Texas couple rescues children from Galveston Island waters
HOUSTON - Jeremy Bock and his girlfriend, Cassidy Coker, were enjoying a calm fishing trip to Galveston Island Labor Day weekend, but then - they heard screams.
"I looked at the water and I saw a little hand sticking out. Right away, I dropped my fishing pole and jumped in to pick her up," says Bock.
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He brought the little girl to safety, but his acts of heroism wouldn't stop there.
"I hear the people still screaming so I went back in the water and I just so happened to graze up against this kid. I didn't know it was a kid at the time. I reached down, picked him up and he was completely unconscious.
Both children would survive.
"I would say both of the children had to be less than 10 years old...definitely not big enough to be swimming in the ocean, especially not at that location around all those rocks," says Bock.
Jeremy was injured, bleeding from his foot. A Good Samaritan helped the couple get to the car and head to the hospital. But for this young couple, this story is about safety.
"I think it is an area meant for fishing and that's it, it's not to be swim at," says Cassidy Coker.
Chief Peter Davis agrees. He says the Boddeker Drive/Ship Channel Area has long been a water safety hot spot.
"It’s a popular fishing area, but with the strong tidal currents there has been deadly situations involving kids in the past.
The problem has been largely mitigated in the past 15 years, with a city ordinance prohibiting swimming and the installation of safety signage."
But danger still lurks, and for Jeremy, it's up to parents to be smart with their kids.
"Make sure your kids are not anywhere near that inlet. Don’t let your kids swim around the rocks. Make sure your kids know how to swim before they go to the beach, but just use common sense. I'm just glad we are not talking about two kids that passed away."
The Coast Guard contacted the couple and said that Jeremy will receive a reward for his heroism.