Boy, 7, Swims An Hour To Help Save Family From River Current

JACKSONVILLE, FL — A strong current in the St. Johns River couldn’t stop a 7-year-old boy from saving the lives of his father and little sister over Memorial Day weekend in Jacksonville.

Chase Poust, the 7-year-old son of Steven Poust and older brother of 4-year-old Abigail, battled the current and swam to shore to get help for his dad and sister, who were left in the water as the current took them away from their anchored fishing boat Friday night, according to local news reports.

“I felt really scared,” Chase told WJXT. “The current was going the opposite way of going to the boat and the shore, so it was very hard to swim that way.”

The 7-year-old swam to shore, knocked on the door of the first home he saw and got help, WBTV reported. Florida Fish and Wildlife officers found and rescued Chase’s dad and sister about a mile away from the boat after an hourlong search.

“We’re here. By the grace of God, we’re here,” Poust told WBTV. “Little man made it to shore and got help, and that’s what saved our lives.”

Poust told WJXT he anchored the boat in the water while he fished and the kids swam around the boat. A strong current forced Abigail to let go, Chase told the news station, so he let go as well, and both were floating away in the water.

Poust jumped in the water, trying to stick with Abigail as he told Chase to swim to shore.

“I told them I loved him because I wasn’t sure what’s going to happen,” Poust told WJXT. “I tried to stick with both of them. I wore myself out. She drifted away from me.”

Chase said he would alternate between doing the doggy paddle swim move and float on his back, to make sure he wouldn’t tire out on his way to land, both news stations reported.