Cop, Bethany worker save boy from drowning in surf
Two men risked their lives Monday to rescue a child from rough conditions off Bethany Beach, police reported Tuesday morning.
Bethany Beach Public Works employee Sean Ely was on the beach at Maplewood Street at 2:05 p.m. Oct. 3. A woman in obvious distress ran to Ely to report that her 11-year-old son was trapped in the surf and in danger of drowning, according to Police Chief Mike Redmon.
Redmon described Monday's surf conditions as "evil-looking." The storm-like surf may have resulted from last week's heavy rains, and combined with the strong rip current was a recipe for disaster. Redmon said time is a major factor in these cases, and Ely could see that the boy was in serious trouble.
Ely called police dispatch. Knowing that it would take time for units to arrive, he went into the water to attempt a rescue himself, Redmon said.
Due to the rough conditions, Ely was soon had trouble himself, according to Redmon. The boy, who is from Fulton, Maryland, was in approximately 7 feet of water and the rip current was dragging him further out. Ely had difficulty keeping the boy's head above water, and wasn't a strong enough swimmer to bring him back to shore.
The first responding officer on the scene was Sgt. Chuck Scharp.
"When Sean's head would go under, the boy's would come up, and when his head went under, Sean's would come up, like a seesaw," said Scharp. "It was all (Ely) could do just to keep the boy's head up."
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Scharp stripped off his shirt, vest, shoes and gear and ran down the dune to the water. He described himself as a strong swimmer, but the conditions were almost too much for him.
"I'm used to being in the ocean. I couldn't believe how strong it was," Scharp said. "It was a dangerous place to be."
Once in the water, Scharp could see that Ely was OK but wasn't able to bring the boy to shore. Scharp swam to the boy, who was coherent. Scharp told him they were going to swim to the beach, and instructed him to hang onto the officer's neck.
Chief Redmon arrived with other units to see Scharp and the boy fight their way back to shore with Ely behind them.
"I was so exhausted when I got out," Scharp said. "I looked up and saw my partner and the chief and said, 'You guys can handle it from here.' "
Redmon said that the boy and his mother declined medical treatment at the scene.
Scharp praised Ely's rescue attempt.
"Sean did a great job. He kept the boy's head up. That took a lot of mental fortitude and courage," Scharp said. "He had no training that I know of and he didn't have the (swimming) strength to bring him in, but I believe that if it hadn't been for him, that boy would have been lost."