Samaritans Save Young Girl from Water After Her Wheelchair Rolls off Dock
Going on a cruise with family or friends is usually a fun, relaxing way to spend your vacation. As long as you don’t get seasick easily and you enjoy being crammed shoulder-to-shoulder with other glistening humans on the party deck, having all-hours access to food and a familiar place to stay at night after a day of exploring is great.
While there are occasional incidents, cruises are relatively safe excursions, though one family on a recent cruise that stopped at St. Thomas experienced the scare of a lifetime on Aug. 12 when a young female relative in a wheelchair plunged into the water.
Thankfully, Randolph Donovan and Kashief Hamilton — who both live on the island and are employees of an entertainment group, according to Fox News — were nearby and jumped in to rescue her.
Video posted on the “What’s Going on St. Thomas?” Facebook group shows the two men helping the girl who they manage to get into a life preserver. The cruise ship was feet away from the dock and presented its own set of dangers.
“If you think that at ANY moment, a wind could shift that ship just enough to crush all 3 of those people in an instant…these are 2 brave, brave men helping that woman!” a commenter named Jay Taylor wrote. “Not all heroes wear capes! God bless them all!”
After the girl was hauled to safety, checked out and placed back in a wheelchair, the crowd broke into applause. Later, Donovan posted his side of the story.
“I couldn’t think I just had to move Real quick I cannot stop thinking about the way she was looking I told myself I had to save her the water was deep,” he wrote on Facebook.
“And when I see the wheelchair going under the weight and the fight that she put on me I was in a tight situation I keep screaming saying I cannot hold on no more thanks to Dj Country he was right there in the water to help now she have another day to talk about this day.”
Hamilton, also known as “DJ Country,” posted as well.
“Wake up this morning set and ready to go Dj on WICO Dock for the tourist coming in on the carnival ship not knowing i will be saving a tourist life,” he wrote. “Thank God we all are safe and sound. The love that is coming is tremendous and i want to say thank you to each and everyone.
“Situation like this all you can do is act and hope for the best. Randolph Donovan I’m glad that we did what we did and we are ok… VI Strong.”
The men’s bravery has been recognized by many officials, including the senator of the 31st/32nd Legislature of the Virgin Islands and Commissioner Joseph Boschulte.
While the two men’s daily work as entertainers may bring joy to the visitors who pass through St. Thomas, this was definitely their best performance yet.
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