SCSU Swim Team Captain Saves Family on Lake Superior

When you join a sports team in high school or college, you are usually just hoping to do well in the sport.  Maybe win some medal or some other accolade.  I don't think most people think that their talent in the sports world is going to aid in the saving of a life.

But that is just what happened in the UP of Michigan along Lake Superior.  St Cloud State University Swim and Diving captain Marena Kouba was in the right place at the right time.  She was able to save a man and his two kids when they ventured into a "no swim" area in Lake Superior.

Kouba and her boyfriend, Dayton Nash, heard something and went to see what was going on, when they found the family caught in a rip, and knew they needed to be rescued.  This is from an interview with the couple on FOX 9- KMSP in Minneapolis:

"As we went out, halfway to the island and I said that I wanted to turn back because of how the waters were," explained Nash. "That’s when I heard the scream."A 10-year-old girl, an 11-year-old boy and their uncle were caught in a rip current more than 150 yards away.

"I didn’t really have time to think," recalled Kouba.

Nash swam back to shore to alert authorities while Kouba went in for the rescue.

"I had them lay on their backs so that they were floating and looking up at the sky," she said. "I just wanted them to focus on their breathing."

When something like this happens, if it had been me, I would have been so grateful that I had the skills to be able to help. Nothing would be worse than being there, seeing this happen and not being able to help. This was something that had a wonderful outcome and could have been very tragic.