On August 22, 2025, two separate coastlines—one in Donegal, Ireland, and the other in Rye, New Hampshire—became the stage for dramatic rescues as powerful currents and high waves put swimmers and beachgoers in peril. In both cases, the quick thinking and bravery of ordinary people and emergency workers turned what could have been tragedies into stories of survival and gratitude.
According to The Irish News, Sinn Féin councillor Brian Carr was enjoying a family day out at Tramore Beach near Ardara, Donegal, when a simple afternoon took a sudden and terrifying turn. Carr, his wife Marie, their nine-year-old son Ben, and their ten-year-old niece Amelia were relaxing on the sand. Carr was taking photos of the stunning coastline when Marie called out to him in alarm—the children were drifting out to sea.
“I ran to the water and saw them calling for help. I waded in, but the further I swam, the stronger the current pulled us out,” Carr recounted in a heartfelt social media post, as reported by The Irish News. “Soon I was out of my depth, struggling against large waves as I’m not a strong swimmer.”
Despite his efforts, Carr found himself and the children at the mercy of the Atlantic. He described floating on his back, desperately trying to recover enough strength to reach his son and niece, but the waves kept forcing him back. “Ben’s call, ‘You’re close now, daddy,’ gave me strength to try to push on again, but the waves kept forcing me back. I remember shouting to the kids, ‘keep swimming’ but I could go no further.”
Help arrived just in time. Four surfers—Maitiú Clerkin, Dualta Bracken, Turlagh McDaid, and Joe Herron—were waiting for waves nearby when they heard Marie’s screams. “We decided we’d go down, and we were just walking down towards the water, and a woman started coming towards us screaming for help,” Clerkin told RTÉ, as cited by The Irish News. “In the moment, I could see that there was two kids further out in the water, so me and Dualta had our boards with us, so I started paddling out towards the two kids and got them. Then, I looked back and Brian was in difficulty, so I pointed at him, and then Dualta started making his way towards Brian.”
Bracken, a student awaiting his Leaving Cert results, reflected on the surreal nature of the rescue: “We just were going in for a surf as any other day, obviously not expecting the situation to unfold like that. And then Maitiú jumped in straight away after we heard the lady in distress. It was obviously very unexpected, and it just shows that it’s important for everyone to have basic first aid skills and life-saving skills. Because it’s not like we expected that to happen. It’s just an everyday experience, and then all of a sudden it turns into a critical situation like that.”
Carr, exhausted and overwhelmed by the ordeal, lost consciousness during the rescue. The surfers pulled him up onto a board and brought him to shore, where he was dragged up the beach by his rescuers. “I cannot say enough about those four lads, they are true heroes. We owe them a debt of gratitude that will last a lifetime,” Carr said. “As I’ve said before, they were the right people, in the right place, at exactly the right time, and because of that, we are here today to tell this story. Their courage was nothing short of extraordinary.”
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, the New Hampshire coast was feeling the effects of Hurricane Erin, which, though staying well offshore, sent high swells and strong currents crashing onto local beaches. According to WMUR, lifeguards and firefighters made multiple rescues at Cable Beach in Rye by 1:30 p.m. on the same day. “That’s like more than we get sometimes in a month,” said Rye lifeguard Jena Jekums, who personally helped save one swimmer caught in the white water. She explained, “I saw him get stuck in the white water in between and just went out to go help him in.”
Firefighters were on hand to support the lifeguards, ensuring that all beaches in Rye were covered despite low staffing. “We have the fire department on call. Even though we’re low staffed on lifeguards, we have a bunch of help around us,” Jekums noted. Officials planned for beach patrols to continue throughout Friday and into Saturday, as the dangerous conditions persisted.
At Hampton Beach, red flags were raised, signaling swimming restrictions due to the hazardous surf. Surfers, however, were drawn to the rare and powerful waves, some reaching up to 10 feet. “You just have a lot of water coming from the middle of the ocean, and all that power comes towards us,” surfer Michael Persons explained. “You can get up pretty quick on these big waves,” added Graydon Goyetch. For surfers like Tate Thompson, the warm water was a bonus: “It’s the most important part. Usually, you get these in the winter, and spring is not as much fun when the water’s freezing.”
Despite the excitement, rip currents remained a serious concern. Lifeguards advised swimmers to stay calm if caught and to swim parallel to the shore. “Honestly, the currents today seem to be ripping people down the shore, so it’s not too bad,” Thompson said. “But sometimes, you’ve got to paddle pretty far out there to get anything, so you’ve got to be careful.”
On land, local officials kept a wary eye on the tides, with the next high tide expected at about 11:40 p.m. Hampton resident Butch Scranton recalled previous flooding: “We got flooded before, and my wife lost her car a couple of years ago, and it was full of water. It went up four feet, so that’s a lot of water.” The Scrantons, living on the marsh, moved their cars to higher ground just in case. “It is what it is,” Scranton said. “If you want to live near the beach, you’re going to get water.”
Both rescues—one on a windswept Irish beach, the other on the storm-battered New Hampshire coast—highlight the unpredictability of the sea and the critical importance of vigilance, preparedness, and community spirit. Whether it’s surfers leaping to the aid of a family in distress or lifeguards and firefighters working together to keep swimmers safe during a hurricane’s aftermath, these stories serve as powerful reminders of the everyday heroes among us and the relentless power of nature.
For those who venture into the surf, moments of leisure can quickly transform into battles for survival. But with courage, quick action, and a bit of luck, disaster can be averted—and gratitude can last a lifetime.
