just dove under the water and pulled with every ounce of strength I had left in myself,” Ebert explained.
She was able to free Gerald from the truck, and they were able to get him to shore where CPR was administered.
Ebert took flowers to the hospital where Gerald was taken.
“It’s definitely out of my nature to jump into any sort of body of water besides the pool,” Ebert said. “All I can say is that I believe that God gave me the strength to overcome my fears that day because he needed to use me to save somebody’s life.”
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey praised Ebert and Cobb for their heroism.
“There are not enough words on days like today that explain the immense emotions one feels about just how great this community is!! Our Deputies are trained to jump into action in emergency situations, and we would never ask citizens to put their own lives at risk, but to see them selflessly try to save someone in a truly scary situation, shows the kind of people that make up Brevard County,” Ivey wrote.
Ebert did not consider herself a hero.
“I don’t really necessarily think of myself as a hero. I just kind of feel like all I did is what needed to be done at that point,” Ebert told Fox 35 Orlando. “You don’t have to know somebody to show kindness or to help them out in any way. Not even a life-threatening situation.”
The quick thinking of two good Samaritans helped save a man’s life.
DeSantis Daily will keep you up-to-date on any new developments in this ongoing story.
