Caught on Camera

Video shows good Samaritans jumping into water to help struggling teen at Boca Raton Inlet

Seth Stern said jumping in the water was his only option when he saw the teen struggling on Sunday

NBC Universal, Inc.

An intense water rescue was caught on camera after three good Samaritans jumped into the Boca Raton Inlet to save a teen who was struggling and crying out for help.

Seth Stern said jumping in the water was his only option when he saw the teen struggling on Sunday.

"His arms were in the air flailing and yelling for help," Stern said.

Stern said he was at the Boca Raton Inlet with his camera filming boats for work when he heard someone crying from help in the water.

"I asked him to swim sideways to us on the rocks so we could grab him, but his response was 'I can’t, I don’t have the energy,'" Stern said.

After waving down the lifeguards, Stern took matters into his own hands.

Video shows him climbing over the rocks before jumping in to help the teen who was struggling to keep his head above the water.

""There is a really strong rip current underneath the water that he was stuck in by being close to the rocks," Stern said.

Two other men followed Stern into the water and the three of them managed to drag the teen back to safety.

The lifeguards at the Boca Raton Inlet also swam out to assist.

Stern said he has no formal lifeguard training, but he has two young children and the instinct to help just kicked in.

“I did what any parent would do and jumped in,” said Stern. “ I really don’t know how it would have played out if we were not here.”

Contact Us