Close Ad

Lifeguard Fired For Saving A Life Gets Incredible Reward After Public Outrage
tomas lopez lifeguard fired
Everyday Heroes

Lifeguard Fired For Saving A Life Gets Incredible Reward After Public Outrage

A lifeguard fired for simply doing his job well was honored by his city.


A life in danger

21-year-old lifeguard Tomas Lopez was on duty in Hallandale Beach, Florida when a beachgoer alerted him to someone drowning. Lopez immediately ran to the scene.

Once he arrived to the scene, the swimmer was already on land. The man, Maksim Samartsev of Estonia, was semi-conscious and had trouble breathing.

Lopez and an off-duty nurse tended to Samartsev until paramedics arrived.

Dismissed

After the rescue, Lopez's manager called him to the office to fill out an incident report, and also to fire him. The reason: leaving his "assigned area."

Lopez was floored.

"It was a long run, but someone needed my help. I wasn't going to say no"

Tomas Lopez, to CBS

Szilard Janko, one of two lifeguards to quit in protest, put it more bluntly.

"What was he supposed to do? Watch a man drown?"

Jeff Ellis & Associates, the private company that provides lifeguarding services to the city, was unmoved. 

"We have liability issues and can't go out of the protected area," supervisor Susan Ellis said in a prepared statement.

"What he did was his own decision. He knew the company rules and did what he thought he needed to do."

Redemption

As news of Lopez's harsh firing made national headlines, pressure against Jeff Ellis & Associates mounted. As a result, they offered the lifeguards their jobs back, but all refused.

Redemption came several days later when Hallandale Beach Mayor Joy Cooper invited Lopez and his colleagues as special guests to an event in their honor. 

There, to a standing ovation, she presented Lopez with the key to the city, an honor given only to "a trusted friend of city residents," per Wikipedia

In attendance at the event was someone especially eager to meet Lopez.

"I would like to say a big thanks to this man. He saved my life"

- Maksim Samartsev, per CBS Miami

That evening, Mayor Cooper also announced that the city will no longer be using Jeff Ellis & Associates for their lifeguarding services.

In an apologetic statement, the company agreed, saying that the "mishandling of the Tomas Lopez incident undermined public confidence."

Do what's right no matter the cost

After all is said and done, Lopez insists he didn't do anything more than his duty.

"All guards would have done the same thing. I think all of us deserve this. All I did was do what I was suppose to do"

- Tomas Lopez

But he ran where he was needed and did what's right, and, in the end, he received a hero's welcome.

So no matter how hard it gets to make a judgement call, remember that doing the right but sometimes difficult thing always pays off.

For more uplifting news:

Hot Stories

Why Paul Walker Left His Only Daughter With Vin Diesel

Vin Diesel & Paul Walker were more than just friends, they were …

content.jwplatform.com

When the tragic news of Paul Walker's death surfaced, the world was left in shock. As one of the most beloved stars of the Fast and Furious franchise, his passing was felt deeply by fans around the globe. But perhaps the most devastating impact was felt by his daughter, Meadow Walker, who was left without a father.

Keep ReadingShow less
Life Stories
cracker barrel waitress in tears
Cracker Barrel Server Left in Shock After a Group of Diners Leave Her a $1,200 Tip (1)

There are many mixed opinions when it comes to tipping. But the reality is that many servers rely on tips to make a decent living, working hard to ensure customer satisfaction with each and every meal.

But even the best of servers don’t expect their patrons to go above and beyond like this group of diners did one day in Georgia.

Keep ReadingShow less
Uplifting News
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his parents Randi and Pat
Archive

Make no mistake about it: Patrick Mahomes is the face of the NFL. The Tyler, Texas native is the son of Pat Mahomes, a former Major League Baseball player, and Randi Martin.

He burst onto the scene in 2018 when he made history by throwing 50 touchdown passes and 5,000 yards in a single season — a record he shares with Peyton Manning. He followed up his initial success by leading the Kansas City Chiefs to an incredible victory at Super Bowl LIV. If that wasn’t enough, he carried the team through to yet another Super Bowl the very next year, though they ended up losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mahomes has gone to two more Super Bowls since and he's won back-to-back titles (2023 and 2024).

Keep ReadingShow less
Family