Acknowledging a Miracle

In an article I wrote earlier, that miracles still happen today, I told of my own experiences.  Here is one that others experienced recently in White Rock BC, as reported in The Now Newspaper.  A man was saved from drowning at the beach.  Many factors came into play to save him from drowning, and were proof of God’s intervention.

It happened on Sunday afternoon, July 18th, 2010.  A man in his 50’s was quite far out and floundering.  He wife, not so far out as he, was screaming and waving her arms frantically for help.  A young man of 44, sitting on the beach, reacted by discarding his hat, socks, shirt and sunglasses and bolted down the beach and into the ocean.  He told us afterwards that he was saying to himself that he had better do this right, otherwise his wife would be raising their kids on her own.

Pete Pretorius was the person who rescued the man, and he had the presence of mind to take the man’s wrist and turn him around to face away, making him unable to drown his rescuer.  With much effort, Pete towed the nearly drowned man to shore where he was revived and assisted to the family’s vehicle.

It was a miracle to have been saved from drowning, but the circumstances that enabled the rescuer to be present and capable are astounding.  Pete was there to enjoy a sunny afternoon at the beach.  He could have been anywhere at that moment.  He was an athlete, being the 4th fastest in the world in the 400-metre hurdles, with a black belt in taekwondo.  That training helped him to disable the person from complicating the rescue operation.  And one last consideration, is that Pete had cancelled competing in the South African Olympics at that time because of other circumstances.  All of these factors acted together for our lifesaver to be there at the exact moment.  Pete recognizes God's intervention.  I hope the drowning man’s family too, recognizes that saving their dad from drowning was indeed a miracle.